This column encourages readers’ recipe contributions and requests, helpful hints and timely trivia. Phone them in to 683-7266 or mail them to 527 Philip Rd., Niles, MI 49120. Thank you!

Remember those days long ago when meal preparation required almost constant supervision? Then came along the invention of the slow cooker that made it possible to leave not only the boundaries of the kitchen, but the boundaries of our home. Another kitchen appliance that has been introduced to our modern homemaker, the steamer, is not only self-contained, but takes up a relatively small area of your countertop to prepare one of our old-time favorites — chicken!

Thanks to a dinner invitation from one of my married children, I became the recipient of the most moist, steamed rendition of this foul that I have enjoyed in a long time. Although the chicken breast retained its attractive formation, it took but a slight nudge of the fork tines to render the portion size you were seeking. This was my very first pleasurable experience with a steamer, but it certainly will not be my last, for I intend to purchase one of these culinary machines of my own, provided they are not priced too expensively.

There are times when I occasionally even experience a feeling of guilt when I compare the convenience today’s cooks enjoy compared to the housewives of yesteryear.

Years past, custom required that ladies be attired in a floor-length frock covered by an apron.

Today’s ladies habitually clothe themselves in comfortable slacks or blue jeans.

Cooks of the past traditionally stoked up the wood stove or coal stove to preheat the ovens, whereas modern day cooks can simply push a button or turn a switch.

We take our eggs from the refrigerator; cooks of the past visited the chicken coop and withdrew the eggs from beneath the hen.

Yesteryear’s cooks methodically measured out the necessary ingredients; our homemakers of today have an option of either pursuing that method or simply opening a box of pre-mixed ingredients.

In years pat, baked goods were traditionally cooled on an open window sill, while today we customarily place it upon a shelf in the refrigerator.

Columnist’s note: Wouldn’t I love to be given the power to peer into even just one kitchen of the future, just to view what life will be like in the next 70 years or so; however, my expiration date will simply not allow this.

• When a reader recently made a request for some Chinese recipes, it brought to mind pleasant, lingering memories of a little Chinese restaurant that used to exist out on U.S. 31. The food was consistently excellent; the proprietors warm and generous; and the prices exceptionally reasonable. They never lacked an abundance of diners, and nary a diner departed from the premises without a huge smile brightening this countenance! The establishment was aptly named Happy House, for everyone left baring a huge smile of satisfaction!

Easy Chop Suey

Ingredients:

3 lb. beef

3 lb. pork

2 onions, chopped

3 cans chopped suey vegetables

1 1/2 c. brown gravy molasses

1 c. celery, chopped

1/2 c. soy sauce

1/2 c. cornstarch

Cooked rice

Directions:

Cut beef and pork into bite-sized portions. Combine meat, onion and celery; place small amount of fat in saucepan. Add meats mixture and stir until lightly browned. Add chop suey vegetables and three vegetable cans of water. Simmer for approximately two hours. Stir in molasses and soy sauce. Blend cornstarch with cup of cold water; stir into meat mixture in saucepan, then cook, continuously stirring, until thickened. Serve over hot rice.

• If any of the former Happy House ownership remain in the area, I would love to hear from you.

Since homemakers are notorious for comparing, commenting and perhaps the greater share of us — complaining — about the tremendous increase in the price of groceries, I found it quite worthy of note to share some memories of why the general public persists in comparing and complaining about the increases.

While browsing through some old newspapers, I happened to come across a full-page advertisement from the old Westside Super Store here in Niles. It was owned by two independent owners, so it had a duplicate location on the east side as well. In June 1976, they sponsored a contest where the first prize drawing was for $100 worth of groceries; second prize winners were awarded $50; and the third prize was awarded $25 worth of groceries. The purpose of this contest was to serve as a token of gratitude toward their customers, and certainly no different than what some enterprising merchant of today might even be inclined to consider.

What I found of particular interest were the grocery prices of that yesteryear of 35 years ago. A gallon of 2 percent milk was going for $1.09; a 3-pound package or more of ground hamburger was at 79 cents a pound; a 12-pack of 12-ounce Mountain Dew or Pepsi was at a $1.99; a six-pack of 7 Up brought 99 cents; a half-gallon of ice cream was priced at 69 cents. Jumbo paper towels were selling for 45 cents per roll. You could pick up a gallon of cider vinegar for 99 cents; a pound of fresh plums for 49 cents per pound; grapes were 49 cents per pound; and a crisp, green head of lettuce was a mere 29 cents. Thirty-two ounces of ketchup set you back 77 cents and 32 ounces of Miracle Whip went for 79 cents. Beef sausage cost 89 cents per pound and rib steaks were $1.39 per pound. An 18- to 20-pound turkey was 65 cents a pound; all-beef franks could be had for 79 cents a pound; and the ever-popular sliced bologna went for $1.49 for those 16 ounces.

Today, that 32 ounces of ketchup has wormed its way up to roughly $2.46; that same ounce package of wieners has experienced an upward spiral of $1.90; and we must shell out $1.20 more for a bottle of Miracle Whip that is half the size of yesteryear’s 32-ounce bottle that cost us less than $1.

While I don’t relish having to pay higher prices for the foods we need to sustain us in today’s life of the 2000s, at least we are no longer having to fight the human killers such as yellow fever, typhoid fever, cholera, etc. that plagued and eradicated human lives in the 1700s, 1800s and early 1900s, so we must consider ourselves blessed to live in this century.

Take advantage of the many fruits, vegetables, meats, poultry, grains, etc. that await you on our grocers’ shelves and in our open air markets. Better yet, if you have the soil availability, time and opportunity, consider putting in a small garden. The time spent tilling the soil in preparation of planting crops can be beneficial in exercising our joints and limbs and the inhalation of fresh air is mighty refreshing!

I am surprised at the number of people who have a habit of discarding the leaves of the celery and simply eating the stalks, for I have always been under the impression that these were just as nourishing as the stalk itself. Thank heavens I finally came across a food article that substantiated my belief, for it made mention of the fact that the leaves are actually the most nutritious part of the plant, for the contain more calcium, iron, potassium and vitamins A and C than the stalks do. I would no more think of discarding that portion of celery than I would that portion of parsley; I have always used both in their entirety. Fortunately it is available to we the public throughout the year with very little seasonal variation in supply.

For the next recipe you are going to have to reach into your savings, pack your suitcases and prepare for a big surprise, for we are traveling to Alaska. Just kidding, of course, for you can simply seat yourself behind your steering wheel, head to your favorite supermarket and probably find this — or at least perhaps a reasonable facsimile of this — in your grocers’ case.

Alaskan Lasagna

Ingredients:

(2) 6 oz. pkg. Alaska king crab

1 tbsp. parsley, chopped

8 oz. pkg. lasagna noodles

2 c. ricotta or cottage cheese

(2) 8 oz. cans tomato sauce

1/4 c. green onions, chopped

8 oz. mozzarella cheese

1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

Directions:

Combine crab together with tomato sauce, onions, seasoned salt and parsley in a large skillet. Simmer for at least 10 minutes. Spread half of noodles into 2 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Cover with just half of crab meat mixture. Add half of mozzarella. Repeat procedure. Spread with ricotta and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for about 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

Food Facts: Most fish are excellent sources of complete proteins, iron and minerals. Some are even high in vitamin A. Although a forkful of fish is considered a gold mine of concentrated nutrients, Americans are said to consume an average of only 15 pounds a year, compared to our annual per capita of about 160 pounds of red meat and more than 90 pounds of poultry. Some food experts go as far as to firmly feel that by eating fish three times per week, can prove to promote a significant decrease in the rate of heart disease. After savoring a statement such as this, I could easily be stubborn enough to force myself to eat fish even if I found it to be distasteful.

Timely Trivia: When the gray exterior of our presidential mansion was painted white to cover the fire damage caused by British forces in the War of 1812, the change in color brought along a change in name — the White House.

• If that sweet tooth has been nudging you a bit lately, here’s a brown sugar concoction that might be exactly what you need:

Brown Sugar Fudge

Ingredients:

1 c. packed light brown sugar

1 c. granulated sugar

1 tbsp. butter

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

3/4 c. milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Combine two sugars with milk and place in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches the soft ball stage. Remove quickly from heat and add butter and extract. Cool in pan of cold water; beat until thick. Quickly add walnuts, then pour into 9-inch square pan. Place in refrigerator until set, then cut into squared of desired size.

Food Fact: I still stand amazed by the fact the majority of German-born individuals all love candy, but not one of those I have come in contact with care at all for the type of chocolate fudge we make with Hershey’s cocoa.

• Don Perignon, the man we commonly recognize for perfecting the process of both making and bottling champagne, was a Benedictine monk.

• Although I customarily set up my outdoor grill to barbecue chicken, my patience wore a bit thin, so I finally regulated my duty to my stovetop burners and it turned out just fine. Do you want to try your luck at it?

Stove Top Barbecued Chicken

Ingredients:

3-lb. fryer

1 good-sized onion

1 tsp. cooking oil

1/2 c. water

2 tbsp. brown sugar

Approx. 1/2 c. ketchup

2 tbsp. vinegar

1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. celery seeds or flakes

Directions:

Place oil in large non-stick skillet, then add chopped onions. Cook slowly until soft, then stir in ketchup, water, brown sugar, vinegar, celery seeds or flakes and Worcestershire sauce and bring to boil. Cut chicken into serving-size portions, then when sauce has come to full boil, add chicken to skillet, placing what used to be the skin side down, and spoon boiling sauce equally over pieces. Place lid on skillet; adjust burner so sauce is simmering. Simmer for at least 30 minutes. Remove lid, turn chicken over and cook for 15 minutes or until chicken tests tender.