More recipes for America's favorite baking dish

Recently I told you about a cookbook I acquired that contains recipes using a 9-by-13-inch pan. With more than 370 recipes in the book, I still had a couple of recipes I wanted to share with you. The Better Homes and Gardens "9 X 13: The Pan That Can" cookbook has a variety of recipes, and I found several of them interesting. After I introduced the book in this column I had several readers ask where they could get their own copy. It is a neat book, and I hope you like the recipes I have chosen to share with you today.

Banana Cake with Strawberries and Peppered Pecans

A ripe banana is the star of this moist cake and a surprising sprinkle of cayenne pepper perks up the pecans and is a nice contrast with the sweetness of the berries.

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup butter, softened

4 eggs

1 large ripe banana, mashed, about 1/2 cup

1/2 cup dairy sour cream

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1 tablespoon sugar

1 batch Peppery-Spiced Pecans (recipe below)

Sweetened whipped cream

Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees for metal pan or 325 degrees for glass baking dish. In a large bowl beat the 1 1/2 cups sugar and the butter until well mixed. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a medium bowl combine mashed banana, sour cream, milk and vanilla. In another bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Alternately add flour mixture and banana mixture to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan or dish. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan or dish on a wire rack. In a medium bowl combine strawberries and the 1 tablespoon of sugar. Top cake with strawberries, Peppery-Spiced Pecans, and whipped cream. Makes 15 servings.

Peppery-Spiced Pecans: Line a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with foil; lightly coat foil with non-stick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a medium bowl combine 1 cup broken pecans, 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 tablespoons light-colored corn syrup, 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Spread nut mixture in prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring twice. Turn out onto a buttered piece of foil. Cool. Break into clusters.

Chicken Taco Pasta

Mexican meets Italian with a bit of something to please everyone in your family.

8 ounces dried penne pasta

2 pounds uncooked ground chicken

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups water

1 (1 1/4-ounce) envelope taco seasoning mix

2 (11-ounce) cans whole kernel corn with sweet peppers, drained

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese

1 1/2 cups sliced pitted ripe olives

1 cup salsa

2 (4-ounce) cans diced green chili peppers, drained

8 cups shredded lettuce

2 medium tomatoes, cut into thin wedges

Tortilla chips

Sour cream

Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Set aside. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet cook ground chicken and onion, half at a time, until chicken is cooked through, using a wooden spoon to break up chicken as it cooks. Drain off fat. Return all of the chicken mixture to skillet. Stir in the water and dry taco seasoning mix. Bring to boiling. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in cooked pasta, corn, half of the cheese, the olives, salsa and chili peppers. Spoon into prepared dish. Bake, covered, about 45 minutes or until heated through. Remove from oven. Uncover, sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Serve with lettuce, tomato wedges, and tortillas as garnish. Makes 12 servings.

Roast Pork Salad with Ginger-Pineapple Dressing

In this recipe, pork and fruit combine with tropical seasonings for a light supper or an important lunch. Make the dressing up to 24 hours ahead.

1 (12 ounce) pork tenderloin

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 tablespoons honey mustard

6 cups torn romaine and or fresh spinach

2 cups fresh or canned pineapple chunks and or sliced fresh nectarines or peaches

1 batch Ginger-Pineapple Dressing (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Trim fat from pork; sprinkle pork with salt and ground black pepper. Place pork on a roasting rack in an ungreased 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Roast, uncovered, for 20 minutes. Spoon honey mustard onto pork. Roast for 5 to 15 minutes more or until done and juices run clear. Cover with foil; let stand for 10 minutes before slicing. Thinly slice pork. Arrange romaine, pork, and fruit on four salad plates. If desired, sprinkle salads with cracked black pepper. Stir Ginger-Pineapple Dressing. Drizzle onto salads. Makes 4 servings.

Ginger-Pineapple Dressing: In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing, 1/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice or orange juice, 1 tablespoon honey mustard, and 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger. Cover. Chill until serving time or up to 24 hours.

I hope you will be able to use these recipes and add them to your favorite list of recipes. Have a wonderful 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.