BAD DAY LEADS TO RECIPE IDEAS

Have you ever had an idea that didn't go exactly like you thought it would? Well, I had a big idea that didn't go at all like I thought it would. I decided to have a garage sale. What a big mistake.

I had all our children's clothes from when they were babies all the way through to the present. In addition, we had all of the big baby items that you need to raise children. Most of it was new and never used.

The ad was in the paper and the day came for the big sale. Over Friday and Saturday, I had about 15 customers, and at the end of the sale I had about 1,400 items left.

With so much merchandise left, I decided to take it to one of the stores that buys and sells used clothing. I drove to one that had been recommended to me, and of all things, they were closed Monday. So, I went to another one. I had quite a bit to carry in, and in the course of doing just that, I fell over some baby items she had on display in the floor. After a trip to the hospital emergency room, crutches and a very sore foot, I spent every dime that I made on the garage sale and the store purchases on the hospital bill.

The only good thing about having my sale was that I met a wonderful couple from Scott City who read my column. We had a wonderful visit and even had some common friends. La Verne Freed was going to write in with a request for caramel apple pie, but I told her to save her stamp, and we discussed the matter at the sale. With this being apple time, I think surely some one will have the recipe she is looking for.

Recently, my fourth-grade teacher, Rosetta Johnson wrote in with a request for a tomato pepper relish. We have a reply from Mrs. Ruth Smith, who is a teacher at Jefferson Elementary School in Cape Girardeau. She shares the recipe her 94-year-old mother made years ago for the family to enjoy.

Tomato Relish

1/2 gallon tomatoes

1/2 cabbage, chopped

2 onions, chopped

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 tablespoon salt

1 cup sugar

1 hot pepper

Mixed pickling spices

Peel tomatoes by dipping in hot water so the skins slip off. Put pickling spices in a small, clean, white cloth. Tie this up into a ball. Put all ingredients into a large pan and cook on low for 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Remove spice bag and discard. Pour into clean sterilized jars and seal.

I have to add one comment. Mr. Truman Smith has volunteered at our Jefferson Elementary School and made several new beautiful flower gardens in front of the school. They are beautiful and have added so much to the landscape of our school. Thanks for all for your hard work.

With my work at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center, volunteers are very much a part of my day and I appreciate volunteers very much.

One of our Altenburg readers shares a recipe for a chicken dish that serves 10 to 12 and with a name like Popeye chicken, you can guess it has spinach in it.

Popeye Chicken

4 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

5 chicken breasts, boned and cut into pieces

2 cans cream of celery soup

1 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 pound grated Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1 1/2 cups cornflake crumbs

Butter and parsley flakes for top

Saut chicken until no longer pink. Place spinach in buttered 9x13-inch baking dish. Put chicken on top of spinach. Combine soups with curry powder and mayonnaise. Spread on top of chicken. Cover soup mixture with cheese and almonds. May be prepared to this point and refrigerated. When ready to bake, spread crumbs over top and dot with butter and parsley. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

A second recipe by the same person is also a large recipe chicken casserole.

Chicken Herb Casserole

3 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 large can evaporated milk

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can chicken and rice soup

1 (3 ounce) can chow mein noodles

For the topping:

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/3 cup melted margarine

1 to 2 cups Pepperidge Farm Herb stuffing mix

Mix all ingredients casserole ingredients together. Put in a greased 9x13-inch pan. Top with the combined topping ingredients, spreading to cover. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. Can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to bake. Yield about 10 servings.

I don't often think of making a side dish of onions, but my friend Rodney Bridges loves onion and anything made with onion. A Cape Girardeau reader shares a recipe for onion casserole, and she thinks it is very good. I'm sure Rodney will enjoy it, too.

Onion Casserole

12 onions

1 (16 ounce) bag potato chips

8 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

Slice onions as thin as possible. Alternate layers of onions, chips and cheese. Mix soups and milk. Pour over mixture and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

The chill in the air makes us turn to soup and stews. The first batch of chili of the season tasted so good. We have a Cape Girardeau reader who enjoys making soups and stews and shares a recipe with us. A few weeks ago, there was a request for chicken stew. So this shared recipe also answers a request.

Chicken Stew

3 pounds cut boneless, skinless chicken

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 onions, chopped

4 potatoes, cut in pieces

6 banana peppers

1 hot pepper

1 1/2 cups celery, chopped

2 cups carrots, chopped

1 cup parsley, chopped

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

8 basil leaves

2 cans butter beans

1 can peas

1 can tomatoes

1 can tomato sauce

Saut onion and garlic in oil. Add chicken and cook until golden brown. Add all other ingredients except butter beans. Cook about 1 hour. Add butter beans the last few minutes. Dumplings would be good added the last 15 minutes of cooking.

You might wish to try a sandwich to go along with the soups and stews you're cooking during this cool weather. Another Cape Girardeau reader makes a special sandwich that she serves with broccoli and cheese soup. She even makes her own Thousand Island dressing for this recipe. We will include that recipe for you, too.

Special Country-House Sandwich

Rye bread

Butter

Sliced Swiss cheese

Lettuce leaves

Sliced tomato

Sliced turkey or chicken

Thousand Island dressing

Crisp-cooked bacon

Hard-cooked eggs, sliced

For each serving: On a dinner plate, place a slice of buttered rye bread. Add Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and turkey or chicken. Make a sandwich as high as you like. Generously ladle Thousand Island dressing on top of sandwich. Garnish with 2 slices of bacon and hard-cooked eggs.

Homemade Thousand Island Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup chili sauce

2 tablespoons minced stuffed olives

1 tablespoon chopped green pepper

1 tablespoon minced green onion

1 chopped hard-cooked egg

2 teaspoons chopped parsley

Combine all ingredients and chill. You may wish to substitute 1/2 cup mayonnaise and 1/2 cup sour cream for the 1-cup mayonnaise.

A Cape Girardeau reader wrote in and said she was having a "senior moment." She purchased some Mysthra or Ricotta Salada cheese but can't remember what recipe she had in mind to make when she bought it. Can anyone share a recipe using this wonderful cheese? She would like any recipes you might have to share.

Another great week of mail, thanks to you, the readers. Keep those recipes coming.

Have a nice week, and happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan, an administrator at Cape Senior Center, can be reached at Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699. Recipes published are not kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.