Enjoying the recipes from readers

I always enjoy when I get e-mail from readers about this recipe column. Sometimes they are looking for a recipe, other times they are passing along a recipe they want to share with other readers.

This week I was pleased to receive a recipe from my cousin Richard Kinsey, who's on active duty at Twenty Nine Palms, Calif. at the Navy hospital there. In his spare time he is able to try a recipe. He's a wonderful cook and always loved to cook he got that from his daddy.

Richard passes along his favorite salmon recipe. The salmon takes up the sweetness from the sauce, as well as just the right amount of heat. Enjoy!

Asian Zing Salmon Steaks

1 Bottle of Buffalo Wild Wings Asian Zing Sauce (available at the Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in Cape Girardeau)

Marinate salmon steaks over night in Asian Zing sauce. Place in basket and grill for 20 minutes, turning about every 5 minutes, or until desired doneness.

What would the Christmas season be without cookies? I have put several cookie recipes for you to add to your cookie swap tray or gift-giving boxes.

Pecan Cookie Balls

These buttery melt-in-your mouth cookies will be a holiday hit. They make a great gift idea or cookie exchange addition. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups flour

2 cups finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar, vanilla, nutmeg and salt; beat until well blended.

Stir in flour and pecans. Shape into 1-inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake 15 minutes. Remove from baking sheets. Immediately roll hot cookies in remaining 2 cups sugar. Place sugared cookies on wire racks to cool. When cool, roll again in sugar.

Eggnog Cookies

Tender nutty cookies are frosted with the flavors of eggnog; nutmeg and rum extract. They would be perfect for a cookie exchange or holiday entertaining. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, slightly softened, divided

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

2 teaspoons milk

1/4 teaspoon imitation rum extract

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Beat 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) of the butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds or until smooth. Add granulated sugar, eggs and vanilla; beat until well blended. Gradually beat in flour and nutmeg; scraping side of bowl occasionally. Stir in nuts.

If needed, refrigerate dough 30 minutes or until dough is easy to handle. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 1 inch apart on baking sheets. (Refrigerate remainder of dough while baking each batch of cookies.)

Bake 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 1 minute. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Beat remaining 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter in medium bowl until softened. Gradually add confectioners' sugar; beat until fluffy. Beat in milk and rum extract. Frost center of each cookie with scant 1 teaspoon frosting. Sprinkle with additional nutmeg.

Cranberry-Filled Wreaths

For the coffeecake:

1 (16-ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce

1 (16-ounce) package hot roll mix

1 cup oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 cup hot water (120 degrees to 130 degrees)

1/4 cup egg substitute or 1 egg, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons margarine or butter, softened

1/2 cup chopped nuts, divided

2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

Icing

3/4 cup powdered sugar

3 to 4 teaspoons low-fat or fat-free milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Spray two cookie sheets with cooking spray. Place cranberry sauce in fine strainer or sieve; stir to break up. Set aside to drain thoroughly. In large bowl, combine contents of box and yeast packet from hot roll mix with oats and 1/4 cup granulated sugar; mix well. Stir in hot water, egg substitute and margarine until dough pulls away from bowl.

Knead on lightly floured surface 5 minutes or until smooth. Divide dough in half. Keep half the dough covered. Press other half of dough into 12-by-8-inch rectangle on one cookie sheet. Top with half of drained cranberry sauce, 1/4 cup nuts and 1 tablespoon sugar to within 1-inch of edge.

Roll up, starting from long side, pinching seams and ends to seal. Bring ends together to form a ring. With kitchen shears, cut through ring almost to center at 2-inch intervals. Make second wreath with remaining dough.

Cover both wreaths loosely with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place 30 minutes or until nearly double in size. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Uncover wreaths; bake 23 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove to wire rack and cool completely.

For icing, combine all ingredients in small bowl; mix until smooth. Spread over top of each wreath. Serve warm or at room temperature. Recipe Yield: 2 wreaths (12 servings each) Serving Size: 1/8 of cake.

Snow-Capped Tree Cookies

No rolling pin or cookie cutters are needed for this cookie recipe. Cookie mix dough is pressed with fingers, then cut into wedges to create the sugar cookie holiday trees. Makes 4 dozen cookies.

6 ounces white chocolate baking bar

1 pouch sugar cookie mix

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 egg

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

7 drops green food color

24 thin stick pretzels, broken in half

1 teaspoon shortening

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Grate 2 ounces of the white chocolate. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, melted butter, egg, flour, almond extract, 2 ounces grated white chocolate and green food color until soft dough forms. Divide dough into 6 pieces. Press each piece into 6-inch round. Cut each round into 8 wedges; separate wedges.

On ungreased cookie sheet, place wedges 2 inches apart. Under each wedge, place half of 1 pretzel stick for tree trunk. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. In small microwaveable bowl, microwave remaining 4 ounces white chocolate and the shortening uncovered on High 30 to 60 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted. Dip top of each cookie in white chocolate mixture, allowing excess to drip off. If desired, decorate with decorator sprinkles or sugars. Place cookies on waxed paper; refrigerate until set, about 30 minutes.

I am out of room, but you know I could keep going for pages and pages when it comes to cookie recipes. 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 smcclanahan@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.