DEAR SUN SPOTS: I was wondering if you or your Sun Spots readers might have a recipe for maple whoopie pies. — No name, no town

ANSWER: I’ve had quite a run on recipe requests lately! It seems that Sun Spots readers are hunkering down for the chilly temperatures to come and getting into nesting and baking mode. I’m all for that.

Maple-flavored baked goods are so delicious and in my experience, they need a little more flavor enhancement than what you can get out of even a generous pour of real Maine maple syrup. I discovered that a teaspoon or so of maple extract, sold in the baking section of the grocery store, does the trick. Try it and let me know what you think. And readers, if you want to share your recipe for maple whoopie pies, feel free.

Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, cream ¹/³ cup softened butter and ¾ cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 egg, vanilla and 1 teaspoon maple extract. In another bowl, whisk together 2 ¼ cups flour, 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt. Add to creamed mixture alternately with ½ cup heavy cream and½ cup maple syrup, beating well after each addition.

Drop batter by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are light brown and tops spring back when lightly touched. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For the filling, in a large bowl, beat 1 cup butter, and 1 teaspoon maple extract together until creamy. Beat in 4 cups confectioner’s sugar alternately with ¼ cup heavy cream and 2 tablespoons maple syrup until smooth. Spread filling on bottoms of half of the cookies; top with remaining cookies. Yield: 2 dozen

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I have 15 cases of pint and quart canning jars, many wide-mouth, to give away. Please leave a message at 524-5505. — Joanne, no town 

ANSWER: Wow! That’s a lot of canning jars, and someone is going to be very grateful to have them. Thank you, Joanne.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: I’m writing to ask if you and your readers can help me with an issue with hair growth. A family member used a series of vitamins that helped her, but she doesn’t remember what they were. She only knows that they were featured on the TV show “The Doctors.” — No name, Auburn

ANSWER: I’m hoping that readers can help with this. Perhaps you saw this episode of “The Doctors” and can recall the name of the product this reader is asking about.

I do know that foods and supplements containing biotin, vitamins C and E, and Niacin (Vitamin B3) are helpful with hair growth, as are fish oil, iron, and zinc, among others.

Brand-name supplements that promote hair growth include Viviscal, Nutrafol, Kerotin, and Natural Wellbeing Hair Essentials.

Hair loss in women is a very common problem and the best thing to do is to see your own personal physician. Perhaps the remedy is as simple as adjusting your diet or your hair products, or both.

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