RECIPE SWAP: AREA CLUB'S COOKBOOK OFFERS RECIPE NAMED AFTER RUSSIAN BALLERINA

In the midst of school violence and tragic news everywhere we look, wasn't last week's Randon Acts of Kindness Week a welcome breath of fresh air? The week showed so many wonderful examples of how people can really make a difference in so many lives. Thank you all who sent nice notes into Recipe Swap. Your thoughtfullness was overwhelming and very much appreciated.

A special thank you to Annette Trout of Cape Girardeau who brought me a copy of the Marble Hill-Lutesville Junior women's Club cookbook as her Random Act of Kindness. What a pleasant surprise and a welcome addition to my personal collection. Thank you Annette, you are truly one of God's gifts to me and to Cape Girardeau.

I've chosen a couple of recipes from the book to share with you. Annette originally is from Sydney, Australia and her contribution to the cookbook is "Pavlova". The Pavlova was created and named in honor of the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, when she toured Australia in 1926. Ever since, it has been irrevocably linked with Australia and New Zealand, and many good cooks have made it their specialty.

Pavlova

6 egg whites, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

In large mixing bowl with electric mixer, beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating constantly until sugar is dissolved and whites are glossy and again stand in soft peaks. Beat in vanilla. On waxed paper-covered baking sheet, spread about 1/3 of meringue in 2 circles of about 8-inch diameter. Using remaining meringue, with a spoon or pastry bag, form "nest" shape in each circle by building up edges to make rims about 1 1/2-inches high. Leave centers unfilled. Bake in preheated 250 degree oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. Yurn off oven; leave meringue in oven with door closed 1 hour or overnight. Just before serving, fill each with your favorite fruits or fruit. Garnish with whipped cream and top with you favorite friut.

Rouge Camion Feu (Red Velvet Cake)

submitted by Dixie Hopkins

1/2 cup shortening

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ounces red food coloring

2 teaspoons cocoa

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon vinegar

Mix soda and vinegar. Set aside. Cream shortening, sugar and eggs. Make a paste with food coloring and cocoa in a large bowl. Add eggs and sugar mixture to paste. Add buttermilk with salt, flour and vanilla. Then fold in vinegar and soda. Bake in 2 9-inch pans, 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Split cooled layers and put icing between and on top. Use Whipped Cream Icing as this is the original Red Velvet Cake Icing.

Whipped Cream Icing

1 cup milk

4 tablespoons flour

2 sticks margarine

1 cup suagr

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cook the milk and flour in a double boiler and set aside to cool. Beat the margarine and suagr 8 minutes. Add vanilla and beat 4 minutes more. Add flour and milk mixture and beat 4 minutes more.

Spread between layers and on top of cooled Red Velvet Cake.

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Again this week we celebtrate the arrival of strawberries, and Sherry Hoernig of Benton shares a recipe for Dubuque Sheet Cake she got from her wonderful mother-in-law, Bobbie Hoernig.

Dubuque Sheet Cake

1 white cake mix

1 (3 ounce) box strawberry gelatin

1 (6 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding and pie filling

fresh sliced strawberries

whipped topping

fresh strawberries for garnish, if desired

Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Bake in 9x13-inch pan. While cake is baking, prepare the gelatin according to package directions, do not refrigerate. Cook cake, poke holes in cake with large tined fork. Pour gelatin mixture slowly over cake. Refrigerate until gelatin is firm. Prepare the instant pudding according to the package directions. Pour over cake. Place sliced strawberries in the pudding layer. Top with whipped topping. Garnish top with additional strawberries. Keep refrigerated.

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Delia Lampley of Cape Girardeau answered a request from last week for Hobo Biscuits. Delia's recipe is actually for bread, but could be easily revised to use for biscuits.

Hobo Bread

2 cups raisins

2 cups boiling water

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 1/4 tablespoons butter

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour the insides of 4 clean, empty (16- or 17-ounce) cans.

Simmer raisins, water, and salt for 15 minutes. Add baking soda and butter. Let cool. Mix together sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour. Add to raisin mixture. Fill prepared cans half full. Bake for 1 hour or until cake tester comes out clean. Let cool before removing from cans. Yield: 16 to 20 servings.

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Jean Dudley from Whitewater send us a wealth of information regarding the layered cookie recipes that Rita Burk was looking for. There is a book avaliable called Cookies in a Jar, containing 26 different recipes for the popular layered cookies. To order this plus any of their other many titles send a check for $3.95 + $1.50 for shipping and handling to: Cookbook Cupboard, P.O. Box 50053, Austin, Texas 78763. Some of the other titles sound great also. Thank you Jean for the great recipe and information.

Cowboy Cookie Mix in a Jar

1 1/3 cups quick oats

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup suagr

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1 cup chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups flour mixed with 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 1/4 teaspoon salt

Layer ingredients in order given in a 1 quart wide mouth canning jar. Press each layer FIRMLY in place before adding next ingredient.

Tips for preparing:

These layers need to be packed tightly so all the ingredients will fit, and won't get mixed up when jar is turned on it's side.

Use your hand to level, smooth, and tightly pack each layer.

Add flour a little at a time and press in tightly after each addition to make it all fit.

If you don't like the flour sifting lightly into the chips, cut a circle of thin white cordboard or coffee filter and place over chips before adding flour.

Directions to be attached to each jar:

1. Empty jar of cookie mix into large mixing bowl.

2. Add: 1 stick butter or margarine, not diet, melted:

1 egg, slightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

3. Mix until completely blended. You will need to finish mixing with your hands.

4. Shape into balls the size of walnuts. Place 2" apart on sprayed baking sheets.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Cook 5 more minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to racks to finish cooling. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

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Joan Hale of Cape Girardeau answers a request for Apple Brown Betty. The original request called for applesauce, but I think the thinly sliced apples in this recipe would be delicious, too.

Apple Brown Betty

4 cups peeled, cored, and thinly sliced apples

2 cups bread cubes

3/4 cup light brown sugar

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup hot water

Place half of apples in a 9x13-inch buttered dish. In a bowl, toss bread cubes with brown sugar, butter and spices. Layer half bread mixture on top of apples. Follow with layer of apples and remaining bread mixture. Save enough apples to decorate top of baking dish. Sprinkle hot water over mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. Yield: 8 servings.