HAPPY March! What does that mean? Other than enjoying some green beer on St. Patrick’s Day, I’m thinking not much. And maybe that’s a good thing. After all the holiday hullabaloo, March is a great time to relax, get ready for Spring and enjoy life…damn it! That said, why dontcha grab yourself a cocktail and let’s read a letter, shall we?
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Dear Ruthie,
A few days ago, I realized that my girlfriend added several of her previous girlfriends to her FaceBook Friends page. I don’t know how I feel about this. I trust her completely, but on the other hand, this feels wrong.
Should I ask her to remove those women from her friends list? Part of me thinks she shouldn’t have accepted their friendship request to begin with, which is also bothering me. -- Thanks, Miss Understood
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Dear Missy,
Honey-girl, if you don’t know how you feel about this situation, how the hell do you expect your lady friend to? FaceBook, Twitter and all of those other social sites, do indeed, bring new issues to the relationship table. If I were you, I’d calmly tell your gal-pal that some of her FaceBook friendships make you a bit uncomfortable. Be honest. Tell her that you’re not sure why you feel this way, but that you do. Let her know that you trust her completely, but that this is something you two should address to make your relationship the best it can be.

Talk about it together and come to a mutual agreement on how the two of you will handle “cyber friendships” in the future.
Then strap on an apron…you thought I was going to suggest strapping on something else, didn’t you…and hop in the kitchen. Check out the recipes that follow and surprise her with a homemade meal.

Nothing says lovin’ like something in the oven…or a blank check. Assuming some Sugar Daddy ain’t throwin’ cash your way, show yourself (or your partner) some love with one of these recipes. Each was sent by a reader, and each promises to warm you up during the month of March.

Grandma’s Irish Soda Bread
Perfect for March, this soda bread comes from Cathy of Glendale who received it from her Grandma…obviously. “The recipe makes two loaves…one for you and one for a neighbor,” she writes.

4 cups flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
3/4 stick of butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
8 ounces raisins

Preheat oven to 335 degrees. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Set dough on floured surface and knead 6 to 8 times.
With floured hands, pat the dough into two round loaves; set both on a floured baking pan. With a sharp knife, cut an “X” onto the top of both loaves. Bake for 1 hour at 335 degrees.
Ruthie’s Culinary Clues
If the bowl is large enough, knead the bread in the bowl to avoid extra cleanup. “You can also bake the bread in two floured cake pans,” says Cathy.

Mrs. Mert’s Famous Cheese Olive Puffs
“These appetizers are amazing,” writes Doug from Milwaukee. “They always bring a touch of class to even the trashiest of soirees!” Hey Doug! Who you callin’ trashy? That’s “Miss Trashy” to you!

2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 pound butter
3-4 dozen small stuffed olives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the first four ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and chill for 4 hours or until cheese mixture is easy to handle.
Take a teaspoon of cheese mixture shape into a ball. Use the end of a wooden spoon to make a deep depression in center of ball. Set an olive in depression and shape the cheese mixture around to fully cover the olive. Set on a greased baking pan. Repeat with remaining mixture and olives. Bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Refrigerate leftovers.

Ruthie’s Culinary Clues
If you have time, follow Doug’s lead and grate a block of cheese so it melts better. If you don’t have a wooden mixing spoon, make the indentations with your finger…just make sure it’s clean first! Doug says that the puff don’t really brown in the oven, so don’t expect them to.

Snazzy Tomato Soup
If you want to get all fancy and forgo the canned stuff, try this warmer-upper from Robbin. She emailed her recipe from her Milwaukee home and won a free T-shirt!

2-3 tablespoons olive oil
1-1/2 cups chopped red onion
2 carrots, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 pounds fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped, seeds removed
1-1/2 tsp sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, packed
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons ground pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream

Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and carrots and saute for 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 2 to 3 more minutes.
Stir in the next seven ingredients; bring up to a boil. Decrease heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until tomatoes are very tender.
Carefully pour soup into a blender or food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth.
Carefully return soup to pot. Stir in cream and heat until warmed through. Refrigerate leftovers.

Ruthie’s Culinary Clues
Robin suggests leaving the carrots unpeeled and using half and half in place of the heavy cream. She likes to garnish servings with fresh basil a sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Got a recipe for Ruthie? Need some of her neighborly advice? Email her at dearmsruthie@yahoo.com.
If she published your recipe, you’ll receive a free Bitchin’ Kitchen T-shirt.