Q: I read your column in The Huntsville Ala., Times, but I grew up in Florida. Many years ago there was a steak marinade circulating that contained Dr Pepper, onion salt and garlic salt and possibly other ingredients. Have you heard of this? It was delicious.

Anne Mixon

Dr Pepper was created in 1885 by pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas, and went national at the 1904 World's Fair. Its fruity flavor shows up in a fascinating array of recipes including marinades, a gelatin salad, stew, cake, pepper jelly, barbecue sauce, meatballs, bean dip, cocktails, meatloaf and glazed ham.

I don't have the specific marinade you mention, but am sharing one that is quite popular. A friend uses this with whole chicken on the grill and places an opened can of Dr Pepper in the cavity to hold the bird upright, a la beer-can chicken.

Q:While leafing through magazines at the doctor's a couple months ago, I came across a recipe to make a chocolate-peanut butter candy. I made it and they were good but I've lost the recipe.

Evelyn

There are lots of variations of this recipe, including complicated ones that call for tempering of the chocolate or cutting down cupcake papers so they only stand an inch tall.

My recipe is quick and involves no fussing, and yet I remember making these once years ago with my children and having my 5-year-old son ask why I didn't just buy peanut butter cups and skip all the work. I suppose the big advantage is that you can make these with upscale bittersweet chocolate for adults. Also, when making them for children, you know exactly what the ingredients are.

THRIFTY MEALS

Meg Gerrish of Miami suggests making a ''foundation'' of 2 pounds ground beef, 1 quart beef stock, ½ cup dry marsala or other wine, garlic, chopped onion and a 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, breaking up the meat and adding salt and pepper to taste and 2 large bay leaves.

Cover and cook slowly for flavors to develop (she suggests 2 hours in a 300-degree oven). Divide into storage containers in portions appropriate for your family size. Cover with wax paper, then seal and refrigerate. (Don't put very hot portions into the refrigerator; wait for them to cool.) Once chilled, any fat will congeal on the top and peel off when you remove the wax paper. Remove wax paper, Re-cover and refrigerate or freeze. The foundation is then a ready-to-use base for:

• Tacos: Add sautéed onions, bell pepper, a can of beans and chili powder to taste.

• Curry empanadas: Add sautéed onions and peppers, curry powder and ginger. Seal into pastry rounds.

• Stuffed cabbage: Mix with cooked rice. Steam cleaned cabbage leaves and let cool. Trim the extra-thick side of the rib (makes it easier to roll). Fill leaves with mixture and roll tightly. Place in heavy pan, add diced tomatoes with juice, a splash of vinegar, salt and ground pepper. Cover and bake at 300 for about an hour.

• Sloppy Joes: Heat with a healthy glop of ketchup or barbecue sauce and serve on hamburger buns.

• Spaghetti sauce: Add sautéed onions, bell pepper, mushrooms, tomatoes, basil and/or oregano.

SLEUTH'S CORNER

Years ago my mother made something she called ''Love Apple Cake,'' usually around Valentine's Day. It was a white cake with white frosting. However, one of the ingredients in the filling, between the layers, was tomato juice. It gave the cake an unusual and very sweet taste. I would be very grateful if one of your readers could come up with the recipe.

J. Pitrelli

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