Fair ~ 50°F   River stage: 33.98 Falling Saturday, November 21, 2009

Recipes fit for one of Missouri's first ladies (11/18/09) The "Missouri 1821-1971 Sesquicentennial Cookbook, Updated and Republished for a New Generation of Missourians" by former Missouri first lady Betty Cooper Hearnes is now available and hot off the presses. This hardback book contains historical information about the writer's life growing up in Charleston, Mo., her family with her husband and their children and living in and restoring the governor's mansion in Jefferson City, Mo. ... Gearing up for Christmas goodies (11/11/09) I am really getting in the Christmas spirit and starting to pull things out at my house to get ready. I just purchased a new cookbook for the holiday. The "All-American Christmas Cookbook, Family Favorites from Every State" is a nice hardback book with a favorite Christmas recipe from every state. ... Southern goodness: Family recipes from the country (11/04/09) I was recently loaned a cookbook to read and learn about "White Trash Cooking." Yes, the name says it all, and just about anything you can imagine made it into "White Trash Cooking." A friend loaned me the book but was a little shy about giving it to me in public and did not want her name to appear in the newspaper. ... Recipe Swap: Neighbors and friends trade favorite recipes (10/28/09) Recipe collectors and area cooks have been busy sending in recipes this week to be included in this column. It is so nice to get mail and see what other cooks are making. This week we have several readers who have shared favorites and these will give you something new to try. Enjoy and remember to send in your favorite recipes... Recipe Swap: New recipes for a new arrival in the family (10/21/09) Our extended family welcomes a new baby: Marlie Grace Morgan. Marlie is a perfect 6-pound 12-ounce girl who has a full head of hair and long thin feet. She is beautiful, and we are so thankful she is a part of our family. This makes my brother a grandpa for the second time, and he is so proud. ... Recipe Swap: Highlighting recipes submitted by readers (10/14/09) Every week we make an appeal for readers to send in recipes and share those with other readers of this column. It is fun to see what people send in and some of the things people like to cook. Over the years we have gotten some good recipes, and some unique ones as well. But all are interesting to read, and you can always learn something from reading recipes... Recipe Swap: Cajun cooking in Southeast Missouri kitchens (10/07/09) Rob Weeks of Cape Girardeau shares recipes today for some of his favorite menu items from restaurants in New Orleans. All of these recipes contain ingredients that are either on hand at home or are easily found in area grocery stores. These recipes are also a great way to use end-of-the-season produce like eggplant, tomatoes, green peppers and onions. ... Shake up your sandwich routine with these recipes (09/30/09) Joan Weeks of Cape Girardeau sent me several new ideas for sandwiches. She and her son, Rob, dine together frequently, and they are usually looking for new recipes. When making a sandwich, they would seldom turn to ordinary ham and cheese, turkey or peanut butter and jelly. Take a look at some of their favorites. Rob has also sent me an envelope full of recipes that will be shared with you next week; I'm sure you won't want to miss that... Recipe Swap: Recipes for a historic palate (09/23/09) Charlotte Young Slinkard visited me at the Senior Center this week and brought me a gift. You guessed it: a new cookbook. "Savor the Spirit" is a hardbound cookbook put out by the National Society of the Daughters of the War of 1812, of which Charlotte has been the national president since 2006. The book is literally a history book with recipes... Try end-of-summer dishes using seasonal ingredients (09/16/09) As we settle into a back-to-school routine and church activities get back onto a set schedule, I am reminded that fall is coming. I have been eager to start looking at my favorite fall recipes but have resisted the urge until the weather turns much cooler. ... Recipe Swap: Versatile edamame packed with nutrition and taste (09/09/09) Martha and Ralph Maxton of Cape Girardeau have gone into farming in their backyard. Yes, the Maxtons are growing soybeans or, culinarily speaking, edamame. They have been purchasing frozen for several years but decided to grow some in their garden. ... Recipe Swap: Lebanese recipes add variety to church banquet (09/02/09) Each year our church holds its annual Youth Stockholder Banquet to celebrate those who supported the youths on their summer mission trips. The high school students went on a weeklong mission trip to Chicago and were lucky enough to eat at a different ethnic restaurant every evening as part of the cultural diversity portion of their trip. ... Recipe Swap: New book helps feed the flock, raise money for church buildings (08/26/09) For those who love a new cookbook, I am excited to tell you about one. Maple United Methodist Church in Cape Girardeau has a brand-new book. "Feeding the Flock" is a 159-page cookbook featuring recipes for every course of a meal. There are new recipes as well as tried-and-true ones to please everyone. ... Recipe Swap: Readers respond to call for some memorable recipes (08/19/09) Helen Meyer of Cape Girardeau sent in a recipe for Sponge Candy, or Molasses Puffs as Mavrakos Candy Store in St. Louis called it. As you might remember from last week, Polly Graffner of Cape Girardeau was looking for this recipe, as well as the chow-chow recipes that follow. I went online and found many recipes and some interesting history about the puff candy. I also found there is quite a large fan club for the candy, and those who remember Mavrakos enjoyed theirs the best... Recipe Swap: Satisfying readers' requests and their sweet tooths (08/12/09) Some of the fun with this recipe column is when readers get involved and send in recipes and requests. It is always fun to see what readers will respond to and what they will want to see. Today we have a lot of reader participation, which makes it interesting to read. A couple of requests and a shared recipe wrap up this Recipe Swap column for this week... Recipe Swap: Recipes that make meals just peachy (07/29/09) We are still in peach season, and if you have not been cooking with peaches, now is your chance. I have found recipes for you to use peaches in ways you might not have thought of. Because peaches are so naturally sweet, they make delicious sauces and beverages. ... Recipe Swap: Summertime salads and surprises (07/22/09) With summer upon us, I thought you might enjoy a few cool salad recipes. I also love grilled fresh peaches, so I am sharing a recipe with you that also includes another favorite of mine: raspberries. All of these recipes are from a new cookbook I picked up, "Picnics, Potlucks & BBQs," published by CQ Products. It is a nice little book filled with great summertime recipes to use as the book title says. I hope you enjoy these recipes and that they help you to stay cool in summertime heat... Life's a peach, so eat some (07/15/09) We are in fresh peach season, which is one of my favorite fruit seasons of the year. I love a fresh peach just split open and eaten right in the skin. I have vivid memories of getting fresh peaches when I was young at Rauh's Orchard. We would go by Heart's Bread, where my dad worked, and he would just twist one open and juice would run down his arm and off his elbow. They were delicious. I found this salsa recipe that I plan to try this fresh peach season and a delicious sounding cobbler. Enjoy!... Recipe Swap: The hot and cold of summer recipes (07/08/09) My friend Doloris Meyr of Cape Girardeau has a celebrity in her family. Doloris' grandson Josh Herzog won first place in a large recipe contest in Boston, and his prize-winning recipe appeared on the front page of the Boston Globe magazine. ... Recipe Swap: Sardines are an inexpensive, overlooked source of protein (07/01/09) When you are looking for an inexpensive source of protein, how many of you turn to sardines? At our church picnic last Sunday my husband won a can of sardines as a prize while playing a game with Mr. Wins-A-Lot, the game show host. Mr. Wins-A-Lot made a point to tell everyone that I could supply recipes for the use of the sardines. Be careful what you say, Mike Dumey, as it just might come true. Today I have several sardine recipes for you to try and enjoy... Recipe Swap: Recipes from the family vault (06/24/09) I am busy getting ready for our family reunion over the Independence Day weekend. We have family come in from about 12 states and usually host 100 to 125 people. It takes a lot of planning, shopping and cooking to feed everyone for several days. I have a large master notebook and keep records from year to year, which helps. ... Recipe Swap: Cookbooks are birthday gifts with excellent taste (06/17/09) It is always exciting to get a new cookbook, and for my recent birthday I got two. My sister, Pat, gave me "The Amish Cook at Home: Simple Pleasures of Food, Family and Faith." It is filled with beautiful photographs, stories about the Amish faith community and, of course, great-sounding recipes. ... Recipe Swap: An ode to omelets (06/10/09) My friend Joan Weeks from the Cape Girardeau Senior Center has been after me to do a column on omelets. The great thing about omelets is they are full of protein, which can be great for many people who do not like a lot of meat, like my son. I can make him an omelet and pack it full of cheese, and he has a pretty healthy meal. I have chosen some different recipes for you to try and enjoy... Recipe Swap: Column fan devoted to collecting and sharing recipes (06/03/09) Over the past several years, Jodi Thompson of Jackson has been an avid reader of this recipe column. Jodi is also a great cook and a cookbook and recipe collector. Recently Jodi had a shoulder replacement and has spent some of her recovery time sending me recipes on the computer -- all by using one hand and at times just a few fingers. ... Recipe Swap: Recipes for some of the birthday boy's favorite foods (05/27/09) Over the weekend we celebrated our son Ross' 15th birthday. I made his favorite two-layer chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, and when he got up Sunday morning he could hardly wait to dig right into his cake. I asked him what a couple of his favorite foods were, and I could nearly recite them with him: breakfast casserole, lasagna, barbecue ribs, crab legs and chocolate cake. ... Recipe Swap: Shrimp recipes from food show make sister's birthday a bash (05/20/09) Today is my sister Pat's birthday. Because I value my life, I will not share her age with you, except to say that she is my oldest sister and is 12 years older than I. Putting aside the age difference, she is my dear friend and has been just like another mother to our children. ... Susan McClanahan: Decadent desserts to satisfy your sweet tooth (05/13/09) Over the weekend I was assigned by my sister to bring a dessert to my Mom's house for the family Mother's Day get-together. I knew I would need at least two desserts to feed everyone and at least one of them had to be an ice cream dessert because my Mom loves ice cream. I found an old cookbook that I had not used in a long time and turned right to this decadent ice cream dessert, and it was just that: decadent... Recipe Swap: Favorite recipes from old friends and rediscovered cookbooks (05/06/09) My friend Kimberly Werner Halter is back in her hometown of Cape Girardeau from her new home in Australia. She is visiting her father and showing a friend all around town this week. We had hoped we would be able to find an evening to cook together and enjoy a meal, but school band concerts, church youth activities and "Cinderella" play tickets are in our schedule for every night this week. ... Recipe Swap: A different take on comfort food (04/29/09) I recently purchased a new cookbook at a book sale but had not had time to sit down and read it from cover to cover. This afternoon I decided to pull it off the shelf and take a look through it and pull out a few recipes to include here today. "Kitchen Comforts, Recipes To Feed Body and Soul" provided great reading, and I found myself reading the book instead of watching the Cardinals game. ... Championship recipes from our favorite team (04/22/09) After the NCAA basketball tournament was over, I caught a lot of grief because I did not write about our beloved University of North Carolina Tarheels winning the championship. We have been Tarheel fans for many years. In fact, my husband and I scheduled our wedding date around when we could get basketball tickets to see a game in Chapel Hill, N.C. ... Recipe Swap: Sweet celebrations at the end of this year's tax season (04/15/09) Today is the Internal Revenue Service deadline to file your income tax return. It is a mixed bag of emotions at the post office; some filers are getting money back while some have to pay, and to some their result was a surprise causing either much happiness or great sadness and anxiety. ... An Easter menu that's more than rabbit food (04/08/09) Easter Sunday is only a few days away, and I am planning what I will take to my parents' house for supper that evening. While some of us were together recently at their home, we grabbed a paper plate and started writing a menu on it, dividing it up between everyone. ... Recipe Swap: Munchies to go with March madness (04/01/09) My household is absolutely consumed with the NCAA basketball tournament. My husband and son check their brackets after every game and tease each other about wins and losses. My husband, Scott, is also celebrating his birthday right in the middle of all of this madness. The good Lord must have planned it this way, that he would celebrate his birthday during his favorite time of the year. So today you can enjoy all snack food and finger food recipes in honor of basketball games galore... Recipe Swap: Warm weather favorites for the family (03/25/09) We as a family are embracing this beautiful spring weather and the explosion of color in plants, bushes and trees. It seems like winter was extra-long this year and everyone is ready for higher temperatures and eager to be outdoors. The change of seasons also brings a shift in how we cook and the recipes we use. If you are pulling out some of your favorite recipes from your spring and summer files, send them in to share with other readers... More recipes for America's favorite baking dish (03/18/09) Recently I told you about a cookbook I acquired that contains recipes using a 9-by-13-inch pan. With more than 370 recipes in the book, I still had a couple of recipes I wanted to share with you. The Better Homes and Gardens "9 X 13: The Pan That Can" cookbook has a variety of recipes, and I found several of them interesting. ... Recipe Swap: Putting a new spin on some old favorite recipes (03/11/09) Some recipes have stood up to changing times and are favorites that remain in our cookbooks and recipe files year after year. Jodi Thompson of Jackson let me borrow a cookbook of hers that looks at old familiar favorites and compares many of them to upgraded new versions using today's modern food trends. ... Recipe Swap: Readers answer call for gnocchi recipe (03/04/09) Last week I had a recipe request from Tracey Tripp of Cape Girardeau for recipes using gnocchi. She enjoys the chicken gnocchi dish at Olive Garden, and she would like to make it at home, as well as other recipes using gnocchi. Gnocchi are small potato dumplings that are easy to make from scratch, or can be purchased locally at any large supermarket. ... Recipe Swap: The 9-by-13 baking dish is practical and perfect (02/25/09) The 9-by-13-inch baking dish seems to be one of America's favorite pans. A 9-by-13-inch baking pan holds 3 quarts, so it's perfect for a recipe that calls for a 3-quart casserole. Because of the pan's shallow depth, food will cook faster and more evenly than in a deeper dish. ... Shopper inspires a variety column (02/18/09) I was recently stopped in the grocery store by a total stranger. She asked me if I was the recipe lady in the newspaper. I am always tempted to say something like, "If you like the column I am her, if not, I don't know who she is." But I told her I was, and she said she does not like it when all of the recipes focus on one theme. ... Recipe Swap: Recipes from a birthday girl (02/11/09) Happy birthday, Lexie! Our daughter Lexie is now 12 years old. She is enjoying life so much right now -- playing basketball, being involved in church youth group, playing piano and reading the "Twilight" book series over and over. When it comes to food, she is very willing to try new things and likes foods from other cultures. ... Recipe Swap: Celebrate a beautiful smile with these sinfully sweet treats (02/04/09) After six years, our son Ross has his braces off. Thanks to Drs. Noffel and Feuerhahn, and all of their great staff, he has a big bright beautiful smile. I think getting the braces off makes him look older, which I am not so excited about. Every time I see him it is a surprise to me how different he looks. ... Recipe Swap: Lynwood Baptist Church congregation gets cooking (01/28/09) Lynwood Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau has a new cookbook out, and it is a good one. Bill and Ruth Ann Ford, friends from the Senior Center, made sure I had a copy to enjoy, and that I am doing. A big book of 360 pages of recipes, it covers every food category you could imagine. ... Recipe Swap: Readers from near and far submit recipes (01/21/09) It has been a great week for reader mail. Today there is mail from around the world as well as from right here at home. I hope you enjoy all the recipes today. If you see something that spurs your memory of a recipe you have in your files, send it in so we can include it here for others to read and enjoy... Recipe Swap: New recipes book proves pecans not limited to pie ingredient (01/14/09) "In Praise of Pecans: Recipes and Recollections" by June Jackson is a wonderful new addition to my cookbook collection. My sister, Barb, gave it to me for Christmas, and it is an easy read of stories and memories of the author growing up in pecan country, as well as 125 pages of recipes, all using pecans. ... Recipe Swap: Quick new recipes to start the new year (01/07/09) After Christmas I love reading the cookbooks I get from friends and family, and this year is no exception. The first one I read was from my co-worker, Jo Leadbetter. She gave me a copy of "A Taste of Heaven" by the Faith Family Worship Center in Farmington, Mo. ... Recipe Swap: Punch it up a notch this New Year's Eve (12/31/08) Last Sunday afternoon we took our church youth group to St. Louis to ice skate at the Steinberg Skating Rink. On the way, we stopped at a restaurant, and I was the recipient of a random act of kindness. I struck up a conversation with a young couple who had been shopping. ... Recipe Swap: The search for the Holy Grille (12/24/08) Merry Christmas! On this Christmas Eve -- one of my favorite days of the year -- we look forward to being with family and attending church with candlelight and singing carols and looking at all of the beautiful decorations. In the hustle and bustle of this Christmas season, I hope you pause to reflect on Christ, the reason for this special time. ... Recipes to get the party started (12/17/08) This weekend we will celebrate with my niece, Christa, as she graduates with honors from Southeast Missouri State University. She has worked hard to finish as quickly as she could. I can hardly believe her special day is finally here. Congratulations Christa, and to all graduates of this winter commencement class of 2008... Recipe Swap: Reader returns from trip with new recipes (12/10/08) Martha and Ralph Maxton of Cape Girardeau spent Thanksgiving in North Carolina with their son, Dan, and his wife, Carolyn. During their visit, Carolyn served many delicious dishes, but Martha said there were some that stood out and she just had to have the recipes... Recipe Swap: Party on with special recipes (12/03/08) I hope everyone had an enjoyable Thanksgiving holiday. It is the McClanahan family tradition to have shrimp, crab legs and tenderloin with all of the sides for our Thanksgiving meal. It is always delicious, and our children look forward to this meal at Nana and Pop's house. ... Recipe Swap: Thankful for chips and dip, finger foods (11/26/08) Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I rest assured you have your menu planned, groceries purchased and your turkey properly thawed in the refrigerator. If you are planning to rush out and buy a big turkey to serve tomorrow, you may be a little too late; go for Cornish hens or a roasting chicken instead... Filling the recipe files with random treats (11/19/08) It seems like I just start the week when it is over and time to do this recipe column again. The days and weeks seem to fly by, and now Thanksgiving is upon us and Christmas is right around the corner. I would like to do a column or two of Christmas finger foods, snacks, party foods, appetizers; you know, Christmas party food. ... Recipe Swap: Fall recipes for those holiday get-togethers (11/12/08) Last week after Christmas Cantata practice at church, my neighbor Ruth Moreland pulled some recipes out of her folder and asked me if I would like to have them to share with all of you. Of course I did; that is exactly what this column is all about -- sharing recipes with each other. Thanks, Ruth, for passing these recipes along to us... Recipe Swap: Delicious recipes for the independent (11/05/08) I am excited to pass along to you information about a new cookbook in our community. SADI, or SEMO Alliance for Disability Independence, has put together a cookbook, "Independently Cookin' with SADI," as a fundraiser. SADI is a community-based, not-for-profit, nonresidential independent living center that provides services to people with disabilities... Recipe Swap: Winning recipes (10/29/08) The Cape Central Marching Tigers Band marched their way to a first-place trophy in the Greater St. Louis marching band competition Saturday. It was an excellent competition, and our band students, not to mention the parents, were elated when the announcement was made that we had won. ... Recipe Swap: Recipes from a Naylor cookbook (10/22/08) Another first-place rating for the Cape Central Marching Tigers. The band took two first-place ratings at the Potosi, Mo., band festival, one in the preliminary competition and again in the finals.We were up against a large school that did a good job as well, so we were uncertain about the results until the judges' announcement. ... Recipe Swap: Recipes for a winning high school band (10/15/08) The Central Marching Tigers band recently competed in Washington, Mo., on a beautiful day in the high school football stadium. It was a good competition, and we felt good about our performance but not sure what place we would win. With great joy and much excitement, we celebrated with the band students at the buses after the announcement, "In first place in field competition, Cape Central." We were thrilled and the band students were pleased with their day... Recipe Swap: Cooling weather calls for hot meals (10/08/08) Recipe Swap: Oh my, pie! (10/01/08) By now you know how happy I am when a new cookbook comes into my possession. Last week Jamie Jones, the Parent Liaison from our children's former elementary school, called to alert me of their annual fall book fair and the large selection of cookbooks that were available. ... Casseroles help busy families in economic crunch time (09/24/08) Our Cape Central Marching Band has done it again: another first-place rating at the Farmington, Mo., contest Saturday. Despite a little rain shower, we had a fun day and the children looked great. The white uniforms and bright sparkling silver sashes look so pretty in the sun with the shine of the instruments. ... Recipes from friends (09/17/08) What about the Cape Central Marching Band? In its first competition for this year in Murphysboro, Ill., it placed first in its division. The music and technical execution of the show was nearly perfect, which gave the band the top overall score at the competition. It is quite exciting and such a joy to see the band students who have worked so hard come out on top and be so happy about their accomplishments. I will keep you posted with their progress as the season progresses... Recipe Swap: Favorite ways to use the pecan harvest (09/10/08) Growing up in rural McClure, Ill., we always had pecans on our trees at home. Many years ago my parents had two pecan trees grafted to grow large paper shell pecans. Many old-timers say you will always have a large pecan crop in an election year. And you know, that really holds true. ... Recipe Swap: Strange recipes from a simpler time (09/03/08) Recently my backyard neighbor and friend Mary Spell was visiting with my parents in their home when she loaned my mother a copy of an old cookbook. The 1970 reprint is of the "1904 Christmas Edition Gold Medal Flour Cook Book." It is full of old recipes and a sample Christmas dinner menu featuring cream of oyster soup, fish cutlets, roast goose and plum pudding with hard sauce. ... A blend of original end-of-summer dishes (08/27/08) It is always fun to dine with a friend and engage in good conversation and good food. In a recent lunch with my friends Cheryl Mothes and Rick Hetzel, they fixed a Gardenburger BBQ Riblet (veggie riblet) that was really good. It is a soy protein product in barbecue sauce. Vegetarian products have come such a long way in the past few years. I thought you might like to try this low-fat, convenience entree that's also high in protein and fiber. Look in the vegetarian section of the grocery store... Good things come in paper packages (08/20/08) It is a good thing when it is Friday and also payday, but it is great when you get home Friday and there is a new cookbook in the mail. Last Friday I went home and there was the "Down Home Cooking" cookbook from St. Anthony's PCCW group in Glennon, Mo. Kathleen Peters from Marble Hill, Mo., attends this church, and she sent me a copy of their cookbook. It was so fun to get my pajamas on early, turn on the Olympics and read my new cookbook... Life's a peach; cook it (08/13/08) When talking about seasons in a recent conversation, my friend and I referred to them as strawberry season, apple season and, now, peach season. Yes, fresh peaches are ripe and delicious. I have just been peeling them, and we have been eating bowls of fresh peaches. ... Good deeds: Woman volunteers talk time (08/06/08) Carol Steiner, a resident of Jackson only since April, knew she wanted to help homebound elderly people with consistent five minute phone calls at least during the week, as a way of letting them know they were not alone. She had provided this volunteer service at Holy Spirit Church in Memphis, Tenn. for about three years before moving to Jackson. Steiner just began her newly created volunteer assignment and will later determine if the service will be provided on the weekend... Rolling through the heat of summer (08/06/08) Our son is in his second week of marching band camp. The marching band students and directors are a highly dedicated group of hard-working people who strive for perfection, working 10 or more hours a day in hot and humid conditions. Nothing will do but to put together a perfect show to achieve the best results at the competitions. ... Fair food in the kitchen (07/30/08) Rita Burk of Cape Girardeau sent me several recipes she has tried lately and thought they were interesting enough to share with you. Rita is a longtime Cape Girardeau cook and avid cookbook collector. Enjoy her latest findings. Emily Cannon's Banana Pudding... Salads for those hot summer days (07/23/08) Special days call for a celebration, and today happens to be one of those special days. Today is my parents' 58th wedding anniversary. They have both worked hard all their lives to always serve others in anyway they can, and they always think of others before themselves. Their love and generosity has reached far beyond the walls of their rural McClure, Ill., home. Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad; you're the best!... Gold-medal recipes from Silver Dollar City (07/16/08) We recently visited Branson, Mo., with some friends and had a wonderful time. Our daughter rode every single roller coaster in Branson and loved every minute of it. While in Silver Dollar City, I purchased two of the official cookbooks for Silver Dollar City. ... Recipes from readers (07/09/08) I have been a little short on reader mail lately, but this week makes up for the slow weeks. I say "good job" to those that sent in recipes to pass along. Keep the mail coming. Rita Burk of Cape Girardeau sent me several recipes she wanted to pass along to readers of this column. She added her comments on each recipe, and they are helpful... Patriotic treats can liven up a gathering (07/02/08) Last week I wrote about a new cookbook I had received as a gift, and it seemed to be a popular column. When I went to church Sunday, one woman said two people where she works ordered copies, and another woman said she already owned the book and keeps it on her coffee table as a conversation piece... Southern funerals: Somber but with a good spread (06/25/08) I have another new cookbook to add to my collection. My sister just returned home from her vacation and brought me back a cookbook from Charleston, S.C. It is so unusual and funny I just had to share it with you. "Being Dead is No Excuse; The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral" is filled with stories and tales of Southern funerals, and the recipes from foods fixed for Southern funerals. ... Random recipes from a birthday cookbook (06/18/08) I celebrated my birthday last week, and my sister gave me a great cookbook, "The Wooden Spoon Cookbook: Authentic Amish Cooking." It is filled with more than 500 family recipes and some personal stories from the author. It is a really neat cookbook and a nice addition to my collection... Crab dishes for Cape Girardeau (06/11/08) Both of our children enjoy seafood, and our son has always loved crab in about any way you can fix it. While we were in South Carolina he ate crab every day. He likes crab cakes, and while looking up the recipe I came across a couple of other crab recipes for you to try. I hope you enjoy them as much as he does... Recipe Swap: The best sides for your summer cookouts (06/04/08) Over the weekend I ran across a couple of recipes I want to try as side dishes to accompany our cookouts. I think the slaw recipe would be delicious alongside my husband's favorite bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin teriyaki recipe. If you have a favorite side dish recipe, send it in so we can include it here and other readers can try the new recipes over the summer cookout months... Meals so easy a child could make them (05/28/08) This school year absolutely flew by. It seems like time has gone by so quickly since Christmas break. The pace at which time passes is almost scary at times, which is why we try our best to enjoy every single minute. One of those enjoyable times are the after-school clubs at our daughter's school. ... Go over the rainbow with these dishes (05/21/08) Central Junior High School has just finished this year's production of "The Wizard of Oz." It was a spectacular show, as you would expect under the direction of Mike Dumey. Hundreds of hours were spent by dozens of volunteers, cast and crew to see that the show was better than could be imagined. The costumes and set were over the top this year, and special work done by lighting and sound people made the show so much more enjoyable... Recipe Swap: South Carolina traditions meet Missouri tables (05/14/08) Our family has just returned home from a trip to the South Carolina coast for my cousin's wedding at the beach. It was an extraordinary time, including family, friends, a gorgeous wedding and lots of fantastic food. While we spent a day in Charleston, I purchased a cookbook featuring many rich Charleston traditions and great seafood recipes. ... Doctor-recommended dinner recipes (05/07/08) Last week I told you about the cookbook I pulled off of my shelf to share recipes with you. As I mentioned, I am continuing this week from the same book, "The Dinner Doctor," by Anne Byrn. There are several books in the doctor series, but this is one of my favorites. The recipes are helpful to me as a busy mom, running here and there, yet still trying to cook and put meals on the table... Side dishes take the main stage (04/30/08) As I was thinking about what to include here today, I ran across a book on my shelf that I really like. In the Doctor-cookbook series, "The Dinner Doctor" is one of my favorites. I also really like "The Cupcake Doctor," but "The Dinner Doctor" has a lot of great recipes for busy families. I included one entree here, then went into the side dish section and never left. I will go back to this book for next week's column as well. I hope you enjoy!... Some real Italian (04/23/08) Some weeks I am just not sure what to write about, but this week I had so many things I could hardly decide. After tossing around a few ideas, I decided to include the wonderful mail I received from Rob Weeks. Rob is a great cook and a lover of good quality ingredients. ... Punch recipes for that special spring or summer occasion (04/16/08) Have you been shopping for girl's clothes lately? I went with our daughter to try to find age-appropriate clothing to wear to a couple of weddings we have coming up and was shocked and disappointed at what I found in all of the stores we went to. It was mostly styles that I would not put an 11-year-old girl in. ... Commissioned low-calorie recipes (04/09/08) Recently I had a friend ask me to find some low-fat or, even better, no-fat recipes for her. From time to time I have people request this type of recipe, so I pulled out a book from my cookbook shelves and started looking. Lorene Wood from the Senior Center had given me the Low-Fat No-Fat Recipes book for Christmas in 2006, and I have used it many times for various recipes. Today I will share a few of those with you and for my friend that made the original request... Hot dog! It's time for the basketball finals and baseball season (04/02/08) In our household, this truly is the most wonderful time of the year. With the NCAA college basketball tournament coming to a close and our favorite team still in and the beginning of baseball season, everyone is happy and life is good. Over the weekend, we had Cardinals baseball on the radio and college basketball on the television... Recipe ideas from mom (03/26/08) My mom recently had knee replacement surgery, so while spending some time with her I found my way to her cookbook cabinet and her recipe files. Most of these I have made in years past, but out of all of these, her biscuits are my favorite. It is the recipe I use every time I make biscuits, and our children love them, too. They are so easy and so good, and I have hundreds of memories eating these biscuits at her large kitchen table. I hope you find them just as enjoyable... Easter buffets made easy (03/19/08) We are right in the middle of Holy Week as we anticipate the exciting climax to the week with Easter Sunday. Christians recalls writings of the events that led up to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. In modern times, Christians celebrate Easter in many ways. Dyeing Easter eggs and making Resurrection Cookies are among many people's traditions... Salad in the hope of summer coming soon (03/12/08) Luckily low-fat cakes (03/05/08) Sweets and sourdough (02/27/08) While the residents of Cape Girardeau and surrounding communities were iced in, there was one good thing that came out of that bad situation; Recipe Swap received lots of mail. Some mail was sent earlier, but I just made it down to the Southeast Missourian to pick it up. So, with no further ado, let's get to the mail... Sweet Valentine bonus (02/20/08) Last week we attended the Valentine banquet at church and enjoyed a fabulous meal with friends. The proceeds from ticket sales will go toward our youths' mission trips this summer. The youths were hard at work serving all the tables, looking pretty classy in white shirts and black pants. ... Grab the scissors; these are good (02/13/08) I have a nice variety of recipes for you today. There is no across-the-board theme, just a mixture of several good recipes that you will want to keep for future use. I know many of you are recipe clippers, so get out your scissors and enjoy these recipes this week... Start of the season (02/06/08) Our family always looks for opportunities to celebrate, and this week we have two reasons to party. First, my dad is turning 80 this weekend. Raising six children and working hard at everything he ever attempted are certainly reasons to plan a party. ... NOLA recipes for SEMO cooks (01/30/08) Over the weekend I was asked about a recipe for a simple jambalaya that required little time and effort to prepare. This reader was going to be short on time on Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, but wanted to prepare a dish for the occasion. She also did not want to fix pancakes, as many of us do on Fat Tuesday. I went through a couple of books and found this recipe that I think will fit the bill for what she is looking for. I also included a good corn stick recipe to serve along with it... A game plan for the big day (01/23/08) Over the weekend, we watched about every sporting game there was on television. In addition, our daughter played basketball Saturday morning, and her team came up just one basket short. They lost by 1 point, following our loss last weekend by 2 points in triple overtime. My husband is a huge North Carolina basketball fan, so when they lost by one basket it was a heartbreaker for him. While not every game we watched went to our liking, maybe next time we will end up on top... Recipes to warm up with this winter (01/16/08) We are closing in on one child's basketball season and just starting up in our other child's season. It is so much fun to watch them play, regardless of whether we win or lose. We enjoy visiting with other parents before and after the games and find ourselves not knowing what to do when we don't have a game to go to. It has been fun, and we look forward to moving on to our next sport season... These never-fail recipes can make preparing a sweet treat easy (01/09/08) On New Year's Day our family dropped by to wish our friend Mike Shupert a happy 50th birthday. Turning 50 deserved a little teasing and fun, so we could not pass up the opportunity to do just that. While at his home, we enjoyed a delicious piece of Goofy Cake (having no reference to the birthday boy), an eggless chocolate cake that is moist and requires no frosting because it makes a silky chocolate glaze on the top as it bakes. ... Sweet submitted treats (01/09/08) On New Year's Day our family dropped by to wish our friend Mike Shupert a happy 50th birthday. Turning 50 deserved a little teasing and fun, so we could not pass up the opportunity to do just that. While at his home, we enjoyed a delicious piece of Goofy Cake (having no reference to the birthday boy), an eggless chocolate cake that is moist and requires no frosting because it makes a silky chocolate glaze on the top as it bakes. ... Winter wonder loin (01/02/08) Christmas, and the entire season surrounding Christmas, is my favorite time of the year. I love the Advent season as many people prepare for the birth of Jesus, then it is Christmas Eve and the day so many plan and wait for. Then the 12 days of Christmas start as the calendar moves forward to Epiphany on January 6...

Susan McClanahan Recipe Swap