RECIPE SWAP: FAMILY TRADITION GIVES HOLIDAY SEASON SPECIAL MEANING

Major American holidays bring to mind a variety of family traditions. Stories range from how the table was set, the clothes different family members wore and of course the food that was served. I have memories of my grandmother's homemade noodles with her secret sauce and her angel food cake with cherry icing. Now our family enjoys my dad's cranberry relish. I remember trying to turn the handle to grind the cranberries and oranges when I was a kid; now I have pictures of my children trying to do the same thing with grandpa. And my favorites go on my mom's turkey, the moistest and juiciest turkey you have ever eaten, and grandma Iva's oyster dressing. Mmmmmm. At this special time, let's not forget to pause and reflect on all of the wonderful things we are given every day and truly count our blessings. Joan Weeks of Cape Girardeau fondly recalls a tasty but easy salad that was a tradition when she was growing up. It is served as a relish and not as a salad on a salad plate.

Mom's Corn and Celery Salad

1 can corn, drainedan equal amount celery, choppedDurkee sandwich and salad sauceCombine all ingredients and mix well. Chill.

*****

Tory Charlier of Cape Girardeau shares a stew recipe she recently made, and it was a big hit with her. The stew was quick and easy to put together but very big on taste.

Kielbasa Skillet Stew

5 bacon strips

1 medium onion, chopped

1 to 1 1/2 pounds smoked fully cooked kielbasa, thinly sliced

2 cans (15 1/2 ounces each) great northern beans, undrained

2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies

2 medium carrots, thinly sliced

1/2 medium green pepper, chopped

1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon pepperIn a 12-inch skillet, cook bacon until crisp; remove to paper towel to drain. In drippings, cook onion and sausage until the onion is tender; drain. Stir in remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Crumble bacon and sprinkle on top. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

*****

A couple of weeks ago we had a request for a cheesecake dessert from the Altenburg area. And I think we have gotten a wonderful response from Maxine Michel of Cape Girardeau. Maxine's mother, Verna Noennig Lorenz, is from Altenburg and is well known for her cheese coffeecakes. She tells us that cooks in the Altenburg area use home-canned peach slices on top of the cheese. She shares her mother's recipe with us, and it makes two 15 1/2 x 10 1/2-inch jellyroll pans. With the extra dough, you can make another type of coffeecake or cinnamon rolls.

Cheese Coffeecake, Verna Lorenz-StyleMake a sponge of 1 1/2 cups warm water adding instant mashed potatoes until consistency of thick soup. Dissolve 1 1/2 packages yeast and 1 1/4 cups lukewarm water. Add 2 tablespoons sugar to mashed potatoes and 3/4 cup flour. Let rise 30 to 45 minutes. Mix 1 cup lukewarm milk, 1 egg, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of nutmeg. Add 1 cup flour and mix all ingredients together with portable mixer. Then add 3/4 cup Crisco and mix. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead for 5 minutes and let rise until double. Roll out 1/2 of dough to fit a large jellyroll pan. If sides of jellyroll pan are less than an inch tall you may need to build them up with strips of cardboard (strips of empty cereal boxes work well) so that the cheese does not run over.

Cheese Topping.

Cook custard of 1 cup sugar, 2 egg yolks (saving the whites), 2 tablespoons flour, a pinch of salt, 1 cup milk, and let cool. With blender, cream 24 ounces of cottage cheese until smooth. Using mixer, blend cottage cheese with 8 ounces softened cream cheese. Add 1 egg, 1 heaping tablespoon corn starch and 1 teaspoon vanilla. In a separate bowl, beat 2 egg whites until stiff but not dry and fold into cheese mixture. Spread on coffeecake dough that has risen again till double. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese is set. If you want, before baking you may add thinly sliced peaches on top of the cheese, or sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

Crumbs.

Combine 1 stick margarine, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 3/4 cup white sugar, 1 cup flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon vanilla with pastry blender until it resembles coarse crumbs. Maxine shares another idea to use the crumbs. Use the extra dough, roll out in another large jellyroll pan and top with a can of cherry pie filling and then top with crumbs, or just top the dough with crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Maxine and her sister, Bev, usually help make the coffeecakes now, but it was their mom, Verna Lorenz, who established this wonderful family tradition. Thank you for sharing it with us.

Happy holiday season to all of you and may God richly bless you always. Enjoy your time together as families, and happy cooking.