RECIPE SWAP: READERS BUSY RESPONDING TO RECIPE REQUESTS

Recipe Swap readers have been very busy this week answering recipe requests and sharing some of their favorites with us. It is wonderful to have mail from so many different area recipe lovers.

I need to respond to a recipe request from a Mrs. D in Altenburg. Recently she made a plea for a skillet popcorn recipe that appeared in the Speak Out column of the newspaper a few years ago. After having the newspaper staff searching, we were unable to find the recipe. Could it have possibly been in another section of the paper? Or even better, do any of our faithful readers have a skillet popcorn recipe we can share with Mrs. D? Let's see if we can find her a recipe.

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Rose Myers of Rockview enjoys taking her cornbread salad to church dinners. The salad calls for baked cornbread, as well as a variety of vegetables. I'm sure you will get rave reviews, too.

Cornbread Salad

3/4 of a batch of cornbread

2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

2 cans corn or equivalent of frozen, drained

1 cup chopped green pepper

1 cup chopped green onion

1 (4 ounce) can jalepeno peppers

2 cups cheddar cheese

Dressing:

1 1/2 cups Miracle Whip

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 1/2 packages powdered Ranch Dressing mix

Combine salad ingredients; set aside. Mix together dressing ingredients. To assemble salad, layer 1/2 of the two parts and repeat.

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Last week I was honored to be the guest and provide a program for the St. Andrew Lutheran Church LWML Circle. While there we discussed Recipe Swap ,and one of the members shared a favorite pie recipe to swap. Thank you, ladies.

Lemon Pie

1 1/4 cups sugar

6 tablespoons cornstarch

2 cups water

1/3 cup lemon juice

3 eggs, separated

3 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract

2 teaspoons vinegar

Mix sugar and cornstarch in pan. Add water. Combine eggs with the juice and beat. Add to rest of mixture. Cook until thick. Add lemon extract and vinegar, stir thoroughly. Pour into baked pie shell and let cool.

Meringue:

Beat 3 egg whites and 1/4 teaspoon salt together until foamy. Add 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar, beating until stiff. Gradually add 6 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff. Spread onto pie filling. Brown in oven.

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An "Old time" Meadow Heights school teacher has a recipe for spinach soup she would like for you to be able to enjoy.

Spinach Soup

Saut 1 cup onion in 6 tablespoons margarine. Add 5 cups chicken broth or the equivalent of water and bouillon cubes. Bring to a boil and add the following:

2 cups low-fat powdered coffee creamer

2 carrots, sliced

2 potatoes, diced

1/4 cup rice

Cook 20 minutes, then add 10 ounces thawed spinach. Cook another 20 minutes. Salt to taste.

More soups. Two soup recipes come to us from Altenburg. Though they are very different, you may hear the same finishing comment, "mmmmmm."

Cheese Soup

1 quart chicken broth

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery

2 1/2 cups potatoes

1 package California blend vegetables

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can mushroom soup

1 can mushrooms

1 pound Velveeta cheese

Cook onion, celery and potatoes in chicken broth for 10 minutes. Add other vegetables, soups and mushrooms and cook till vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Turn off heat and cut cheese in small pieces and add to soup. Cover until cheese is melted. If cheese is added earlier, stir often to keep from sticking.

This next soup sound like something my sister, Linda Bollinger, would really like. It reminds me of the cabbage soup Shoney's used to serve. Linda can eat soup any time of the year for any occasion.

Cabbage And Beef Soup

1 pound ground beef

1 pound ground turkey

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 (16 ounce) can chili beans

1/2 medium head cabbage

1 (28 ounce) can tomatoes

3 cups water, or more as needed

4 beef bouillon cubes

1/2 teaspoon oregano

Brown meat and drain. Add all remaining ingredients, bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer covered for one hour.

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We had a spinach soup, now how about a spinach casserole? This recipe is a good recipe to take to covered dish dinners or as a nice side dish with almost any meat entree.

Spinach Casserole

1 package chicken and herb stuffing mix

1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms

1 egg, beaten

1/4 pound Velveeta cheese

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 package frozen spinach, well drained

2 cups water

Combine all ingredients well. Bake in greased casserole for 50 minutes at 350 degrees.

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Recipe Swap has become "in search of the perfect oatmeal cookie" recipe column. This week we have two recipes to pass along to you and especially to Gary Rust. I think everyone wants so badly to find the recipe he is looking for. It has been so much fun to see the variety of recipes and where they have come from.

The first recipe comes from Thelma Brothers of Cape Girardeau. She had this cookie at the Fort Massac Encampment days held in October each year. Thelma is sure this is THE recipe Gary is looking for. I guess we will see.

Metropolis Crunchies

1 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Sift dry ingredients together and set aside.

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup Crisco

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup oats

1/4 cup nuts

Combine the brown sugar, sugar and Crisco. Beat until creamy. Add egg and vanilla. Beat well. Add oats, nuts and all other dry ingredients, mixing until thoroughly combined.

Roll into balls and coat with cinnamon sugar mixture. Flatten with bottom of a glass. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes.

The second cookie recipe comes to us from Harriet Prater of Thebes, Ill. The recipe she shares was her mother's, and it is a tradition at Christmas.

Oatmeal Drop Cookies

1 cup butter or margarine

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

3/4 cup milk

3 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup nuts

1/2 cup raisins

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and beat thoroughly. Mix baking soda, salt and cinnamon with flour. Add to first mixture alternately with the milk. Fold in rolled oats, nuts and raisins. Drop by spoon onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes at 400 degrees.

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We have a few recipe requests this week that will keep readers busy researching. The first comes from the ladies at the St. Andrew Lutheran Church LWML Circle meeting I recently attended. Several of them were wanting recipes for stir fry. No specific types, just good stir fry.

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The second request comes from a Cape Girardeau cook who seldom makes desserts, but would like to know more about Chess Pie. She was recently dining out and saw it on the menu. There are many different types, so send in your favorite recipe so we can have several to compare.

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And the last recipe request comes from a senior citizen from the Center. Last week I made a cake to donate for our weekly cake raffle, and she would like to have the recipe, but in the interest of space, you will have to wait until next week for that.

That will do it for this week. I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day and were able to share it with those you love. Have a great week, and happy cooking.