RECIPE SWAP: DISHES TO SERVE FOR EASTER DINNER

I, like many of you, are counting down the days until the Recipe Swap cookbooks are released at the Southern Living Cooking School. It will be so nice to have all of the recipes in one book, instead of all of the newspaper clippings in a file.

Carolyn Moore of Cape Girardeau called to say she couldn't wait to get her copy of the book. She has clipped out every Recipe Swap from the beginning in December 1998 to the present. She was very glad to hear the book would have a comprehensive index.

I will be at the Southeast Missourian booth at the school handing out samples of the oyster cracker snack mix and signing books. I will be handing out the snack mix if I get it made. A local grocery store looked at me funny when I said I needed 200 bags of crackers, 5 gallons of oil and a case of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix. Now that I have the ingredients, the work begins of making 100 recipes of the mix recipe. Oh, what we won't do for a good time.

It is my hope that many of you will get tickets for the show. I would very much like to meet you and of course, sell you a book.

*****

We will turn our thoughts to Easter and the plans we will make for the holiday. Just thinking about it, I am salivating. I can almost taste my mom's fresh strawberry pie. Please, if you are going to make strawberry pie, don't cheat by using boxed gelatin or a store-bought glaze. Make it from scratch. It makes all the difference in the world how the pie will turn out.

For those of us who are deeply rooted in our Christian faith, Easter is a time of renewal. As we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, be sure to make the celebration at your home a true Easter experience. Take time to explain to the children the real meaning of Easter, but still enjoy hunting eggs.

Many tables set for Easter dinner will include ham. Each prepared differently according to family traditions and personal tastes. As a side dish, try a baked pineapple dressing. It is sweet and very good with ham.

Baked Pineapple Dressing

1/2 cup butter, melted

4 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup sugar

1 No. 2 can crushed pineapple, drained

5 slices bread, torn in small pieces

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Stir in pineapple. Stir in bread, very gently, being careful not to overwork. Bake in greased 1 1/2 quart dish at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

For your Easter breakfast, you might wish to try something different. Ham and pineapple bread served with brown sugar butter. Scott didn't think it sounded very good to him, but you give it a try. Toast the bread for a hot a crisp bread smeared with sweet butter. Trust me, you will like it.

Ham and Pineapple Bread with Brown Sugar Butter

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2/3 cup sugar

1 (8 1/4 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained, reserving 2 tablespoons of juice

1 cup ham, finely diced

1/4 cup cooking oil

1 egg

In a mixing bowl combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. In another bowl combine sugar, crushed pineapple and reserved juice, ham, cooking oil, and egg. Mix well. Add flour mixture and stir just until combined. Pour batter into a greased 8x4x2-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool. Remove bread from loaf pan and cool on a wire rack.

Brown sugar butter:

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine ingredients in a food processor bowl and process until smooth. Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate until chilled.

To make maple butter, replace brown sugar with 1/4 cup powdered sugar and vanilla extract with 1 teaspoon maple extract.

Or maybe you would like to stick with a traditional cinnamon roll. This recipe, shared by Cindy Dude, is similar to the popular rolls served at the chain restaurant, Cinnabon.

Cinnabon Rolls

Rolls:

1/2 cup warm water

2 packages yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

1 (3 1/2 ounce) package vanilla pudding mix

1/2 cup margarine, melted

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

6 cups flour

In a combine water, yeast and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside. In a large bowl, take pudding mix and prepare according to package directions. Add margarine, eggs and salt. Mix well. Then add yeast mixture. Blend. Gradually add flour, knead until smooth. Place in a greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled. Punch down dough and let rise again. Then roll out on a floured board to 34x21-inches. Take 1 cup soft butter and spread over surface. In bowl, mix 2 cups brown sugar and 4 teaspoons cinnamon. Sprinkle over top. Roll up very tightly. With knife, put a notch every 2 inches. Cut with a thread or sharp knife. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet 2-inches apart. Take hand and lightly press down on each roll. Cover and let rise until double again. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove when they start to turn brown. DON'T OVERBAKE. Frost warm rolls with cream cheese frosting.

Cream cheese frosting:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1/2 cup margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups confectioner's sugar

1 tablespoon milk

To make frosting, mix all ingredients until smooth. Roll recipe makes about 20 very large rolls.

*****

I need to clarify something in a recipe from two weeks ago. The giant chocolate-toffee cookie recipe lists only 1/2 cup flour in the recipe. Believe it or not, that is correct. I had several calls about the amount of flour, but it is correct as printed.

This will wrap up another week of great recipe sharing, and we have no requests this week. May God bless you and yours this Easter. Have a wonderful Easter holiday, and happy cooking.