Cookbook makes for great read

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smcclanahan

Each evening after the usual bedtime ritual of baths, snacks and stories, the kids are tucked in and all is quiet around the house. One of my favorite activities is curling up with a good book, a cookbook that is, and reading it from cover to cover.

This week is especially exciting because I have a new book for my collection. It is the newly published cookbook "Cooking with Zonta and Friends." The Zonta Club of Cape Girardeau is part of the international service organization working together to advance the status of women.

Through their volunteer service and fundraising efforts, they focus on literacy, education, housing and mentoring. The proceeds from the sale of their new cookbook will help toward these efforts.

The "Cooking with Zonta and Friends" cookbook is a delightful collection of down-home to some exotic and even a few vegetarian dishes. All in all it is a very nice book and well worth the $10 donation.

The book would make a wonderful Christmas gift for a teacher or for anyone on your gift list. To obtain your copy you may contact Marcia Schlueter at 339-0166 or e-mail her at marcia@clas.net.

I wanted to share a few recipes from the book with you and when I started to look through the book I just could not decide. So I fell back on the old open-the-book and pick the first thing you see trick and here is what the pages fell open to. I hope you are able to obtain your own copy of this great new cookbook.

Blackberry Lemonade

Submitted by Marcia Schlueter

3 cups fresh blackberries

7 cups water

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 (1.9 ounce) package sugar-free pink lemonade drink mix

Fresh mint sprigs and lemon slices for garnish

Process blackberries in a blender until smooth, stopping to scrape down sides. Pour through a fine wire mesh strainer into a 2-quart pitcher, discarding solids. Stir in the 7 cups water, sugar and drink mix. Serve over ice; garnish, if desired. Yield 2 quarts.

Cheddar Chowder

Submitted by Mary Greaser

2 cups boiling water

2 cups potatoes

1/2 cup carrots, sliced

1/2 cup sliced celery

1/4 cup onion, chopped

Chopped broccoli, frozen

1-1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup ham

1 cup cream-style corn

In large pan, combine water, potatoes, carrots, onion, broccoli, salt and pepper. Simmer 10 minutes. Make white sauce by melting butter in saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour with whisk until smooth, then slowly add milk, stirring constantly with whisk. Increase heat and cook until mixture begins to thicken; add cheese and stir until melted. Add cheese sauce, ham and cream-style corn to vegetables. Heat; do not boil.

Chicken-Filled Shells

Submitted by Janice Hill

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 cup cooked peas

4 ounces slices, canned, drained mushrooms

1/2 cup real mayonnaise

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

1 (12 ounce) package jumbo shells, cooked and drained

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup water

Mix together first five ingredients. Stuff shells. Arrange in single layer in baking dish. Stir water into soup. Pour over shells. Cover with foil.

Bake in 325-degree oven for 25 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired. Serves 8.

Lloyd's Beef Teriyaki

Submitted by Kathy Swan

1 (4-pound) chuck roast or rib steak, cut into small pieces

Marinade:

1 bunch green onions, chopped

8 ounces soy sauce

2/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon garlic juice

Mix the marinade ingredients; add beef and marinate 24 to 48 hours, covered and refrigerated. Broil or grill until desired doneness.

Rhubarb Cake

Submitted by Mona Copeland

1/2 cup rhubarb, chopped and mixed with 1/2 cup sugar

2 cups flour

1 egg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup sour milk or buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon baking soda

Combine flour, sugar and oil. Beat in one egg. Add sour milk, baking soda, cinnamon and vanilla. Mix well; add rhubarb mixture. Spread in a 9-by-13-inch-baking pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Topping for rhubarb cake:

2/3 cup brown sugar

6 tablespoons butter

1 cup coconut

1 cup pecans, chopped

1/4 cup milk

Stir all until blended and cook for 3 minutes. Spread over warm cake.

Aunt Cheryl's Easy Chocolate Truffles

Submitted by Cheryl Mothes

2 (6 ounce) packages milk chocolate chips

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 pound milk chocolate almond bark

Melt chocolate chips in microwave. Add cream cheese and stir until blended.

Cool in refrigerator. With spoon, make small balls and drop onto waxed paper-covered cookie sheet. Cook in refrigerator. Melt chocolate almond bark in microwave. Drop balls into melted bark. Coat and place on waxed paper again. Cool and serve.

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We have one recipe to share with you from a reader from Altenburg, Mo., for a moist and delicious quick bread.

Pumpkin Carrot Raisin Bread

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice blend

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

3 cups sugar

1 can pumpkin

4 eggs

1 cup oil

1/2 cup water

1 cup shredded carrots

1 cup raisins

Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and water, beat until blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture blending until moistened. Fold in carrots and raisins. Spoon mixture into 2 loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 65 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 2 loaves.

I have so many great recipes in store for you next week. I already look forward to sharing them with you. Keep the great mail and e-mail coming.

Hurry out to get your copy of the Zonta cookbook. Have a great week and 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.