Recipe Swap: Sharing recipes gathered from all over

This week I have several recipes that have been given to me from friends and readers. I love getting reader mail and recipes. It is fun to pass them along to you. I encourage you to send in your favorite recipes so other readers might enjoy them as well. Everyone has favorite recipes, and it is too hot to be outside, so sit down with your favorite beverage and write off a few recipes to send in. It would be fun to see where they all come from.

Fried Pie Crust

Karen Stafford of Cape Girardeau submitted this recipe and brought peach pie samples to us at the senior center.

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon shortening

1 large can evaporated milk

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 egg, beaten

5 cups flour

Blend all dry ingredients and shortening. Add milk and eggs to dry mixture. Cut into 6-inch rounds. This recipe will make about 18 pies. Fill with your favorite fruit filling and fry until golden brown.

Bacon-Wrapped Cajun Jalapenos

Diana Deneke of Whitewater sent me this recipe last year, and you are certain to enjoy it.

Medium-sized jalapeno peppers work best.

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened at room temperature

1/2 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

Thick-sliced peppered bacon strips or regular bacon of your choice

Cut jalapeno peppers in half lengthwise and remove seeds and center membranes. In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar cheese and Cajun seasoning. Stuff each pepper half. In a large skillet, cook bacon until partially cooked just to get some of the fat out and make it more pliable. Cut bacon strips in half widthwise or in thirds depending on the size of jalapeno. Wrap a bacon piece around each pepper. Secure with a toothpick. Place on a wire rack in a shallow baking pan. Bake, uncovered, 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes or until bacon is crisp. Serve immediately.

Note: When cutting the jalapenos, wear kitchen gloves because the heat will stay on your hands for quite a while. Keep your hands away from your eyes.

Southern Seafood Gumbo

Lorili Ozbun of Cape Girardeau gave me this recipe while our boys were playing basketball together this summer and said it is one of her family's favorites. She has played around with a recipe to get it just the way they like it.

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup flour

2 ribs celery, chopped

1/4 medium onion, chopped

1/2 small green pepper, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup okra, sliced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 quart chicken broth

1 quart water

1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon hot sauce

1/8 cup ketchup

1 small tomato, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

2 slices bacon or just bacon grease

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon dried whole thyme

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 Polish sausage or Kielbasa, sliced and sauted

1 pound fresh crab meat

Hot cooked rice

Gumbo file powder, optional

Combine 1/2 cup oil and flour in a large Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until roux is caramel-colored, 15 to 20 minutes. During this time, process the celery, onion and green peppers in a food processor. Add to roux, and the garlic, cook an additional 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fry okra in 1 tablespoon hot oil until browned. Add to gumbo, and stir well over low heat for a few minutes. At this stage, the mixture may be cooled and packaged or frozen for later. Add broth and next 11 ingredients and simmer 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add chicken, crabmeat and sausage during last 10 minutes of cooking and simmer gently. Remove bay leaf. Serve over hot cooked rice. Add gumbo file powder, if desired. Yields about 14 cups.

Strawberry Granita

1 tube Crystal Lite Raspberry Ice drink mix

1 1/2 cups water

1 (20-ounce) bag strawberries (frozen, unsweetened)

Pour Crystal Lite powder into a blender and add water and strawberries. Cover and blend until smooth. Makes 8 1/2-cup servings.

Tex-Mex Burgers with Cajun Mayonnaise

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1 1/3 pounds ground beef

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup diced white onion

4 slices tomato

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

4 slices pepper Jack cheese

4 leaves lettuce

Preheat grill for medium-high heat. In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, jalapeno pepper, onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning and Worcestershire sauce, using hands to mix. Divide into 4 portions and flatten into patties. Lightly oil the grilling surface and place the patties on the grill. Cook for about 5 minutes per side, or until well done. During the last 2 minutes, lay a slice of cheese on top of each patty. Spread the seasoned mayonnaise onto the inside of the buns. Put burgers in the buns and top with lettuce and tomato slices. Serve.

I hope you enjoy the variety of recipes today. 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 news@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.