Southern cuisine featured on show

Information on self improvement, drawing a quilt pattern and preparing recipes for southern cuisine will be the featured topics on “Creative Living” at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday and noon Thursday.

Lance Heft is a businessman, author and entrepreneur, and has written a book titled “Your Turn to Win.” Heft will tell about his ideas and suggestions, and explain how he came to write this self-help program and book. He’s from Collegeville, Pa.

Author and quilter Norah McMeeking will show how to draw a quilt pattern using a compass, ruler and a large sheet of paper — and she says that fellow quilters like this method. Her book is titled “Bella Bella Quilts,” and she lives in Santa Barbara, Calif.

Home economist and spokeswoman Connie Moyers represents Western Research Kitchens in Los Angeles, Calif., and she’s going to share some recipes for interesting foods from the South. She’ll talk about yams, fried turkey, refried beans and other traditional southern cuisine.

Information on “half-scratch cooking,” decorating with candles and making handmade flowers will be the featured topics on “Creative Living” at noon Tuesday and 2 p.m. Saturday.

Cookbook author Linda Eckhardt will show how to “almost” cook from scratch, based on her popular book titled “Half Scratch Magic.” These recipes focus on meals for families. Eckhardt is from Maplewood, N.J.

Olga Puzas, senior regional vice president with PartyLite Gifts Inc. in Plymouth, Mass., says that candles are an easy, affordable way to decorate for weddings, plus they make fabulous gifts and create special memories for everyone involved.

Pat de Santis of Wrights will show how to make handmade flowers easily and quickly from inexpensive store-bought silk flowers or from outdated or out-of-style arrangements you already have on hand. She is from West Warren, Mass.

Brownie Trifle

• 1 package (19 1/2 ounces) fudge brownie mix

• 1/4 cup coffee liqueur, optional

• 2 packages (3.9 ounces each) chocolate fudge instant pudding

• 1 container (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed

• 8 (1.4 ounces each) chocolate-covered toffee candy bars, coarsely crushed

• Ground nutmeg

Prepare brownie mix according to package directions using a 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan. Prick top of warm brownies at 1-inch intervals with a wooden pick; brush with coffee liqueur, if desired. Cool and crumble. Prepare pudding mix according to package directions, omitting chilling. Layer half of the crumbled brownies in a 3-quart trifle bowl or dish, top with half of pudding, half of coarsely crushed candy bars, and half of whipped topping. Repeat with remaining brownies, pudding and topping. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight. Garnish with nutmeg and remaining crushed candy bars. This can also be prepared and served in stemmed glasses for individual servings.

“Creative Living” is produced and hosted by Sheryl Borden. The show is carried by more than 118 PBS stations in the United States, Canada, Guam and Puerto Rico and is distributed by Westlink, Albuquerque.