DEAR SUN SPOTS: The Androscoggin Hospice Thrift Store in Auburn will hold a Houseplant Sale on Saturday, June 25, from 10 a.m. and until the last plant is sold, typically by noon. The sale will take place on the walkway in front of the shop at 245 Center St. in Auburn in the former Roak Mall.

We love offering a chance for folks to bring home some indoor greenery while supporting a good cause. Selections will include a little of everything: spider plants, African violets, beefsteak begonias, wax plants, Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter cactuses, and much more. Every purchase goes out the door with a set of printed instructions on how to take care of the plant being adopted.

A lot of folks who came to our last plant sale and said they learned about it from the Sun Journal. You’re doing a great job of getting the word out there — to the point of where we’re clearing out all the plants within two hours of opening!

For more information, call the store at 312-5092 or go online at https://androscoggin.org/hospicethriftstore/ or www.facebook.com/AndroscogginHospiceThriftStore/  — Cindy, Lewiston

ANSWER: Excellent! I think this is a great fundraising idea and I’m glad you’ve met with success. I encourage readers to duck inside the store while you’re there and check out all the great bargains that are so beautifully displayed. All the volunteers who work there should be very proud of themselves. You’re doing a wonderful job.

DEAR SUN SPOTS: Recently you ran a recipe for a pecan pie made with vanilla Jell-O Cook and Serve pudding and evaporated milk. I picked up the ingredients to make it but have lost the recipe. Would you possibly run it again please?

Also, have you tried cooking a smoked shoulder or butt in ginger ale? Place a ham in a six-quart crock pot and cover it with ginger ale then cook on high for six hours. It sounds crazy, but it’s delicious. — Fern and Sylvia, Norway

ANSWER: This is the recipe from the May 6 Sun Spots: This recipe will make a filling that is a bit less sweet and creamier than the traditional version. Sometimes I use walnuts instead of pecans because they are quite a bit cheaper. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Pecan Pie: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9-inch pie pan with a prepared pie crust. In a mixing bowl, whisk together 1 (3.5 oz) package Jell-o Cook & Serve dry vanilla pudding mix and 1 cup light corn syrup. Gradually add 3/4 cup evaporated milk and 1 lightly-beaten egg, whisking to fully incorporate after each addition. Stir in 1 cup chopped pecans.

Pour pecan mixture into the prepared crust. Place 1/4 cup pecan halves on top of the pie filling, distributing them evenly across the pie.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until filling is set, golden brown, and just beginning to crack. Cool on a rack.

Cover and chill at least three hours before serving. This pie will serve eight. Don’t forget the whipped cream! Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Readers, if you have other pecan pie recipes you want to share, I’m interested and I bet Sun Spotters would be, too.

This column is for you, our readers. It is for your questions and comments. There are only two rules: You must write to the column and sign your name. We won’t use it if you ask us not to. Please include your phone number. Letters will not be returned or answered by mail, and telephone calls will not be accepted. Your letters will appear as quickly as space allows. Address them to Sun Spots, P.O. Box 4400, Lewiston, ME 04243-4400. Inquiries can also be emailed to sunspots@sunjournal.com.

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