If you were among the millions watching ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” Tuesday night, you might have come away with the impression that Kristi Yamaguchi and Mark Ballas were the winners. But if you were among the gallery of fans gathered in Grandma Przytarski’s living room, you would know that the winners, by a landslide, were almost-

3-year-old Lola Van Dyke and her slightly older partner, Poppa Przytarski. Lola, in her tulle tutu, was radiant and moved effortlessly through the routine, gracefully twirling, executing complex steps and extending her arms and legs expertly on the lifts. She shimmied and moon-walked like a true champion, smiling and thoroughly enjoying herself all the while. Poppa did OK, too.
It looks like we also have some winning recipes this week. For those coconut lovers out there who have been eagerly awaiting a bread pudding that incorporates coconut into the mix, Arlene Viegen of

La Crescent, Minn., has come to the rescue.

We have a little “battle of the rhubarb breads” going this week as well. Having looked the two recipes over, however, I’d say it’s a dead heat. Along with her recipe, Betty Marsolek attached a short note: “Thought you might like this recipe for Rhubarb Bread, this makes two loaves and freezes well, stays nice and moist ... This is the first time I have sent in a recipe, but enjoy all of the recipes every Sunday in the

La Crosse Tribune.” Of her contribution, Marlene Mulrine of Onalaska, Wis., says it “makes a nice breakfast bread.”

We’ve had lots of rhubarb desserts, tortes, crunches and bars. Now we’re getting to the meat and potatoes of it: Joan Jarchow of La Crosse sent her recipe for rhubarb pork chop bake.

So far no responses to Alice Long’s request for a black walnut loaf cake with sugar glaze recipe, like the one she found many years ago in a magazine.

Likewise, no responses to Mary in California’s request for ways to use avocados. But we’re not ready to give up on these two requests just yet. Let’s hope that just the right people read about them and share some recipes with us.

Be sure to tune in to Coulee Region Cooks, which airs from 10 to 11 a.m. Thursdays on WIZM-AM radio. Mike Hayes and his guests share recipes and are always entertaining. When he can catch me at my desk, Mike and I spend a few minutes during the first half of the show chatting about the upcoming Exchange.

Send requests, recipes and/or cooking tips to Alice P. Clark at: Reader Exchange, c/o La Crosse Tribune, 401 N. Third St., La Crosse, WI 54601; e-mail: exchange@lacrossetribune.com or send a fax to (608) 782-9723.

Bread Pudding

5 slices dried bread

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

Dash of salt

2 1/2 cups scalded milk

1/3 cup raisins

2 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened

Coconut

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Tear or break bread into pieces; place in a greased or sprayed pan (note from Alice: size was not specified, but I think a 9-inch square pan would work.) Mix eggs, sugars, cinnamon, vanilla and salt together. After scalding milk, add raisins and butter; simmer a minute or two. Add egg/sugar mixture and stir well. Pour over bread. Sprinkle with 1 to 1 1/2 cups coconut. Place pan in a larger pan of hot water (to come about halfway up the sides of the smaller pan) and bake 65 to 70 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm or cold, topped with half and half if desired.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

(Shared by Arlene Viegen, La Crescent)

Betty’s Rhubarb Bread

4 eggs

1 cup of vegetable oil

1 3/4 cups brown sugar, firmly packed

2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups sifted all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups diced rhubarb

3/4 cup chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or spray 2 loaf pans. Combine all dry ingredients in bowl. Beat eggs, oil, brown sugar and vanilla together in a large bowl at high speed, until fluffy and smooth. Combine dry ingredients and add all at once to egg mixture, just until moistened. Stir in rhubarb and nuts. Spoon batter into loaf pans and bake at for 50 minutes when using fresh rhubarb; 65 minutes for frozen rhubarb, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes; turn out on wire racks and: cool completely.

Makes 2 regular loaf pans or 4 small loaf pans.

(Shared by Betty Marsolek, Independence)

Marlene’s Rhubarb Bread

Bread:

1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

2/3 cup salad oil

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb

1/2 cup nuts, optional

Topping:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon butter

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine all bread ingredients in the order given. Pour into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Blend sugar, cinnamon and butter; sprinkle over batter. Bake for 1 hour — do not overbake.

(Shared by Marlene Mulrine, Onalaska)

Rhubarb Pork Chop Bake

4 bone-in pork chops

Seasoning

2 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb cut in 1/2-inch pieces

4 slices day-old bread, crusts removed; cubed

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Brown pork chops, seasoning to taste as you do so. Combine rhubarb, cubed bread, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Place rhubarb mixture in a greased 7-x11-inch pan; top with pork chops. Cover and bake about 35 minutes or until meat is done.

(Shared by Joan Jarchow , La Crosse)

(Eggs were omitted from the ingredient list the first time the following recipe ran, so here it is again.)

Rhubarb Custard Bars

Cooking spray

Crust:

1-1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) chilled butter, cut into small pieces

Filling:

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups 1 percent low fat milk (I use skim)

3 eggs

5 cups sliced (1/2-inch pieces) fresh or frozen rhubarb (I have used both)

Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup (4 ounces) block-style fat-free cream cheese

1/2 cup (4 ounces) block-style 1/3-less-fat cream cheese

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup frozen fat-free whipped cream

Mint sprigs as garish (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F; lightly coat a 9-x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Combine all crust ingredients. Blend with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles course meal. Press mixture into baking dish; bake 15 minutes or until golden brown. For filling, combine flour and sugar in a large bowl; add milk and eggs, stir with a whisk until well blended. Stir in rhubarb: pour mixture over crust. Bake 40 minutes or until set. Cool to room temperature. For topping combine sugar, cream cheeses and vanilla in a bowl; beat with mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gently fold in whipped topping; spread evenly over baked custard. Chill at least 1 hour. (I do it longer as I like it firmer.) Add mint for garnish. (From Cooking Light magazine; shared by Michelle Hansen )

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