Lettuce bread an interesting new recipe

Like every other weekend, the days are filled with more to accomplish than I possibly could get done. Memorial Day weekend proved to be the same.

We had an enjoyable time at two beautiful weddings and did some family activities. Our children went fishing with their friend, Mr. Bob, and Ross caught several large fish. He was so excited to tell everyone all of the details of just how large the fish were, and there were pictures taken to prove it was not just another fish story.

Another enjoyable part of the weekend was watching the World War II Memorial dedication from Washington, D.C. The honor and tribute paid to those veterans was touching and so deserved. I am thankful for all that generation did so our children could live in the free world they have today.

Also over the weekend I got a new cookbook. The Association of Illinois Electric Cooperatives put the book together. There are 227 pages of recipes, which made the book a real bargain. I would like to share a few recipes from this book with you. For starters, have you ever heard of lettuce bread? I had not, so I just have to include it in the selections.

Lettuce Bread

4 cups lettuce, chopped fine

3 cups flour, sifted

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon grated orange peel

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 eggs

1 cup pecans, chopped

Powdered sugar

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, orange peel, vanilla and sugar; add eggs and oil, mix well. Add chopped nuts and lettuce. Pour into two greased and floured loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. Cool inverted over a cooling rack. You may sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve, or spread slices with cream cheese frosting. After the loaves are baked, they freeze well.

Apple Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

1/4 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise

2 tablespoons thawed, frozen lemonade concentrate, undiluted

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon poppy seeds

2 medium-size apples, sliced

1/2 cup blueberries

1 cup cantaloupe balls or chunks

Leaf, Boston or Bibb lettuce

Combine mayonnaise, lemonade concentrate, sugar and poppy seeds; refrigerate. Arrange apples and fruit on lettuce. Drizzle with lemon dressing before serving. Yields 4 servings. Suggested apple varieties to use are Empire, Gala, Jonagold, Jonathan, McIntosh, Red Delicious or Rome. These work very well.

Cheesy Tomatoes

6 medium tomatoes

1 (15-ounce) jar Old English cheese spread

2 tablespoons margarine

1/4 cup chopped green onions

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Salt and pepper

Slice stem ends from tomatoes; scoop out center, reserving pulp. Combine cheese spread and margarine; add diced drained pulp, onion, bread crumbs and bacon. Season to taste. Fill tomatoes and place upright in baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Onion Shortcake

2 to 3 large onions

1 stick margarine

1 (8-ounce) carton sour cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 ounces grated Cheddar cheese, separated

1 (15-ounce) can creamed-style corn

1/3 cup milk

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

1 egg, slightly beaten

4 drops hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Saute onions in margarine. Stir in sour cream, salt and 1/2 of the cheese. In a separate bowl, combine corn, milk, dry muffin mix, egg and hot pepper sauce. Put corn mixture in a buttered 9-by-13-inch pan. Spoon onion mixture over the top. Sprinkle with remainder of cheese. Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cappellini Pomodoro

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 ounce fresh basil leaves, minced

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 ounces Parmesan cheese

12 ounces dry angel hair pasta, cooked

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Heat olive oil and add garlic; cook until garlic turns white. Add tomatoes and pepper; heat through, stirring constantly, about 2 to 3 minutes. Tomatoes should not lose their shape. Remove from heat. Transfer hot, cooked pasta to a large bowl. Toss pasta gently with tomato mixture, basil and half of Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately. Use remaining Parmesan cheese for the top.

Blackberry Cake

1 box white cake mix

1 package black cherry gelatin

1 cup oil

1/2 cup milk

4 eggs

1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries

1 cup coconut

1 cup pecans, chopped

For the icing:

1/2 cup margarine, softened

1 pound powdered sugar

3 to 4 tablespoons milk, or less as desired

1/2 cup blackberries

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup pecans

Mix cake mix, gelatin, oil and milk. Blend well. Add eggs. Fold in berries, coconut and pecans. Pour into a prepared 9-by-13-inch pan. The batter will be thick. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. For the icing, cream butter; add powdered sugar and milk to desired consistency. Beat well. Stir in remaining ingredients and frost cooled cake.

As I have gone through the book I have found so many interesting recipes that I am anxious to try. I hope you have enjoyed these I shared with you today. Have a fabulous 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 the Southeast Missourian staff.