RECIPE SWAP: A POTPOURRI OF RECIPES, FROM SALMON BALLS TO INDIAN PILAF

It is wonderful to have our friends back from Altenburg. Recipe Swap received a big fat envelope from them, and as usual, all of the recipes sound great. We haven't had mail from these wonderful cooks in a while, so it is nice to have them back. A variety of different recipes are being shared, so let's get right to the good stuff.

Salmon Party Ball

4-ounce can salmon

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoons horseradish

2 teaspoons grated onion

1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans

3 tablespoons parsley

Drain salmon, add juice, onion, horseradish, salt and liquid smoke. Combine and add softened cream cheese. Mix well. Roll into a ball and then into chopped nuts and parsley.

Corn and Spinach Casserole

1 small onion

3 tablespoons margarine

1 can cream-style corn

2 packages frozen spinach

1/4 cup grated cheese

Saut onion in margarine. Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain well. Add corn, combining onion, spinach and corn. Place in a 9x13-inch casserole, sprinkle cheese over top. Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Ground Meat And Vegetable Casserole

2 pounds ground beef, browned and drained

2 onions

1 can mushroom soup

1 can mushrooms

1 (8 ounce) package dry noodles

1 can cream style corn

1 can peas

1 can lima beans

1/2 pound cheddar cheese

salt and pepper

Brown and drain meat. Combine with remaining ingredients. Place in a large casserole dish or divide into two. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees. This casserole freezes well.

In this casserole, her directions did not say to cook noodles or to drain the canned vegetables. I would assume to combine the dry noodles and the undrained vegetables. This would allow enough moisture to cook the noodles.

Baked Ribs and Sauerkraut

3 pounds ribs, cut into small pieces

4 cups sauerkraut

2 apples, chopped

1 small onion

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons brown sugar

Cut ribs into serving pieces. Brown and drain the rib pieces, add salt and pepper to taste. Place in a 9x13-inch baking dish. Combine kraut, onion, water and brown sugar. Bake uncovered for 1 1/2 hours or until ribs are tender.

Millie Strom of Cape Girardeau share an oatmeal cookie recipe for Gary Rust. Millie isn't sure but this recipe could be Gary's grandmother's recipe. Millie has several of the grandmother's cookie recipes, and I hope she shares them with us. The buttermilk cookie recipe, with molasses in it, sounded really good.

Also, since Millie could not find Gary at the gym, I was the recipient of the freshly baked cookies. They were wonderful. Thank you, Millie.

Lacy Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup melted butter (no substitute)

1 1/2 cups quick oats

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten with 2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Line cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Pour butter over oats, toss, stir in sugar. Add egg and flour, then baking powder and salt. Stir in nuts. Drop level teaspoons 2 inches apart. Bake until light brown, about 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool on sheet, then gently peel off foil. Makes 5 dozen crisp cookies.

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Jo Williams from the Senior Center gave me the recipe for an oil pie crust and sugarless apple pie. I thought it was well worth sharing.

Oil Pie Crust

This recipe makes 1 top and bottom crust.

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup oil (canola is best)

Mix these three ingredients together in a plastic or glass bowl using a wooden spoon or plastic utensil, not metal. Add enough water until it holds together in a ball. Do not overwork dough as it will make it tough. Roll out between waxed paper. If you get too much water, it will be flaky, but it won't come off waxed paper as well.

Sugarless Apple Pie

6 to 8 cups Golden Delicious apples, peeled and sliced

1 (12 ounce) can frozen apple juice, unsweetened

2 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons quick cooking tapioca

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Simmer ingredients together for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often to prevent scorching. Heap up in a pastry-lined pie pan. Cover with top crust, making slits for steam to escape. Seal and flute edges. Bake 50 to 60 minutes at 425 degrees.

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Winter always brings to mind a good hot bowl of soup. This week our "Soup Queen" shares two recipes with us. The tomato soup recipe can be adjusted to individual taste. More spice means more a more distinctive flavor.

Spicy Tomato Soup

2 medium onions, diced

1/4 cup vegetable broth

4 cups vegetable broth

2 (1 pound) cans crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons dried parsley

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Simmer onion in 1/4 cup broth until tender. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer covered 30 minutes. Uncover and simmer until desired consistency is reached.

French Onion Soup

1 pound white onions, sliced thin

2 cups dry white wine

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 cups (48 ounce can) chicken broth

6 1/2-inch slices crusty baguette, toasted

2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Combine onions, wine and butter in a 9x12-inch baking pan. Bake until onion is very soft and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 45 minutes.

Bring broth to a simmer. Divide the warm onions among 6 soup bowls or crocks. Ladle broth over onions. Top each with a slice of baguette. Top with cheese. Broil until cheese melts, 2 or 3 minutes. Yield 6 servings.

This soup recipe is from Pied de Cuchan, an all-night brasserie in Paris.

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Barbara Port of Cape Girardeau shares a recipe from India that uses expensive basmati rice. Our regular long grain rice may be substituted. Barbara used canned tomatoes instead of the fresh.

When I asked her what she served this with she told me she added shrimp and served it as the entree. Sounds great to me.

Goan-Style Pilaf

2 cups basmati rice

8 cloves

4 tablespoons clarified butter or vegetable oil

6 cardamom pods

2 two-inch cinnamon sticks

2 medium onions, peeled and sliced into thin half-rings

2 medium tomatoes, peeled and chopped (peel after dropping into boiling water for 15 seconds)

2 2/3 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

Wash the rice in several changes of water. Drain. Place the rice in a bowl with enough water to immerse the grain and let it stand for 30 minutes. drain well and leave in a strainer. Heat the butter in a wide, heavy pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cloves, cardamom pods and cinnamon. Stir for a few seconds, then add the onions. Stir and fry until browned. Add tomatoes. Stir and fry until they, too, are lightly browned and turn soft and pulpy. Add the drained rice. Fry gently for a minute, being careful not to break the grains. Turn the heat down if the grains start to stick. Add stock and salt. Bring to a boil. Cover tightly, turn the heat to very low and cook for 25 minutes. Serve hot. Serves four.

This will conclude another week of Recipe Swap. Thank you to everyone who shared recipes this week. Have a wonderful week, and happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Senior Center. Her cookbook collection tops 2,000 books. Recipes published are not kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.