RECIPE SWAP: RECIPES FOR PEACH COBBLER; FRIED CORN

Last week we ran stories about peach cobbler in Recipe Swap. My friend Cheryl Mothes called me with this panic in her voice when the papers came out. I'm sure she thought I was going to share her peach cobbler recipe with you. Actually, I had forgotten all about it until she called, so now you have to hear the story.

Being somewhat familiar with her way around the kitchen, I didn't worry about her trying peach cobbler. Well, you have to know that Cheryl is very smart and follows directions to a T. When her cobbler recipe did not tell her to peel the peaches she wound up with a very fuzzy and unusually textured peach cobbler. Fuzzy peach cobbler is now her notorious claim to fame. I told her not to quit her day job.

I did mention one version of cobbler and a woman at the Senior Center asked me to share it.

Poor Man's Cobbler

1 stick (1/2 cup) margarine

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup sugar

Melt margarine in a large oblong pan. Make a batter of the cup sugar, flour, baking powder and milk. Pour this mixture over the margarine in the pan. Gently add to the top a nice layer of sweetened peaches. (I usually slice them thick and layer on a single layer.) Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup sugar over all. Bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees.

Almost any fruit can be used, but peach is very good.

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There was one request this week for a recipe for fried corn. There was a nice story on the front page of the Southeast Missourian last Sunday and there was a narrative recipe included in the article. I have a recipe that I use for our family that we have grown accustomed to and like very much. Do any of you have a favorite recipe for fried corn?

Fried Corn

12 ears fresh corn

8 slices bacon

1/2 cup butter or margarine

2 to 4 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cut off the tip of the corn kernels into a large bowl; then scrape milk and remaining corn pulp from the cob with a sharp knife. Set aside. Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, reserving about 1/2 tablespoon drippings, or more if needed, in the skillet. Crumble bacon, set aside. Add corn, butter and remaining ingredients to drippings in skillet. Cook over medium heat 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Spoon mixture into a serving dish and sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Many times I add onion to the bacon when frying and it gives this dish a wonderful flavor.

Shrimp is good any time of the year, and it is a nice combination added to pasta.

Shrimp Pasta

8 large shrimp, peeled and cleaned

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1 clove garlic, chopped

3/4 cup heavy cream

3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

7 ounces linguine noodles

1 egg yolk, beaten

salt and pepper

1 teaspoon parsley

1 lemon wedge

Cook linguine. Marinate shrimp in oil, oregano and garlic for 30 minutes. Remove shrimp from marinade and saut in a skillet over medium heat just until tails curl and flesh turns pink. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add cream, cheese and linguine. Simmer about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. When shrimp is fully cooked, whisk in egg yolk and parsley. Remove from heat immediately and serve. Garnish with additional chopped parsley and lemon wedge.

After a pasta and shrimp meal a nice cool dessert would be a nice way to end the meal. This recipe calls for lemon-flavored powdered sugar. If you cannot find this product, just use regular powdered sugar and add a little lemon juice. It works just as well.

Lemon-Lime Mousse Pie

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 cup lemon flavored powdered sugar

1/4 cup lime juice

1 pint heavy cream, whipped

1 (9-inch) graham cracker crust

fresh lime slices or zest twists for garnish

Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and lime juice in large bowl with mixer at low speed, until smooth. Fold in whipped cream until blended. Spoon into pie crust. Cover pie loosely. Chill at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish with lime slices or zest twists.

I have substituted fat-free or light frozen whipped topping in the place of the heavy cream and it worked just fine. Sure, it was not as creamy and smooth as the real thing, but more heart healthy.

That will do it for this week. Remember, we are looking for recipes for peach cobbler, fried corn and creamed vegetable soup.

Have a great week, and happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Senior Center. Her cookbook collection tops 2,000 books. Recipes published are not kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.