uses buttermilk. What can I use in place of buttermilk? -- S.S., Flatts.

Dear S.S.: Buttermilk is the liquid that is left over from the process of making butter. It gets it's tangy flavour from the constant agitation. Even if you do not have any buttermilk on hand you can still make a sour milk which can be substituted for it. Add 3 tsp. vinegar to 2 cup of sweet milk and let stand for about 3 minutes; then, proceed with your recipe.

Dear Miss d'Arcy: I make Shepherd's Pie quite often but I am looking for one that is a bit different. Do you have a recipe that is different? H.W., Hamilton.

Dear H.W.: Here's one using different spices with the meat and cheese, and garlic with the mashed potatoes.

SPICY SHEPHERD'S PIE 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 cup of chopped onion 1 tsp. garlic 2 lbs. extra-lean ground beef 1 16 oz. can of whole tomatoes 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 2 tsp. dried mint 1 tsp. oregano 1 tsp. allspice 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper 3 lbs. potatoes peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces salt 2 tbs. margarine 1 tsp. ground pepper 1 cup shredded aged Cheddar cheese HEAT oil in skillet over high heat. Add onions and garlic. Cook 1 minute. Add beef, stirring to break up meat, then cook meat until it is no longer pink.

Add tomatoes and liquid to skillet with Parmesan cheese, mint, cinnamon, oregano, allspice salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up tomatoes with the back of a spoon for 3 minutes. Transfer mixture to a shallow 3 quart casserole.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine potatoes 1 tsp. salt, 2 cloves of garlic and water in a large sauce pot. Cook until tender. Drain, reserving 1 cup of liquid. Mash potatoes and garlic and add margarine. Stir in reserved liquid, pepper and cheese. Spoon mixture over beef filling. Mound with back of spoon. Bake 35-40 minutes until top is lightly browned.

Dear Miss d'Arcy: I wanted to melt some chocolate and margarine for brownies in the microwave and the plastic bowl melted. I thought I could use plastic in the microwave. It was a good plastic bowl. Why did it melt? -- D.M., Smith's.

Dear D.M: No matter how good the plastic is, heating fat in the microwave will melt it. You have to use bowls that are specially marked for microwave use or glass bowls. No metal bowls should be used. Here is a good one-bowl Brownie that starts in the microwave and ends in the conventional oven.

ONE-BOWL BROWNIES 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate 1 cup margarine, cut up 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup flour 1 tsp. salt 1 cup walnuts, cut into chunks PRE-HEAT oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 8-inch square pan. Combine chocolate and margarine in large microwave proof bowl. Microwave on high 1 1 minutes until melted. Remove from microwave. Stir in sugar, then eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. Stir in flour salt. Fold in walnuts. Pour into prepared pan. Bake 40 minutes until centre is set. Cut into squares.

Dear Miss d'Arcy: Please give me a recipe for a different sandwich for our lunch boxes. -- A.G., Smiths.

Dear A.G.: How about a meat turnover that can be eaten hot as well as cold? Here's the recipe: CHICKEN AND SPINACH TURNOVERS 12 cups flour 1 cup cornmeal 1 tsp. salt 3 cup cold margarine 1 egg lightly beaten 2 tsp. vinegar 1-2 tbsp. ice water 2 cups of cooked chicken 1 10 oz. chopped spinach 1 cup feta cheese 1 egg beaten 1 tbsp. dill weed Salt and pepper to taste COMBINE flour, corn meal and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl combine egg, vinegar and 1 tbsp. ice water. Sprinkle over flour mixture, stirring with a fork just until dough holds together, adding more ice water if necessary. Divide into four pieces and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Combine remaining ingredients. Roll out the dough portions between two pieces of waxed paper. Put one quarter of the chicken mixture on half the rolled out dough. Tap water around the edge of the dough, fold in half, seal and crimp edges. Cut three slashes on top. Place on a greased cookie sheet, brush with milk and bake in a 400 degrees F. oven until brown. Serve cold in your lunch box with chutney or chow-chow.

Dear Readers: Has the summer heat got you feeling down? A snack may cheer you up. Recent studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology show that eating carbohydrate filled foods -- especially those low in fat, may boost your morale. Try one of these: 4 licorice sticks, 15 animal crackers or 15 saltines or 11 cups low-fat cereal without the milk.