You guys! I was invited to join a great recipe club, and I want to tell you all about it. First of all, it�s nothing like the other clubs I�ve joined in the past�like the water club at work that costs $40 per quarter, or the hosiery club at Macy�s, which never appears to hold meetings. The recipe club is FREE. And in retrospect, I�m realizing that I may be the only one who terms it a �club.� It�s more free-form than that, more like a chain letter, which fits my busy schedule perfectly. I was invited to join by my mom�s cousin Doris, who sent me the invitation along with a terrific recipe for something called Chipped Beef Ball�s. I don�t want to give away too much�you�d have to join the club for that kind of detail!�but I will reveal that a major ingredient is Worcestershire sauce. Mmmm! Dishy!

Anyway, to join the club, all you do is send the message to the person whose name is at the top of the included list, then forward the invitation to ten friends, along with a favorite recipe. Following the instructions, I sent the invitation to ten (OK, twelve! I couldn�t help myself!) friends, along with my recipe for Steamed Rice. It�s been a family staple for generations, and I felt it was time to share. Well, I hardly had to wait twelve hours before my dear sister-in-law, the great Sam Ann, sent me a recipe in return! I recognized it right away�it�s also an old recipe, lovingly named for the favorite grazing spot of an elderly family dog unfamiliar with the sanitation habits of cats.

With her permission, I present to you:

Snack Bar

1 spice or German chocolate cake mix
1 white cake mix
2 large package vanilla instant pudding mix, prepared
1 large package vanilla sandwich cookies
green food coloring
12 small Tootsie Rolls

1 litter box
1 plastic litter pan liner
1 litter scoop

Prepare cake mixes and bake according to directions (any size pans).
Prepare pudding mix and chill until ready to assemble.
Crumble white sandwich cookies in small batches in food processor, scraping often. Set aside all but about 1/4 cup. To the 1/4 cup cookie crumbs, add a few drops green food coloring and mix until completely colored.

When cakes are cooled to room temperature, crumble into a large bowl. Toss with half the remaining white cookie crumbs and the chilled pudding. Important: mix in just enough of the pudding to moisten it. You don't want it too soggy. Combine gently.
Line a new, clean kitty litter box. Put the cake/pudding/cookie mixture into the litter box.

Put three unwrapped Tootsie rolls in a microwave safe dish and heat until soft and pliable. Shape ends so they are no longer blunt, curving slightly. Repeat with 3 more Tootsie rolls, and bury them in the mixture. Sprinkle the other half of cookie crumbs over top. Scatter the green cookie crumbs lightly on top of everything -- this is supposed to look like the chlorophyll in kitty litter.

Heat 3 Tootsie Rolls in the microwave until almost melted. Scrape them on top of the cake; sprinkle with cookie crumbs. Spread remaining Tootsie Rolls over the top; take one and heat until pliable, hang it over the side of the kitty litter box, sprinkling it lightly with cookie crumbs. Place the box on a newspaper and sprinkle a few of the cookie crumbs around for a truly realistic effect.

And there you have it! If any of you want to join this club, please send me an e-mail. You�re supposed to gain 36 new recipes from this club, and if THAT doesn�t ring in your new year, then I don�t know what will. See you �round the range!

Star of the day. . .Alice Liddell