Cookbook to support funding women's education

Adelaide Parsons of Cape Girardeau sent a new cookbook to me, "Cooking with Missouri's P.E.O.s: Recipes from our Missouri State Chapters." The cookbook is a nice softcover, spiral-bound book with 231 pages of recipes in eight categories.

Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) was founded in 1869. The organization provides grants to aid women who are completing their education, loan funds, scholarships for women beginning their college education and grants for women in advanced graduate work. All proceeds from the sale of this cookbook go toward these programs.

For more information about this cookbook or about the organization and its resources, contact Parsons at 339-8521.

Orange Vinaigrette Dressing

1/4 cup rice vinegar, original

2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons orange zest

1/4 cup orange juice

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed, fresh ginger

1 teaspoon fresh, minced garlic

3/4 cup olive oil

1 to 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

In a lidded jar, add all the ingredients and shake well. Refrigerate. Good for about three or four days, if it lasts that long. Yields about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups.

Aunt Fanny's Baked Squash

Submitted by Adelaide Parsons, Cape Girardeau

3 pounds butternut squash

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup cracker meal or breadcrumbs

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

2 eggs

1 stick butter, divided

1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wash, peel and cut up squash. Boil until tender; drain thoroughly, mash. Add all ingredients except 1/2 of butter to squash. Melt remaining butter. Pour mixture in baking dish, then spread melted butter over top and sprinkle with cracker meal or breadcrumbs. Bake in a 375 degree oven for approximately one hour or until brown on top.

Salmon Fajitas

2 pounds skinless Alaska salmon fillets, frozen and half-thawed

Juice of 1 lime

2 (0.75- to 1.2-ounce) envelopes fajita seasoning mix

2 tablespoons flour

2 large bell peppers, cut into thin strips

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup green, cilantro or chipotle salsa, plus more for serving

Warm flour tortillas

Shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees or grill to medium high. Cut salmon fillets crosswise in 1/2-inch strips. Squeeze lime juice over salmon. Combine salmon strips, flour and fajita mix; set aside. Combine bell pepper, onion, beans and 1/2 cup salsa.

If grilling: Tear off a 12-by-18-inch sheet heavy duty aluminum foil. Center 1/2 cup of pepper mixture on each sheet of foil. Top with salmon, dividing evenly. Bring foil up, double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat to circulate inside. Place all packets on a baking sheet. Grill 9 to 11 minutes.

If baking: Spread pepper mixture on the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Place salmon on top. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Serve with tortillas, green salsa and cheese or toppings of your choice.

Festive Chicken

2 boxes Uncle Ben's long grain and wild rice

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 cans whole berry cranberry sauce

6 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup sliced almonds

Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Pour uncooked rice in bottom of pan. Sprinkle seasoning packet from box over rice. Place chicken on top of rice. Heat cranberry sauce and butter together until butter melts. Stir in soy sauce and lemon juice. Pour over chicken. Cover tightly with foil. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle 1 cup almonds over top. Bake another 10 minutes uncovered.

Blueberry Almond Slab

Dough:

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 1/3 cups butter, chilled and cubed

8 to 9 tablespoons ice water

Filling:

1 (32-ounce) bag frozen blueberries, divided

1 cup peeled, cored, finely chopped Granny Smith apple, 1 large

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons instant tapioca

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

Almond glaze:

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon almond extract

Topping:

1 (2-ounce) package sliced almonds, toasted

For the dough: In work bowl of food processor fitted with steel knife blade, combine the flour, sugar and salt. Pulse to combine. Add cubed butter; pulse until mixture is evenly combined and resembles coarse meal. With machine still running, add water through feed tube 2 tablespoons at a time until dough begins to cling together. Shape dough into rectangular discs, each about 6 by 3 1/2 inches. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill about 30 minutes while preparing blueberry filling.

For the blueberry filling: Place 3 cups of the blueberries in medium saucepan over medium heat; cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thickened and reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly. Transfer blueberries to large bowl. Add remaining blueberries, apple, sugar, tapioca, almond extract and salt; stir until well mixed. Makes about 4 cups.

For the almond glaze: In small bowl, whisk together all ingredients until smooth. Makes 1/2 cup.

To assemble: On generously floured surface, roll one pastry disc into 14-by-20-inch rectangle. Fit into bottom and sides of a 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pan. Pour blueberry filling over dough. On generously floured surface, roll remaining pastry disc slightly smaller than the first rectangle. Place dough over filling. Pinch edges of dough together to form rim; crimp edges. Using sharp knife, make several slits in pastry to allow steam to escape.

Bake in 375 degree oven until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 30 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly. Drizzle with almond glaze over top. Sprinkle toasted almonds over the pie. Cool to room temperature before cutting. Makes 18 squares.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.

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