Recipe Swap: Recipes in honor of a golden anniversary

Our friends Ray and Joan Haring are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, and this special occasion is cause for celebration. Ray and Joan are gracious hosts who enjoy entertaining, not to mention great cooks and fabulous pie bakers. We have been fortunate to have dined in their home on several occasions, and each time holds special memories whether it be the beautifully decorated table, the lovely ice ring in a punch bowl, a warm piece of pie or the delicious food. Today I am honoring Ray and Joan by sharing a few recipes from their recipe files.

Chicken Velvet Soup

This soup has been a Christmas Eve tradition for the Haring family for many years.

6 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup half and half

3 cups chicken broth

1 cup chopped chicken

Dash pepper

Melt butter or margarine. Blend in flour. Add milk, half and half and broth. Cook and stir until mixture reaches boiling point. Reduce heat. Stir in chicken and pepper. Heat again just to boiling. Yields 4 servings.

Chip's (and Grandkids') Favorite Gelatin Salad

1 (3-ounce) package cherry gelatin

1 cup water

1/4 cup Red Hots candies

1 can applesauce

Bring water with Red Hots to a boil. Add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Add applesauce. Pour in dish or mold and let set.

Hot Sherried Fruit Casserole

This is often served with the Harings' Christmas morning breakfast buffet. It is good any time, especially when fresh fruit is not available.

1 medium-sized can sliced pineapple

1 medium-sized can peach halves

1 medium-sized can pear halves

1 medium-sized can apricot halves

1 jar spiced apple rings

1 small jar maraschino cherries

For the sauce:

1 stick butter or margarine

2 heaping tablespoons flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup sherry (not cooking sherry)

Arrange well-drained fruit in a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish; placing apple rings and then cherries on top. Cook sauce until thick and smooth. Pour over fruits. Cover and refrigerate overnight or longer. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until bubbly. Yields 12 servings.

Family Favorite Chicken Casserole

When the Haring children were younger, they referred to this as the "sick chicken dish" because Ray and Joan often took this dish to friends who were sick or had a new baby in the house.

1 quart cooked, chopped chicken

1 quart chicken broth

4 tablespoons margarine

4 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 quarts bread cubes

1 1/2 teaspoons sage

3/4 cup salt

1 rib celery, diced

1/2 cup chopped onion, or more to taste

1/4 cup milk

1 stick margarine

1 egg

Dash pepper

Put chicken in a greased 9-by-13-inch baking pan. Mix bread cubes, sage, salt and pepper and add to pan. Saute celery and onion in 1 stick margarine. Beat egg and milk together. Add all to bread cubes. Mix and place on top of chicken. Melt 4 tablespoons margarine, stir in flour. Add broth. Cook and stir until boiling. Pour over bread mixture. This will be rather "soupy" and you may not need all of the broth mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until browned and crusty.

Mexican Lasagna

1 pound ground beef

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

Salsa to fill the tomato sauce can

1 package taco seasoning

4 to 6 flour tortillas

1 (16-ounce) carton cottage cheese

2 eggs

1 teaspoon oregano

2 cups shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack and Colby cheese

Brown meat and drain. Add tomato sauce, salsa and taco seasoning. Simmer 5 minutes. In a 9-by-13-inch pan, layer tortillas (cut one up to fit corners). Layer 1/2 meat mixture, then cottage cheese which has been mixed with eggs and oregano. Layer 1 cup cheese, more tortillas, the rest of the meat mixture, then the rest of the cheese. Bake 30 to 35 minutes at 375 degrees. Let stand for 10 minutes while you toss a salad.

Southern Apple Cream Pie

This recipe can be doubled for four pies or halved for one pie. Some prefer sour cream instead of buttermilk, although the difference in flavor is slight.

2 unbaked 9-inch pie shells

1 quart chopped peeled apples

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 tablespoons flour

2 cups buttermilk

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

For the topping:

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 stick butter or margarine

6 tablespoons flour

Chopped pecans or walnuts, optional

Chop apples; add sugar and flour. Mix thoroughly. Add buttermilk and eggs. Stir in vanilla. Pour into pie shells. Bake in 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and "pat" topping over pies. Bake 10 minutes longer.

To make topping, cream together all of the ingredients. (Wonderful on pumpkin pie and apple crisp, also.) Serve with caramel whipped cream.

Caramel Whipped Cream

2/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Put brown sugar, heavy cream and vanilla into bowl. Chill at least 1 hour, or longer. Beat until mixture holds its shape. You can add 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon if you like a spicy taste.

Happy anniversary, Ray and Joan, and may God bless you with many more years together. Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.

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