Recipe Swap: Reader returns from trip with new recipes

Martha and Ralph Maxton of Cape Girardeau spent Thanksgiving in North Carolina with their son, Dan, and his wife, Carolyn. During their visit, Carolyn served many delicious dishes, but Martha said there were some that stood out and she just had to have the recipes.

When Martha was telling me about these recipes at church choir practice, her eyes danced as she went into great detail about how wonderful they were, and I almost found myself salivating just hearing about them. I can't wait to try them and enjoy them as much as they did on their memorable trip.

Double-Cheese and Prosciutto Calzone

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese, about 8 ounces

3 1/2 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled

2 ounces prosciutto slices, chopped

2 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 (13.8-ounce) tube refrigerated pizza dough

Extra-virgin olive oil

Position rack in middle of oven; preheat to 425 degrees. Toss first five ingredients in a medium bowl. Season with pepper. Unroll dough into rectangle on rimmed baking sheet. Mound filling crosswise on lower half of dough, leaving 1-inch border on sides. Fold upper half of dough over. Crimp edges to seal; fold corners under to form half-circle. Bake until puffed and brown, about 18 minutes. Brush with oil. Transfer to platter and cut into pieces.

This recipe yields 4 entree servings or it can be cut into small pieces and served as an appetizer. Carolyn also used 4 ounces of prosciutto and a little more goat cheese than the recipe calls for.

Chicken Breakfast Casserole

8 slices potato bread

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend, or Cheddar cheese, divided

2 cups chopped (1-inch pieces) cooked asparagus, divided

2 to 3 cups cubed cooked chicken

6 large eggs

2 cups whole or low-fat milk

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Cut the bread into cubes and toss with the melted butter. In a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish, layer the ingredients in this order: half of the bread, 1 cup of the cheese, 1 cup of the asparagus, all of the chicken, the remaining 1 cup of asparagus, the remaining 1 cup cheese and the remaining bread cubes. In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over the bread mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes, covered, then remove the foil and bake an additional 30 to 45 minutes, or until the top is puffy and brown. Serve hot or warm. To speed baking, bring the casserole to room temperature before cooking. Makes 10 servings.

Martha said the Mexican cheese blend made the dish, so try to use that if possible. Also, she thinks 2 cups of chicken is about right, saying 3 cups seems just a little too much. Also, this recipe would be great served for lunch or supper with a bowl of fresh fruit. I can envision this at a bridal brunch or morning baby shower with fresh fruit and a nice muffin on the side. This is a nice change from sausage casseroles we are so familiar with.

Chicken Noodle Soup

4 cups hot cooked whole wheat blend wide egg noodles, about 3 1/2 cups uncooked

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons salt, divided

8 cups water

4 cups fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

2 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons dried rosemary

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs

1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast

1 (10-ounce) package shredded carrots

1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Combine noodles, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss well to coat. Combine water and next 6 ingredients (through the chicken breasts) in a large Dutch oven; add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Remove chicken from pan; cool slightly. Shred chicken with 2 forks. Add carrots and mushrooms to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 6 minutes or until carrots are tender. Add shredded chicken, parsley, spinach and remaining 1 teaspoon salt; cook 3 minutes or until spinach wilts. Stir in noodle mixture, lemon juice and pepper. Cook 1 minute. Yields 10 2-cup servings.

Easy Brunswick Stew

2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast (Boston butt)

3 medium-size new potatoes, peeled and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 (18-ounce) bottle barbecue sauce

1 (14-ounce) can chicken broth

1 (9 ounce) package frozen baby lima beans, thawed

1 (9-ounce) package frozen corn, thawed

6 tablespoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Trim roast and cut into 2-inch pieces. Stir together all ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 10 to 12 hours or until potatoes are fork-tender. Remove pork with a slotted spoon and shred. Return shredded pork to slow cooker and stir well. Ladle stew into bowls. Serve piping hot with cornbread.

Cookies In A 'Jiffy'

Lorene Wood from the Senior Center gave me this cookie recipe that uses a cake mix as the base ingredient. Be sure to check the cake mix size on the box for accurate measurement.

1 (9-ounce) package yellow cake mix (note box size)

2/3 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 egg

1/2 cup red or green M&Ms candy pieces or butterscotch chips

In a mixing bowl, beat first 4 ingredients. Stir in M&Ms or chips. Drop by tablespoons 2-inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to rack to cool.

I am still looking for your favorite Christmas season recipes, so be sure to send those in so others can enjoy them throughout the holiday. I had a woman call who really needing the recipe for spicy dill pickles for Christmas, the one where you buy a jar, drain the liquid and add sugar, Tabasco, etc. Does anyone have that recipe?

Have a wonderful week, and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.