A Note from the WebMistress-

Please forgive the lack of formatting in this version. This is the first time I’m trying to post the newsletter to the AO Website, and I’m placing expediency above aesthetics at this point.

Diane S. Frank

I just want to remind all of you ladies that newsletter articles are due two weeks before the week of the meeting.. This is to insure that the newsletter is of the best quality and that I have the proper amount of time I need to put it together and get it sent out. Any articles that are not in by the deadline will not be run in that month’s issue. Articles for May’s newsletter are due April 29th. Thank you for all your help. Getting the newsletter going has been hard for me since I am new to it. It has been fun putting it together and it has taken a lot of patience. I thank you all for putting up with my little changes to the newsletter. If there is anything you haven’t like please feel free to tell me.
 
 

Gloria called the meeting to order. Tonight is a salute to the Partners and Spouses. Lori introduced Jamie it’s her first meeting and Abbie and Shelly and Mary Lee its there second meeting. Ari is the monitor for the children of crossdressers on line. Gloria thanked Olena and Diane Frank for taking care of the last meeting. There is an Alpha Omega bookstore in Amazon. Com. we received a royalty check of $28.27. This money will go towards more books to be put in libraries. We received conformation that Jefferson Library, Avon Lake and Overlain have accepted the books.

Jane Ellen and Frances Fairfax are going to receive the Virginia Prince Lifetime Service Award.

TREASURER REPORT: Balance in the check book $2046.94. Outreach fund $462.71. Petty cashes $50.00.

There will be special general affairs meeting in two weeks from tomorrow.

Nomination for next year’s officers was held. For Secretary/treasurer Peggy nominated Elaine. Paula sec.

Vice President Lisa nominated Diane Vernon. Kathleen sec. Peggy nominated Olena for vice president. Karen sec. For President Peggy nominated Olena. Paula sec. Joanne nominated Lori and she declined. Peggy nominated Lisa . Diane Brennon sec.

The speaker at the next meeting will be Vince Lisi from the Spirituality Society in Youngstown.

Kathleen made the motion we adjourn the meeting , Cheryl sec.

Respectfully Submitted

Elaine Benton

Secretary/Treasurer

Gloria called the meeting to order. Dues are due by the end of the month.

Treasurer’s Report: Balance in the checking $2160.78,Outreach $490.98 and $50.00 in petty cash.

There is a Dr. Schlessinger who has a radio talk show. She gave bad advice to a crossdressers wife. She is not a Psychologist. She is a Doctor of Physiology. If anyone would like to write to her we have her address.

At the April meeting the new officers will be taking over and committees will be set. Also if we don’t have a Makeup Artist, Olena will do a Puppet Show.

The Tri Ess board will be meeting here July 29^th. We are the host chapter.

Lori talked about S.S.A.F.E. There will be a program Sunday March 19^th. At Tower City at 9:00. Lori can get tickets. The cost is $25. Alpha Omega would like to donate $50 to S.S.A.F.E. Cheryl made the motion we donate the $50. Diane Frank sec. motion passed.

Cheryl talked about Spice 2001.It will be in Cleveland at the Clarion at the Airport. Gloria made the motion we endorse and sponsor Spice. Allie sec. motion passed.

Lori announced that there are 31 people here tonight. We welcomed Bonnie and Mel.

Gloria asked if there were any more nominations from the floor for Sec./Treas. Cheryl nominated Kathleen.

Elaine was nominated last month. With no other nominations the nominations were closed.

She asked for nominations from the floor for Vice President Diane Vernon was nominated last month. Paula was nominated from the floor. With no other nominations the nominations were closed. President Diane Vernon was nominated last month. Kathleen nominated Dianne Brennon from the floor. With no other nominations the nominations were closed.

Officers elected were President Diane Brennon.. Vice President Paula, Secretary/ Treasurer. Elaine Benton.

There will be Officers meeting, new and old on March 26^th. At 2:00.

Diane Frank made the motion we adjourn the meeting, Cheryl sec. meeting was adjourned.

Respectfully Submitted

Elaine Benton

Secretary/Treasurer
 
 

Alpha Omega was very pleased to have Marie and Aggie as the presenters of our program for makeovers during our Spouses and Partners recognition at our February meeting. Marie did a fine job of showing her skills as an image consultant for Artistry Cosmetics, and also showed us some of her tapes showing make up secrets.

Aggie was an able assistant helping with hair styles, and did quite a job of styling Lori's hair. These two caring ladies have done a previous program for the group that was well received, and have become good friends of our group. Thank you, Marie and Aggie, for your time, your skills, and your friendship.

Keep in mind that as speakers for Alpha Omega this year that you are both invited to the Alpha Omega Christmas Party later this year as our guests. Thank you both for a wonderful program.

And speaking of wonderful programs, I would also, on behalf of Alpha Omega, like to take a moment to thank Vince Lisa of the Youngstown Spirituality Society for being our speaker for March. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on helping us to discover our inner selves and find peace and purpose in our lives.

Coming to terms and acceptance with ourselves as a person from our masculine and feminine sides is something we all try to achieve. Your perspectives gave us each something to think about. Vince will also be eligible to attend the Alpha Omega Christmas Party as a guest.

Thank you, Vince, for becoming a friend of Alpha Omega.

Gloria

PS from Kathleen--

I, too, enjoyed Mr. Lisi's presentation at our last meeting. Whether you agreed with all, some or even none of his views, the important thing to me was that he made you think. It is stimulating to listen to someone who encourages you to look at things from a different perspective than you might normally do. I know that I tend to box myself into my own comfortable viewpoints on life. So a stretching exercise like this was a positive experience. In the end, whether his discourse altered the viewpoint I held before listening to him is unimportant. What was important was his ability to make me dust off my own beliefs, take a good look at them, and to decide if those beliefs still fit me.

**************************************************

April 8, 2000

New officers take over and set up new committees. Olena is trying to set up a program on make up, or she will do a puppet show. Either way, with Olena involved,
it will be an experience.

May 13, 2000

Karen Gross and her husband from TransFamily - a gender support group, also in the Cleveland area,  will be our speakers. This should be very interesting to hear about   another group helping people on a  local level. Please, be there.

June 10, 2000

We are trying to line up a wig  program by someone Sally has  dealt with. Details will follow as they are available.

July 8, 2000

Christmas II. A white elephant  gift exchange, Christmas carols,  decorations, a great meal, and 80 degree plus heat -- what more could you ask for. Get the
Christmas spirit this summer.

**July 29, 2000

Cheryl and Lisa's Wedding.  See Special Announcement.  NO AUGUST MEETING

September 9, 2000

Lisa and Cheryl's wedding - or  another program - Details will follow as available.

October 14, 2000

National Speaker's Month. Dana, a well-versed spokesperson on outreach to colleges and to the public in general will be our  speaker. A-O will be trying to  arrange a program at a local college while Dana is here to help us learn and gain experience.

Look forward to this meeting.

** November 4, 2000

Due to a conflict at the church for the second Saturday meeting day, we will meet on the first Saturday.

Program open yet.

December 2, 2000

First Saturday of the month. Gift exchange, entertainment, a  great meal, awards, signing and  music, and lots of love and friendship. Plan to be there.

Understanding guest welcome.

************************************************

I want to thank you, the members of Alpha Omega for (entrusting) me with the role of president. I will do my best to live up to that trust. I know that I have big shoes to fill (no pun intended), but to do so I will need the help of each and every one of you. If everyone does just a little more for the chapter and Triess than you did last year, we will have no trouble living up to the "Chapter of the Year" award that we won for 1999.

At the April meeting we will be appointing members to the following committees: 1) General Affairs, 2) Finance, 3) Interview, 4) Outreach, 5) Newsletter, 6) Internet, 7) Setup / Cleanup, 8) Meals, 9) Christmas Party, 10) any others that I forgot.

In addition to the above committees, Alpha Omega is sponsoring S.P.I.C.E. 2001 and we need a committee that can host and help plan this event. Again we will be in the national spotlight and must put our best foot forward.

Plus, do not forget the Alpha Omega Cookbook and Olena Marie’s collection of humorous and serious stories relating to crossdressing.

I said earlier that I needed help from all of you. Now you see why. So help your chapter out a little. Volunteer for, at the very least, one committee, submit a recipe, and write down an experience that you have had with crossdressing that had an impact on your life. Your sisters will be eternally grateful to you if you do (and even if they are not, I will be).

To quote Dennis Miller, "Of course that’s just my opinion, I could be wrong".

Thanks for taking time from your busy day to read this.

Diane B.
 
 

Almost thirteen years ago a very caring and loving wife, name Diane, contacted TriEss and began a group called Genesis to help her husband, Jill, and others like him in the Cleveland area. From that beginning evolved Alpha Omega. And it was about eleven and one-half years ago that I found Alpha Omega, and my life as Martin was changed forever, and my life as Gloria began.

For over eleven years the second Saturday of each month with Alpha Omega has been a part of my life. Because of Alpha Omega, I was able to find peace and self-understanding of who I am as a person that I had only dreamed of before. I discovered my path, and have striven to help others find theirs.

I have dedicated a large part of my life to help make Alpha Omega a group that can be proud of its goals and purposes, and a group others would want to be a part of. My time and efforts have been given freely to help the group and all who have been a part of it.

As I end this sixth term as president, it is time I step down and just be a member for a while. I guess you could say I need a little time for me and Kathy. Kathy, too, has been by my side for over a decade of service to the group, and I am so proud she is a part of my life.

To this next year's officers, I pledge to help as I can with the goals of the group, and to share what wisdom I may have. Alpha Omega is a part of my heart and soul, and I hope somewhere along the line, that I have helped others to find similar pride in our group.

Let's all work together to make 2000 a great year for Alpha Omega.

Respectfully submitted,

Gloria Sue Fenton

Ex-President, Alpha Omega

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Ham, potatoes Peggy

Salad Allie

Macaroni & cheese Paula

Fish sticks Shelly

Bread/rolls Karen

Dessert Joyce

Karen

Snacks Gloria

Kathleen
 
 

Due to circumstances, the wedding of Cheryl and Lisa has been changed to July 29th, 2000. This is in lieu of the August meeting. (The September meeting will be held as normal.) Let’s all plan to attend and enjoy ourselves. Among the guests will be the members of the Triess Board. A special caterer has been obtained who has promised to amaze us with her culinary delights. Deborah Lee has promised to be the wedding photographer. Hopefully we can persuade Paula to act as DJ. So that we can determine the amount of food, please sign the list at the next meetings. This is your chance to wear your prettiest outfits and have a good time.
 
 

Frequently a letter comes to my attention that I feel needs to be shared. The following is one of them. (Names have been changed.)

Dear Sue,

I have decided to write to you directly instead of going through Dick. I have never really talked to you personally about the feelings I experience when you are around and I need to let you know how I really feel about you.

I have some very angry feelings towards you and some deep resentments. I want you to know that Dick is my fiancé and I love him very much. I know that he has known you since his youth, long before I came into his life, but I feel really threatened by you and the relationship he has with you. You have caused many problems in his previous marriage with Nicole and you played a big role in the deterioration of their marriage. I will not allow you to ruin my relationship with Dick the way you did with Nicole. Dick was never really honest with Nicole about you and I don't think that at that

time he really knew you as well as he knows you now. Dick has told me

everything he knows about you and I really appreciate the fact that he has shared this information with me. I have met you on several occasions and I know that you are a kind and gentle person with deep feelings. I know that you are considerate and care about other people's feeling and that is why I am writing to you. I know that you will understand my feelings towards you even if they upset you.

Dick is my fiancé and I want to marry him and spend the rest of my life with him. I know that he loves me and wants the same. You however, are also a part of his life and I resent that. I feel threatened by you and I am no longer comfortable staying at home when you are here. That is why I haven't seen you lately. I go off shopping and only return when Dick is alone. I feel very uneasy having to share Dick with you. It hurts me so much to know that he is attracted to you. I think that you dress provocatively to turn him on and as you know, it does. He loves your short skirts and your long blonde hair and to tell you the truth, I am very jealous. He is mine and I am finding it very difficult dealing with this situation.

I hate it when you take everything masculine about him and change it into something feminine. I love his hairy muscular legs, his bare broad chest, his beautiful penis and his bristly face. These are the things that as a woman, I am so turned on by. You take all these things away from him and I hate you for that.

When I am not around, he has hot bubble baths with you and then he picks out sexy clothes for you to wear. The clothes I wear are so different from the clothes he prefers on you. He likes you to wear lace and satin and he becomes sexually turned on when you wear lingerie. It was not too long ago when I really enjoyed wearing such things, but now I feel as though I am second best. I just don't seem to turn him on as much as you do and this breaks my heart. I am so jealous of you. I wish you could just leave and never come back, but I know that he loves you as he loves himself and that you will always be apart of his life. I know that I must accept you if I want to remain a part of his life.

I really wish that the two of you could just be friends. I think that I would be much more accepting of you if you and he shared a platonic relationship rather than a one with so many sexual under tones. I would much prefer it if you would wear leggings and a sweater when you were with Dick rather than the clothes you wear. It's not like you are going the Academy awards Sue, you are just sitting in the living room for God's sake. Must you always be so extravagant? Why do you feel you have to entice Dick sexually? I hate that about you.

Sometimes when he and I are making love I feel that he is thinking about you and I can't tell you how awful that makes me feel. I feel so empty inside and I am no longer turned on by him. You are like a shadow that follows him everywhere and you are always on his mind. I hate you for that. I want to be the most important person in his life. I hate sharing him with another woman.

I don't like it when you use my make-up and my vanity table when I am not here and I don't want you to wear my clothes or my perfume. They belong to me, not you. And I really hate it when you use my pads ( I know that you are not menstruating) Leave my pads alone. Buy your own if you must wear them!

I don't understand why Dick wants to take you out in public with him and then ask me to come along for support. It is really hard for me to be with him when all his attention is on you and not me. He finds you so attractive and is so consumed by you and I am so very jealous of the fact that he pays more attention to you than he does to me. Perhaps you are his ideal woman and I just don't quite measure up to his expectations. He tells me I do and that he really loves me and yet it is you who intrigues him so...not me. There are so many things I just don't understand and that I am angry about.

I really tried to be your friend. In the past, you and I have spent many nights sitting around talking and doing the "girl things", but unfortunately, when you are here, Dick leaves and that is the part that really bothers me. He can be alone with you whenever he wants, if not physically, mentally, but the three of us can never be together. Whenever you are around he disappears and I miss him very much.

I really feel for you Sue. I know that you do not have any other

people in your life besides Dick. The two of you go back a long way and I know that the two of you share something very few other people share. I am concerned about my relationship with Dick and I would really appreciate it if you would try to think about my feelings. Please try to understand that I love Dick very much and I don't want to lose him to you. I am afraid that he will want to spend more time with you and less with me.

I know that perhaps you and Dick would like it if we could all make love together, but as I have told Dick, I am not attracted to females and not only would I feel uncomfortable in such a situation, I'm afraid that jealousy would consume me and I would no longer be turned on by Dick even when you are not around. Just knowing that when he and I are together that you are always on his mind is hard enough for me to deal with. I know that inviting you into our bedroom would ruin the relationship Dick and I have.

I really don't know what we can do about this situation. Perhaps if we are all open and honest with each other, we might find a possible solution to this problem. All I ask is that you honor my feelings regarding this issue as I have always honored yours and Dick's.

Marie
 
 

Well ladies, Spring is here and the weather is becoming warmer. I am sure it is time to bring out the short skirts and the light weight outfits. I have brought out my shorts and started tanning so I can look good when summer gets here.

It is time for a change in season and so brings on changes in everyone’s lives. The warm weather and the sun brings out the happiness and smiles that the cold dreary weather of winter hides. Go shopping ladies. Buy yourselves a nice spring dress or outfit and have a day to yourself. Let the spring breezes and the warm smiles relax you for just one day. Trust me when I say this, you will enjoy a day to yourself.

All but too often we are too occupied to even take ten minutes to ourselves. Especially when we are a parent or work a lot. It makes it hard to have quality time for you. I know how it feels, being a single mom I don’t have a lot of time for me. I took one day to myself and went to the park and tanning. I felt better. The weight of the winter months had brought me down. Now Spring is here and I feel like a new woman. Now it is your turn. Make yourself feel like new. Trust me you will love the way you feel in the end.
 
 

The Millennium March on Washington for Equality, scheduled for April 30^th, will be the fourth national march for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender civil rights, and promises to be one of the largest and most powerful civil rights demonstrations in recent history. The purpose of the Millennium March on Washington for Equality is to energize and galvanize the GLBT and supportive communities to work for equality at all levels, strengthen the overall movement for equal rights and empower and inspire voters for the 2000 elections.

THE Millennium March on Washington for Equality will take place Sunday, April 30, 2000 at the National Mall, drawing hundreds of thousands of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) individuals and organizations and our allies. The March will begin at 10am from the Ellipse, and the Rally will begin at noon on the Mall and continue until 6pm. In addition to the March and Rally, the weekend will feature a two-day street festival, several GLBT conferences and hundreds of affiliated events, including the Millennium March’s national dinner.

To ensure that the Millennium March on Washington is beneficial long after the actual day of the March, organizers have made commitments to ensure that the Millennium March supports state and local organizations, people of color organizations and gay and lesbian community centers across the country. Recognizing the increasing importance of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender vote, organizers of the Millennium March on Washington for Equality have also created "GLBT Vote 2000," a campaign designed to increase voter registration, education and empowerment among the GLBT community.

For more information, contact the Millennium March office at:

1000 16 th St., NW, Ste 300

Washington, DC 20036

(202) 467-8100

www.mmow.org
 
 

Make up and the Crossdressing Face

by Miss Sally Stone

Many consider the application of make-up a real form of art. I am always amazed at how a little make-up (well actually quite a bit) can so completely alter my appearance. It is truly artistic, and like any other form of art, practice is what it takes to become a master. I like to think of applying make-up as painting. If you think about it, painting and applying make-up are very similar. As a painter, you use a brush, paint, and a clean piece of canvas on which you create your masterpiece. When you apply make-up, you use a brush and cosmetics. Cosmetics are just like paint, only it is paint for the face. With cosmetics we apply color, manipulate the light, and alter the shadows to create a masterpiece. Just like painting, we have to start with a clean piece of canvas. The only difference is that our canvas is our face, and just like the artist's canvas, our face must be as clean and flawless as possible to ensure our masterpiece is perfect.

As crossdressers, achieving a pristine piece of canvas on which to begin our masterpiece can be daunting. The face, first of all, is rarely smooth. Additionally, a crossdresser's face is generally never uniform in color. True, as crossdressers, our canvas offers a grand challenge. Fear not, my fair maidens, for with careful preparation, and a few simple tips, we can easily overcome some of our masculine facial characteristics, and create a masterpiece.

Since most crossdressers dress as males most of the time, they generally only think about facial care when it is time to make up. If you want your face to be a feminine one when you dress as a woman, it is imperative that you take care of your complexion all the time. The single most important thing you can do for your face is to moisturize daily. I use a moisturizer that has Vitamin E in it. Vitamin E helps shrink the pores and improve skin tone. Used diligently, creams and moisturizers with Vitamin E can significantly improve the overall tone of your skin.

Facial preparation just prior to make up application is also extremely important. Shaving is one the more difficult chores, and getting the closest possible shave is imperative. Always start with a new, clean blade. I always begin shaving preparation by washing my face with a non-drying cleanser like Noxzema. Next, I apply a thick coating of hair conditioner to my beard and let it stay on for at least five minutes. The conditioner softens the facial hair significantly, and helps give a closer, more comfortable shave. Another helpful tip is to shave your beard after a couple of days of growth. The longer whiskers allow those double blades to lift and cut below the skin line, giving a much closer shave.

Instead of washing off the conditioner, I re-wet my face and apply a good quality shaving gel right over top. I then shave my face and neck completely, shaving in the direction of the whiskers. After the first shave, I re-wet my face, re-apply shaving gel, and then carefully shave my entire face again, this time going against the grain. After shaving, I again apply a moisturizer.

After a close, careful shave, it is time to begin applying make up. Let me start by saying that as males, we must accept the fact that our complexion differs greatly from that of a female. Realize that short of electrolysis and hormone treatments, it will be next to impossible to completely eliminate the pebbly texture of male skin.

That said, it is possible to create an extremely feminine face, in spite of our masculine shortcomings. To begin, we must select an extremely opaque foundation. Regular make-up simply will not do the job. There are two foundation products on the market that I highly recommend. The first product is Dermablend. Dermablend is specially formulated for people with scars or other skin abnormalities. It comes in several different shades and it should be possible to match just about any skin tone, and it is very important to select a shade that closely matches your natural skin tone. Be warned that Dermablend is expensive. A small tin costs approximately $20 dollars. The good news is that the small tin will provide many applications. You can find this product at all department stores with a cosmetics section as well as most Eckerd Pharmacies.

The second product is much less expensive and produces a quality result as well. It is called Signature Concealing Cream and comes in a shallow plastic tin. The problem with the Signature products is they are difficult to find. You will usually find this product in a pharmacy cosmetics section, and occasionally, at one of those discount dollar stores. Signature creams come in only four different shades so it may be harder to match your skin tone.

I find that main stream cosmetic foundations do not provide the opacity required to cover the bluish tint caused by the male beard (even a close shave cannot eliminate this bluish tint). If you choose to use a regular foundation however, it is possible to offset the beard tint by applying a yellow concealer stick beneath the foundation. The yellow concealer tends to neutralize the blue tint caused by the beard. If you do not have a yellow concealer stick, it is possible to neutralize beard tint by dotting red lipstick all across the beard area of the face. This technique works best after you have applied foundation. Simply apply the red lipstick so that you look like you have the measles. Then carefully blend the lipstick into the foundation. This technique will produce a sunburned appearance that effectively masks the bluish tint.

Whichever type of foundation you choose (I highly recommend Dermablend or Signature Concealing Cream), carefully cover the entire face ensuring the foundation is smooth, and the overall color is uniform. To set the foundation, apply a matching powder. Apply the powder by carefully blotting it on with a buff. Let the powder stand for five minutes, and then carefully and gently, blend it in with a soft powder brush.

Now that you have a smooth foundation, make up application is straightforward. I usually start by applying blush, and I use the blush to outline my cheekbones. Outlining the cheekbones highlights them much more effectively than applying blush directly over them. Use a light touch to avoid that heavy wind burned look.

Next, I line my eyes using a black or dark blue pencil. Line the upper lid from corner to corner. The lower lid should only be lined, from the outside corner to a point halfway across the eye. After lining the lids, carefully blend the lines using a damp cotton swab. Men generally have deep set eyes. To offset this effect, apply a light shade of eye shadow to the lower eyelid, and then accent the upper eyelid with a darker shade. Carefully blend the shadow so that it is darker on the outside of the upper lid and lighter on the inside.

When applying mascara, use a light touch at first. Slowly build thickness using multiple applications. You want the lashes to be thicker at the roots and thinner at the tips so that they take on a natural appearance.

The final step in achieving a feminine appearance, and in my humble opinion, one of the most important, is painting the lips. Carefully prepared lips, more than any of our other features, alter our appearance. Just like the face, lips must be prepped before the application of lipstick. Like the face, the lips benefit from moisture. Using a moisturizing lip balm daily will usually do the trick.

To prepare the lips for lipstick application always remember to apply foundation over the edge of the lip line. Additionally, apply color grip to the entire lip area, making sure that the lip line is covered. Color grip is a colorless application that usually comes in a lipstick type tube and prevents lipstick from running into the fine lines and creases that rim our natural lips. It also helps the lipstick adhere to our lips making it long lasting.

I usually line my lips with a fine lined lip pencil slightly darker than the lipstick shade I plan to use. The pencil makes it easy to draw and shape the lip outline. The outline should be sharp. Next, fill in the lips with lipstick. I use a lip brush. If your lips are not very full, you can accentuate them by drawing the lip outline slightly beyond your natural lip line. Be careful; however, as the technique does not look very good if overdone. Another great way to add fullness to thin lips is to color the center of the upper and lower lip with a lighter shade of lipstick than was used along the outer edges. Blend, and then finish the lips with a matching gloss.

Of course my techniques are not the only techniques that work for crossdressers, and I am sure there are countless others. Regardless of the make up application tips you use; however, facial preparation and careful application, will always produce a feminine result. Do not be afraid to experiment to determine which techniques work best for you and above all, take good care of your face every day.
 
 

Greek Tsoureki (Easter Bread)

• 1 c Milk
• 1/2 c Sweet butter
• 1 pk Active dry yeast
• 1/2 c Granulated sugar
• 1 ts Salt
• 2 Eggs; beaten
• 5 tb Orange juice, divided
• 1 tb Grated orange rind
• 5 1/2 c Sifted flour
• Butter; melted
• 1/4 c Slivered almonds
• 2 tb Granulated sugar

In a small saucepan, combine the milk and butter over medium heat and scald. Stir until the butter melts, then pour into a mixing bowl.

When lukewarm, sprinkle in the yeast, and gradually stir in the 1/2 cup sugar until it dissolves.

Next add the salt, eggs, 3 tablespoons of orange juice, and the orange rind, stirring continuously.

Gradually add half the flour until the mixture begins to bubble. Continue adding flour gradually by hand; the dough will be sticky, but not stiff.

Flour your fingers lightly and knead for 15 minutes.

Place the dough in a large buttered bowl, brush the dough with melted butter, cover, and place in a warm area to rise until doubled in bulk (approximately 2 to 3 hours).

Punch the dough down and divide into 2 parts. Divide each half into 3 parts and roll each into a long rope about 10" x 2". Braid the three ropes together; pinch to seal the ends.

Repeat with the other half of the dough to make a second tsoureki.

Place on a cookie sheet, cover, and let rise until doubled in bulk (approx. 1 1/2 hours).

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze by mixing the remaining 2 tb orange juice, 2 tb granulated sugar, and the slivered almonds in a small bowl.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and with a pastry brush glaze the tops and sides of loaves.

Caramel Apple Pecan Pie

• Pastry for 2-crust 9" pie
• 4 McIntosh apples; peeled/cored/thin sliced (1 lb)
• 1/2 c Pecans; chopped
• 1/4 c Sugar
• 1/4 lb Caramels; coarse chopped
• 2 tb Flour
• 1/4 c Milk
• Milk; for top
• Sugar; for top

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Ease 1 round of pastry into a 9-inch pan.

In a large bowl, toss together apples, pecans, sugar, caramels, flour and milk. Spoon mixture into pie shell.

Top with the remaining pastry. Fold the edge of the top pastry under the bottom pastry. Pinch together and flute the edge with a fork. Cut several slits in the top so the steam can escape during baking. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until crust is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Pie is best served slightly warm.