Grab the scissors; these are good

I have a nice variety of recipes for you today. There is no across-the-board theme, just a mixture of several good recipes that you will want to keep for future use. I know many of you are recipe clippers, so get out your scissors and enjoy these recipes this week.

I have told you on a couple of occasions what a wonderful cook my cousin Cindy Dude is. It is always a treat to get to dine at their beautiful house in Wildwood, Mo. This week she sent me a recipe for a salad dressing that sounds delicious. I can't wait to try it.

Maple Mustard Vinaigrette Salad

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

2 to 3 cloves garlic, pressed

1 teaspoon ground pepper

1 tablespoon Dijonaise

1 tablespoon ground mustard

2/3 cup maple syrup

1/2 to 3/4 cup canola oil

Combine all ingredients in blender except the canola oil. Blend. Slowly add stream of oil while blade is running. Serve on a salad of fresh romaine lettuce, feta cheese, almonds (or the Almond Accents Buttered Toffee, found in the produce section), dried cranberries and fresh fruit, such as strawberries, apples, pears and blueberries. It is best to make this dressing at least the day before you plan to use it. It lasts for two months.

The rest of today's recipes were all sent to me by Jodi Thompson of Jackson.

Bok Choy Apple Slaw

1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/3 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar or honey

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 cups thinly sliced bok choy (1-pound head, trimmed)

1 large Granny Smith apple, julienned or shredded

1 large carrot, julienned or shredded

1/2 cup slivered red onion

Whisk sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar (or honey), celery salt and salt in a large bowl until smooth. Add bok choy, apple, carrot and onion. Toss to coat.

Cilantro-Lime Shrimp and Plum Kebabs

3 tablespoons canola oil or toasted sesame oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest

3 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 raw shrimp (8 to 12 per pound), peeled and deveined

3 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded and quartered lengthwise

2 plums, pitted and cut into sixths

Whisk oil, cilantro, lime zest, lime juice and salt in a large bowl. Set aside 3 tablespoons of the mixture in a small bowl to use as dressing. Add shrimp, jalapenos and plums to the remaining marinade. Toss to coat. Preheat grill to medium-high. Make four kebabs, alternating shrimp, jalapenos and plums evenly among the skewers. (Discard the marinade.) Grill the kebabs, turning once, until the shrimp are cooked through, about 8 minutes total. Drizzle with the reserved dressing.

Chicken Piccata with Pasta and Mushrooms

This piccata, made with chicken breast and served over whole-wheat pasta, replicates the rich lemon-caper sauce without the extra butter found in classic Italian piccatas. Make it a meal: Sprinkle with freshly grated Parmesan, if desired, and serve sauted zucchini on the side.

6 ounces whole-wheat angel hair pasta

1/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

4 chicken cutlets (3/4 to 1 pound total), trimmed

3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 10-ounce package mushrooms, sliced

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup white wine

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed

2 teaspoons butter

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until just tender, 4 to 6 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse. Meanwhile, whisk 5 teaspoons flour and broth in a small bowl until smooth. Place the remaining flour in a shallow dish. Season chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper and dredge both sides in the flour. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned and no longer pink in the middle, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they release their juices and begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add garlic and wine to the pan and cook until reduced by half, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the reserved broth-flour mixture, lemon juice and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, capers, butter and the reserved mushrooms. Measure out 1/2 cup of the mushroom sauce. Toss the pasta in the pan with the remaining sauce. Serve the pasta topped with the chicken and the reserved sauce.

Skillet Ham andVegetable Au Gratin

This ham and vegetable skillet version of the traditional baked au gratin gives you the same delicious results but in a fraction of the time.

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

1 1/2 cups cut-up fully cooked ham

1 large onion, chopped, 1 cup

1 package (4.9 ounces) au gratin potatoes

2 1/2 cups hot water

1/4 teaspoon pepper

4 medium carrots, sliced, 2 cups

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese, 4 ounces

1 box (9 ounces) frozen cut broccoli, thawed and drained

Melt margarine in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook ham and onion in margarine, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in potatoes, sauce mix, hot water and pepper. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in carrots. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender. Stir in cheese and broccoli. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes longer, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted and broccoli is hot.

I am out of room, so 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.