Jodi Thompson's recipes are a treat

For anyone who has ever lost a family pet, you know how hard it is to let them go. My family cat of 17 years passed away this week, which has left a void in the house. She was so much a part of the family's daily routine -- we didn't realize how much we would miss her until she was gone.

Now I'm sure my veterinarian sister-in-law will be talking to us about getting a new family pet. We'll have to see about that a little later.

Moving along to cooking, all of the recipes today were sent in by Jodi Thompson of Jackson. Jodi sends me several recipes each week, and I enjoy looking over them. Some of them caught my eye this week, so I decided to pass them along. I hope you are able to enjoy them at your next family get-together.

Creamed Corn

Makes 6 servings, 1/2 cup each

2 ounces (1/4 of 8-ounce package) cream cheese, cubed

2 tablespoons milk

1 (14.75-ounce) can cream-style corn

1 (10-ounce) package frozen corn, thawed

1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

1/3 cup sliced green onions

Cook cream cheese and milk in medium saucepan on medium heat until cream cheese is melted, stirring frequently. Add cream-style and thawed corn; stir. Cook 4 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Spoon into serving dish; sprinkle with Cheddar cheese and green onions. You can jazz it up by stirring in a dash or two of hot sauce.

Zesty Home Fries

Makes 8 servings, 3/4 cup each

2 pounds red new potatoes (about five), cut into large chunks

1/2 cup Light Zesty Italian Reduced Fat Dressing

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 large red onion, cut into chunks

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled

1 cup shredded, reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese made with 2 percent milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Toss potatoes with dressing and pepper in greased 15-by-10-by-1-inch baking pan. Spread into single layer. Bake 20 minutes. Stir in onions. Continue baking 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with parsley and bacon; stir. Top with cheese. Bake an additional 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

For a change, try substituting a mixture of chopped fresh herbs, such as rosemary, chives, thyme and basil, for the parsley.

Broccoli Bake

Packaged corn muffin mix gives this bread a touch of sweetness. If you make this cornbread-type dish in a glass baking dish instead of a metal pan, decrease the oven temperature by 25 degrees.

1 cup egg substitute

3/4 cup fat-free cottage cheese

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

2 tablespoons butter, melted

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained

1 (8 1/2-ounce) package corn muffin mix (such as Jiffy)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in the onion, broccoli and muffin mix; stir until well blended. Pour into a 13-by-9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 27 minutes or until set.

Pineapple Upside-Down Sausage Bake

Makes 6 servings

Start your day with the sweet-and-savory combination of this meatless dish that can help you and your loved ones eat right.

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 (8-ounce) can pineapple chunks, drained

1 (8-ounce) package frozen Meatless Breakfast Links, chopped

1 (8 1/2-ounce) package corn muffin mix

1/4 cup cholesterol-free egg product

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with brown sugar. Top with pineapple and chopped links. Prepare muffin mix as directed on package, substituting egg product for the egg. Pour evenly over ingredients in dish. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Run sharp knife around edge of dish to loosen casserole; invert onto serving platter.

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

Susan McClanahan is administrator of 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 have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.

Coconut Chicken Salad

12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast halves and/or thighs

1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened light coconut milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion or Vidalia onion

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 Thai red Chili peppers, seeded and finely chopped

1 cup shredded lettuce

1/2 cup coconut chips, toasted

Salt and ground black pepper

Naan Indian flat bread or 3-inch round Armenian cracker bread

In a large skillet, place chicken, coconut milk, salt and black pepper. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 12 to 14 minutes or until chicken is done and no longer pink. Drain well; discard milk mixture. Cool chicken slightly; cut into bite-size pieces.

In a medium bowl, combine chicken pieces, onion, lime juice and Thai peppers. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Before serving, gently stir shredded lettuce and half of the toasted coconut chips into the chicken mixture. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining coconut chips. Serve with Naan Indian flat bread or Armenian cracker bread.