RECIPE SWAP: COCONUT CAKE AND CORNBREAD SALADS

Our start of school has been very eventful so far this year. On the first day of school, Scott and Ross ran out of gas going to school. The fuel sensor on the van had broken and showing nearly a half tank of gas, so running out was not the first thing they thought of. So they walked to school and made it just in the nick of time. Our principal was great about it. He laughed and said, "Yeah, I've heard that one before."

On the second day that Ross actually had homework, he left it in his desk. When he realized it he had a huge emotional breakdown. So I ran back over to the school to find all of the doors locked. After almost dying of heat stroke, I found someone to come to the door. All of this over two first-grade homework sheets. Ross was absolutely devastated to think about losing 10 minutes of his recess.

The next morning, we were making the kid shuffle at church. Scott has early morning Bible study, so in the course of getting the kids traded off of who was taking who where, Ross left his backpack at home. Again, a rough start to the day.

Our family needed the Labor Day holiday to regroup and get organized for the long school year ahead of us.

In the course of all of this excitement, I did have time to check the Recipe Swap mail and look up a few recipes. I always take time to enjoy a recipe or two a day.

Helen Coburn of Cape Girardeau lost a recipe for coconut pound cake. She thought the recipe was in the newspaper a year or two ago. But after looking, we could not find the recipe. I have one that I have used on many occasions, so I will share it with you.

Coconut Pound Cake

1 cup butter, softened

3 cups sugar

6 eggs

3 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 (8 ounce) carton commercial sour cream

1 cup frozen coconut, thawed, or sweetened coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon coconut extract

Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating until mixture is light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, soda and salt; mix well. Add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Stir in coconut and flavorings. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 to 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and cool completely.

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Last week we had a request for a sugar cookie recipe. Judy Reed of Jackson, Mo., has a special recipe she has become fond of.

The Ultimate Sugar Cookie

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup butter flavored shortening

2 eggs

1/4 cup corn syrup

1 tablespoon vanilla

3 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine sugar and shortening in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed until blended. Beat in eggs, syrup and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat into mixture at low speed. Divide dough into fourths. Place one-fourth of dough on lightly floured waxed paper. Flatten slightly, turn over, cover with more paper. Roll to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with floured cutter if desired. Transfer to ungreased baking sheet. Bake 5 to 9 minutes, according to size and shape, until very lightly browned. Let cool. Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies.

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Some time ago we had a request for cornbread salad from Burnadette Romans of Johnston City, Ill., And oddly enough, after time has gone by, we have two sent in this week to share with you.

Our first recipe comes from Shannon Anders of Cape Girardeau. She and her husband Joe brought it to me at the Center. I have to work on them to volunteer at the Center, they would be wonderful.

Cornbread Salad

1 (1 ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1 (9-inch) pan cornbread, crumbled, divided

2 (about 16-ounce) cans white beans, rinsed and drained, divided

3 or 4 tomatoes, chopped, divided

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

2 or 3 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and chopped, divided

1 cup chopped green onions, divided

10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided

Whisk together salad dressing mix, sour cream, and mayonnaise. Set aside. Place half the crumbled cornbread in the bottom of a 4-quart serving dish. In this order, top with half the beans, half the tomatoes, half the cheese, half the cucumbers, half the green onions, half the salad dressing mixture and half the bacon. Repeat layering with remaining ingredients, Garnish as desired. Cover and chill overnight. Yields about 24 servings, but can be halved.

Jodi Thompson of Jackson has been very helpful in answering requests and sharing recipes of her own. This week she found a recipe for cornbread salad on the Internet and would like for you to have it, too.

Cornbread Salad

1 tomato

1 bell pepper

1 onion

1 pan cooked cornbread

grated Cheddar cheese, about 1 cup

Mustard and mayonnaise

Cut up the tomato, bell pepper and onion in a large bowl. Break up the cornbread and place in bowl with the tomato, bell pepper and onion. Add mustard and mayonnaise to mixture. Add enough to moisten the cornbread but not too soggy in texture. Add grated cheese to taste. Serve well chilled.

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The ladies of Altenburg have been busy this week looking up some of their favorite recipes. Bean salad and crock pot pork chops will make Recipe Swap this week, but watch for the others next week.

Bean Salad

1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans

3 hard boiled eggs

1 cup cooked rice

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Drain and rinse beans, Peel and chop eggs. Combine all ingredients together, cover and chill 2 hours before serving.

Crock Pot Pork Chops

6 pork chops

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon dry mustard

2 tablespoons oil

1 can chicken rice soup

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Roll chops in dry ingredients. Brown in oil and place in crock pot. Add soup. Cover and cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours.

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Next week we will have pickled egg recipes as a response to a request as well as many other recipes. I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend. Happy cooking, and I'll see you next week.

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.