RECIPE SWAP: THIS SALAD, DRESSING COMBO A GREAT DISH

Our family had a thrilling time Sunday afternoon at the Cardinals baseball game in St. Louis. We went with 110 other people from our church as our annual baseball outing. We had perfect weather and the Cardinals won. That made for a great day.

One of the best parts of the day was the huge tailgate party before and after the game. We drive to the same large parking lot each year, back our vehicles up next to the Metro Link train tracks and let the feasting begin. With that many people, you can imagine the variety of foods and desserts. There were gourmet sandwiches, cold fried chicken, black beans and rice with corn muffins, pasta salad, fast food items and warm Krispy Kreme doughnuts.

What an ideal way to lead into this week's recipes.

Janet Welter of Kelso, Mo., shares a recipe she got from her sister. She adviced to use a really large bowl to be able to toss the salad nicely. Add the dressing to the salad at the last minute. She used a half bag of spinach and quite a bit more leaf lettuce.

Spinach Orange Salad

Fresh spinach, torn

Fresh lettuce, torn

1 can Mandarin oranges, drained

1 small container fresh strawberries, sliced the long way

1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Poppy seed dressing

Combine salad ingredients and lightly toss to mix.

Poppy Seed Dressing

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1/2 small onion, chopped

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1 cup salad oil (do not use olive oil)

Combine in a glass jar and shake well to mix. Make dressing at least 24 hours ahead of time. Shake dressing again and pour over salad. Serve immediately.

Several weeks ago, a reader from Benton, Mo., wanted a recipe for chicken stew. A Cape Girardeau reader found one and thinks you will like it, too. If dumplings desired, there is a wonderful dumpling recipe on page 151 in the Cape Senior Center's cookbook. The dumplings would just make this stew.

Chicken Stew

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, with visible fat removed

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

3 cloves garlic, minced, or 1 1/2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic

2 tablespoons flour

2 medium tomatoes, diced

8 to 10 peppercorns, or to taste

6 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick

2 cups water

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

8 ounces small red or white potatoes, unpeeled and halved

12 ounces fresh or frozen baby carrots

6 ounces green peas, fresh or frozen

Cut chicken breasts into 1-inch cubes. Set aside. In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Saut onion, ginger and garlic until onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add flour, cook for 1 minute, stirring to prevent sticking.

Stir in tomatoes; cook for 2 minutes. Tie peppercorns, cloves and cinnamon in a piece of cheesecloth. Add cheesecloth package, chicken, water and Worcestershire sauce to onion mixture. Stir. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add potatoes, carrots and peas. Simmer, covered until cooked, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove cheesecloth package. Serve hot.

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We still have a couple of responses from the request for pickled egg recipes. They are from a Cape Girardeau reader.

Pickled Eggs, Bohemian Style

12 hard-cooked eggs

1/4 cup salt

1 cup dry yellow onion skins

2 teaspoons caraway seeds

4 cups water

Cool eggs and tap shells all over to crack, but do not peel. Place in bowl. Boil other ingredients 5 minutes. Pour over eggs. Let cool. Chill 12 hours. Peel and serve halved or quartered.

Peppered Pickled Eggs

12 eggs

1 3/4 pints white vinegar

20 peppercorns

pinch cayenne pepper

Coriander seed

Cook and peel eggs. Put in pickling jar. Pour over them vinegar which has been boiled for 10 minutes with spices. Leave uncovered 48 hours. Then close jar.

Mustard Pickled Eggs

6 eggs

1 pint spiced vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

Cook eggs and peel. Pack into jars. Put spiced vinegar in saucepan. Add mustard mixed smooth into a paste with cornstarch and a little vinegar. Then add sugar, turmeric and salt. Stir well. Boil. Pour over eggs and seal.

This has been another great week for Recipe Swap mail. Next week we'll start off with soft molasses cookies and corn tortillas. Both are a response from a reader request.

Keep up the great work. Have a wonderful week, and happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Senior Center. Contact her at Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699. Recipes published are not kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.