Chocolate chip pie makes fine dessert

Last Sunday our family celebrated as our Ross received his third-grade Bible from church. It is a tradition in our church that all children receive a nice Bible as they are ready to enter third grade. It seems that he was only born about three years ago, not that he is entering third grade. We had much of our family together, which made it even more special.

Knowing how well Ross loves his Aunt Ann's chocolate chip cake, a reader has sent in a chocolate chip pie recipe for him to enjoy as well.

Chocolate Chip Pie

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, about 6 ounces

1 cup chopped walnuts, optional

1 9-inch frozen deep dish pie shell, thawed

Whipped cream

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Whisk eggs, both sugars and vanilla until well blended. Add flour and salt. Whisk in butter in three additions. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Put in pie shell. Bake until filling is puffed and golden brown, about 50 minutes. Cool on rack 20 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature with whipped cream.

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A Mrs. "M" of Cape Girardeau sent in a full envelope of recipes she would like for you to have. I have picked out a couple to share today, and will continue over the next couple of weeks.

Gram's Meatballs

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground pork

2 eggs

1 medium onion

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon chili powder

2 1/2 cups bread crumbs, squeezed from water after soaked

For the sauce:

1 can tomato soup

2 cups water

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 onion, chopped fine

1/2 green pepper, chopped

Combine all meatball ingredients together and form into balls, about the size of an egg. Combine all sauce ingredients and place in a casserole dish.

Drop meatballs into sauce. Bake 1 hour in a 350 degree oven. Serve over hot cooked spaghetti.

Also from Mrs. "M," her favorite mincemeat recipe. My mother has made mincemeat over the years, but I do not recall her putting green tomatoes in it. This might be a recipe she, as well as you, might like to give a try. If you have trouble finding the suet, it can be gotten from any butcher or from your supermarket butcher.

Green Tomato Mincemeat

1 1/2 pints chopped tart apples, peeled

1 pint chopped green tomatoes

2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon allspice

3 cups sugar

1 pound raisins

1/4 cup vinegar

1 cup beef suet, chopped

Mix all ingredients together and put in a large pan. Bring to a rapid boil; reduce heat and simmer until thick, about 1 hour. Pour into sterilized jars and process. Makes about 4 pints.

Nacho Dip

2 pounds Velveeta cheese

1 can Hormel chili, no beans

1 can chopped green chilies

Melt the cheese in a crock pot and add the chili and green chilies. Mix well.

Heat through and serve warm with chips.

Pepper Beef Goulash

1/2 cup water

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 envelope sloppy Joe seasoning

2 to 2-1/2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 3/4 inch cubes

1 celery rib, cut into 1/2 inch slices

1 medium green pepper, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

Hot cooked noodles

In a slow cooker, combine the water, tomato paste, vinegar and sloppy Joe seasoning. Stir in the beef, celery and green pepper. Cover and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours. Serve over noodles. Yields 4 to 5 servings.

Seafood Fettuccine

2 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup cream

Rind of 1 lemon

3 small tomatoes, peeled and diced

5 ounces cream cheese softened

1 tablespoon fresh dill

8 ounces smoked tuna, chopped (can use chicken if desired)

16 ounces fettuccine

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook onion and garlic in butter until tender. Add flour and mix, pour in wine and cream and stir over a medium heat until thickened. Simmer 3 minutes. Boil pasta. Mix softened cream cheese into mixture until smooth.

Add all other ingredients and heat. Serve at once.

Chicken Lasagna

3 cups ground chicken

1/2 cup onion

2 cloves minced garlic

Salt and Pepper

1 pint cottage cheese

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese

Cheaters tip: the writer uses one can cream of chicken soup and one can of cream of mushroom soup along with, butter and reduce milk to 1 1/2 cup when she's in a hurry. Omit all other ingredients.

For the sauce:

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 1/2 cups milk

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/4 cup chopped mushrooms

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté chicken in a large skillet over moderate heat until browned. Add the onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Mix together the cheeses in a separate bowl. Make a cream sauce combining all ingredients in a small saucepan, over medium heat. Spray bottom of 9-by-11-inch baking dish with cooking spray and layer noodles, then 1/3 meat mixture, 1/3 of the cheese mixture, and 1/3 cream sauce. Repeat until all ingredients are gone. Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, removing cover for last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve with French bread with roasted garlic and a salad.

Helen Hunt of Cape Girardeau has a few recipes to share, among them this delicious brownie recipe.

Special Brownies

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

4 eggs, beaten

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (16 ounce) can Hershey syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped nuts

Combine above ingredients. Place in baking pan; bake in 350 degree oven until tests done. Cool.

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 tablespoons crème de mint

Combine these ingredients and spread over cooled brownies.

1 cup chocolate chips

6 tablespoons butter

Melt the chips and butter together and drizzle this glaze over the mint layer. Cut into squares to serve.

Cynthia's Spaghetti

For the meatballs:

1 1/2 pound ground beef

1/4 pound ground pork

1/2 cup milk

1 cup dry bread crumbs

1 clove garlic

1 egg, beaten

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon parsley

1/3 cup onion

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon basil

1/8 teaspoon red pepper

1/8 teaspoon oregano

Combine all of these ingredients together and form into balls. Fry in 1/2 cup olive oil then drain.

For the sauce:

2 cans (1 pound 4 ounces each) tomatoes

1 (6 ounce) tomato paste

1 cup water

1 teaspoon basil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon red pepper

1/8 teaspoon oregano

Simmer one hour. Add meatballs and cook 20 minutes. Serve over hot cooked spaghetti.

There are two recipe requests for this week. The first is from Laurie Cascairo of Cape Girardeau. She would like to have a recipe for peach fudge like she used to enjoy while living near Tulsa, Okla. It was a white fudge candy with small bits of peach in it. Let's see if we can help her out with her request.

Our second request this week is from Jim and Karen Hendrickson of Cape Girardeau. While recently traveling, they enjoyed some delicious salmon chowder and she would love to have a recipe to be able to enjoy it at home.

I looked in a few of my Alaska cookbooks and did not find one, so I will keep looking, but you look, too. Surely we can help her with her request as well.

There being no further requests, so until next week, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699; Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.