Health center cookbook offers tasty dishes

Everyone's idea of a great day is different. Mine always involves our children, but an added bonus to any day is getting a new cookbook.

This week I had one of those days. Christy Sprengel of the Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center brought me a copy of the brand new cookbook they're selling. It is an attractive, comb-bound book with 188 pages and about 410 recipes. What I really like about the book is that the proceeds from the sale go toward the Happy Kids program, helping with transportation for those who need help getting to the Public Health Center, as well as other programs targeted toward children.

The books are a real bargain. You can get additional information, including the price, on theWeb site www.cgcohealthdept.com. After reading the book I am sure you will want to add this book to your collection.

Pecan Cranberry Spread

Submitted by Shirley Renaud

1/2 cup cream cheese

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1/8 cup orange juice concentrate

Using an electric mixer, beat at medium speed and cream the cream cheese until soft and fluffy. Transfer to a small bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Serve cold over Ritz or Townhouse crackers.

Monterey Shrimp Dip

Submitted by Dorothy Payne

1 (8-ounce) package Monterey Jack cheese with hot peppers, shredded

2 (4-ounce) cans shrimp, drained

1 (2 1/4-ounce) can sliced ripe olives, drained

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup chopped green onion

Tortilla chips

Stir together first five ingredients in a 1-quart microwave-safe dish. Microwave at high for 3 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring after each minute. Serve immediately with tortilla chips. Yields 3 1/4 cups.

Spring Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing

Submitted by Cheri Huckstep Reed

Spring salad:

1 (12-ounce) bag Spring Mix or mix your own Romaine lettuce and baby spinach

1 medium apple, sliced

1 bunch seedless grapes

1 (6-ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained

12 sliced fresh strawberries, optional

Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine lettuce, baby spinach, apple, grapes, drained mandarin oranges and strawberries. Add poppy seed dressing just before serving, too and refrigerate. Serves 4.

Poppy seed dressing:

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon grated onion

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Mix vinegar, sugar, salt, dry mustard and onion in blender for 20 seconds. Stir oil into blender mixture. Stir in poppy seeds. Pour over salad.

Apple Stuffing for Pork Chops

Submitted by Leon Laurentius

1/2 cup diced celery

1/4 cup melted margarine

3 cups dried bread cubes

1/2 cup apple juice

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 pound apples, peeled, cored and diced

1/3 cup brown sugar

Combine all stuffing ingredients and toss together. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Leave thick pork chops connected at bone, but slit the meat. Stuff each pork chop with 3/4 cup of the stuffing. Bake uncovered for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until internal temperature of chops reaches 165 degrees. May be covered with foil if browning too much. Brush with glaze during last 15 minutes of baking.

Glaze:

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup apple juice

In a saucepan, combine brown sugar and apple juice. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1/2 hour. Alternate method: Place stuffing in greased pan and cover top with single layer of pork chops. Baking time for this version may be slightly less. Bake until chops are done.

Strawberry Cake

Submitted by Christy Sprengel

1 box yellow or white cake mix

1 (16-ounce) container frozen strawberries, divided, reserving 1/2 cup for frosting

1 package strawberry gelatin

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup cold water

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, beat for 5 minutes. Bake in floured and greased tube pan for 45 minutes or longer at 350 degrees. Be sure not to forget to reserve 1/2 cup strawberries for the frosting.

Frosting:

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup frozen strawberries

Mix powdered sugar and strawberries together and pour over cake while still hot. Let cool before removing from pan.

Snicker Pie

Submitted by Sharon Sibley

5 (2.07-ounce) Snicker candy bars, cut into 1/4 -inch pieces

1 (9-inch) pastry shell

3 (4-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup peanut butter

2/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 tablespoons whipping cream

Place candy bar pieces in the pastry shell; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, sour cream and peanut butter, beat on low speed just until combined. Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. In a small heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips with cream over low heat until smooth. Spread over filling. Refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Cut with a warm knife. Yields 8 to 10 servings.

This is a really nice book and a great bargain for the price, so get your copy today to add to your collection.

I hope you 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.