RECIPE SWAP; ILLNESSES FORCE CHANGE IN COOKOUT PLANS

I couldn't help but wonder how many picnics were rained on this past Memorial Day weekend. Our Memorial Day weekend was pretty much a bust with all four of us sick. It's not too bad when one or even two are sick, but when everybody has the crud, it's really bad. So, needless to say, our cookout plans were changed.

I would like to share a couple of recipes with you that use pork steaks. Keep them on hand in case some day in the future your grill goes out, you're unexpectedly out of charcoal or it rains on your next get-together. I hope you enjoy them.

Herbed Pork Steaks

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/4 cups herb-seasoned stuffing mix, finely crushed

4 (1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick) pork steaks

2 to 4 tablespoons shortening

1 (1-ounce) package mushroom gravy mix (optional)

Combine egg and milk in a shallow dish, beating with a fork until well blended. Combine cheese and stuffing mix in a shallow dish. Dip steaks into egg mixture; then dredge in stuffing mixture, coating well.

Heat shortening to 350 degrees in an electric skillet; cook steaks until browned on both sides. Cover and reduce heat to 250 degrees; cook 30 minutes or until steaks are done.

Peachy Pork Steaks

4 to 6 (1/2-inch-thick) pork blade steaks

1 tablespoon oil

salt and pepper

3/4 teaspoons dried basil leaves

1 cup peach nectar

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon vinegar

2 beef bouillon cubes or 2 teaspoons instant beef bouillon

Hot cooked rice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon cold water

2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley

Cook steaks in hot oil over medium heat in a large skillet until lightly browned on both sides. Drain off pan drippings. Sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper, and basil.

Combine peach nectar, 1/2 cup water, vinegar, and bouillon cubes; pour over steaks. Simmer 30 minutes or until steaks are tender. Place steaks over rice on a serving platter and keep warm.

Combine cornstarch and water; add to nectar mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in parsley. Spoon half of gravy over steaks. Serve remaining gravy with steaks.

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Tory Charlier of Cape Girardeau answers a request for Orange Cake that Rita Burk asked about. From Rita's request, we were not sure as to the texture of the cake, but Tory sent in several that might work for her. I think they all sound good, especially this first recipe for Orange Chiffon Cake.

Orange Chiffon Cake

7 medium egg yolks

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

7 medium egg whites

1 cup orange juice

2 cups flour

1/2 cup oil

3 tablespoons grated orange rind

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon orange juice

Milk (until glaze consistency)

Into a large bowl, sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix oil, egg yolks, orange juice and rind. Mix into flour mixture. Beat until smooth. Pour egg whites into separate bowl and cream of tartar; beat until stiff peaks form. Fold into other mixture; do not stir.

Turn batter into ungreased tube pan and bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes. Add glaze ingredients to a small bowl and mix; spoon over cooled cake.

Orange Pound Cake

1 1/2 cups butter or margarine, softened

3 cups sugar

5 eggs

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

1/4 cup orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons grated orange rind

Cream butter; gradually add sugar, beating at medium speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk and orange juice, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until blended after each addition. Stir in flavorings and orange rind.

Pour batter into greased and floured 10-inch-tube pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 85 or 90 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 10 minutes. Remove cake from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack.

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Be sure to read Recipe Swap next week. We will have a couple more Orange Cake recipes to share that are altogether different from these. Good work, Tory!

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Opal Rodgers of Cape Girardeau is another one of our avid Recipe Swap readers. She shares a few of her favorites with you today. The Strawberry Pizza will be great with all these fresh berries we have available right now. Thank you, Opal, for sending in these great additions to our recipe collections.

Strawberry Pizza

1 9- or 10-inch graham cracker crust

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

Strawberry glaze (approximately 1 1/2 cups)

1 (8 ounce) carton LeCreme whipped topping

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 cups sliced strawberries

Beat cream cheese and milk until smooth, add lemon juice and mix. Pour into crust. Mix glaze and strawberries and put on top of filling. Top with LeCreme. Refrigerate overnight.

Cheese Cake

3 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine, melted

Mix margarine, crumbs and 3 tablespoons powdered sugar. Line pan with crumbs, saving some for topping.

Mix 1 (6-ounce) package lemon gelatin with hot water, let chill till it just begins to set.

Beat 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

Beat 1 large can chilled Milnot until it peaks. Mix together gelatin, cream cheese and Milnot mixture and pour over chilled crumbs in pan. Top with remaining crumbs. Let set.

Note: sweetener may be used for the sugar in this recipe.

John Ben Getty

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

small package noodles, cooked and drained

1 can cream of tomato soup

1/2 pound grated cheese

1 can English peas

1/2 jar pimentos

Brown meat, onion and peppers. Drain. Put meat in bottom of baking dish. Spread tomato soup over meat. Add cooked noodles and peas. Sprinkle grated cheese over top. Bake 30 minutes in 375 degree oven. Cover with aluminum foil while baking.

Opal tells us when she makes this she mixes all together and puts cheese on top, instead of layering it.

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Recipe Swap is so much fun for us because of the requests we get from area readers, and this week is no exception. We have a Cape Girardeau woman who is looking for recipes for Cucumber Pasta Salad, Cucumber Salad and a homemade juice recipe like V-8 Juice.

That will challenge our readers this week. Be sure to get those requests and favorites sent in so our many other readers can enjoy them too.

That does it for this week. I hope all of you can stay healthy, and I'll see you next week, or come and see me at the Senior Center.