RECIPE SWAP: VINEGAR DUMPLINGS START RECIPE SWAP IDEAS

Recipe Swap readers have been very busy answering requests and sending in favorite recipes to share with other readers. This week we have many great recipes to share so let's get right to the good stuff.

We recently had a request for Vinegar Dumplings from a reader. I was very curious about the recipe and after looking in several cookbooks I still had not found a recipe. But Versa Payne of Advance sent in her favorite recipe her mother made many years ago. She now makes it, using half of all of the ingredients for her small family.

Vinegar Dumplings

Syrup:

2 cups water

2/3 cup vinegar

2/3 cup sugar

Mix ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring slowly to a boil.

Dumplings:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Mix, knead to a medium stiff dough. Roll out thin, cut into strips, drop into boiling syrup. When all dumplings have been dropped, with syrup still boiling, turn heat low and cook slowly for about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Serves 4 to 6.

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Cyndi Payne of Cape Girardeau also found a recipe on the Internet for Vinegar Dumplings. She has not made this recipe yet, but I bet she could get her cousin to make it for her.

Vinegar Dumplings

2 cups water

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 cup vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

pinch salt

Dumplings:

1 cup milk

1/2 cup oil

1/2 teaspoon soda

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

In a pan, mix water and cornstarch well. Add sugar, vinegar and salt; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. In a bowl, mix dumplings as for drop dumplings. Drop into boiling filling, 1 teaspoon at a time. Cook until done. To test for doneness, stick with toothpick.

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Tanya Davis of Scott City shares an interesting recipe for Sauerkraut and Dumplings. She tells us her mother has made these for many years.

Sauerkraut and Dumplings

Tear into pieces one slice of bread. Fry bread in 2 tablespoons of oil till brown. Let cool.

In bowl mix together:

1 lightly beaten egg

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

dash of salt

Mix in 2 cups flour and cooked slice of bread. Dough will be real sticky. In Dutch oven size pan, heat 1 large jar of kraut to boiling, adding water to have enough liquid to drop dumplings into. Drop dumplings by teaspoon into boiling kraut. Turn down heat, put lid on and cook for 10 to 15 minutes. Do not take lid off. The dumplings will puff up and be real light. Very good eating!

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There was also a recent request for recipes using fresh garden produce and particularly recipes for relishes. Carmen Propst of Dutchtown shares a recipe for Corn Salad with Ripe Tomatoes that just sounds wonderful, and I'm sure would look pretty in the serving bowl.

Corn Salad with Ripe Tomatoes

12 large ears corn

2 quarts ripe tomatoes

1 quart green cucumbers

1 quart onions

12 green peppers, hot and mango to suit your taste

1 quart vinegar

1 quart sugar

1 tablespoon ground mustard

1 tablespoon celery

3 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon tumeric

Cut corn from cob. Dice tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and peppers. Measure after cutting. Mix all together and cook about 30 minutes. Put in hot jars and seal. Makes about 5 1/2 quarts or 6 quarts.

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Imogene Tinsley of Cape Girardeau recalls a wonderful Sorghum Cake that "tasted so good." Several people have answered her request, which is wonderful. Even though they are all Sorghum Cake or Molasses Cake recipes, they are all just a little different. You decide which is the best.

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Carmen Propst of Dutchtown also sent in her recipe for Sorghum Molasses Cake.

Sorghum Molasses Cake

1 cup sugar

1 cup sorghum

1/2 cup butter

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

Mix all ingredients together.

Add: 1 cup hot water to the above mixture, and stir until well mixed.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until tested by using a straw in the center of cake. Can be made in layers or one large sheet.

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Glenda Buchanan of Perryville has a recipe to share that calls for many aromatic spices that would smell so good baking.

Molasses Cake

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 cup molasses

2 cups flour

1 cup boiling water

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking soda

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add eggs, beat well. Combine flour with salt, soda and spices, mix well. Add to the creamed mixture and beat at slow speed. Combine water and soda. Slowly add to cake mixture and mix well. Pour into greased and floured 9-x-12-inch pan. Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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Louise Pogue of Cape Girardeau sent in an old-fashioned cake recipe she would like to share with you.

Old-Fashioned Molasses Cake

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup pure sorghum molasses

1/2 cup shortening

2 cups flour

2 eggs

1 cup boiling water

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon each of ginger, cloves, cinnamon and salt

Mix all ingredients together, saving hot water until last. Pour into greased 9-x-13-inch pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 350 degrees. (Do not overbake). If desired, may be served with whipped cream for topping.

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Jodi Thompson of Jackson has an old recipe for molasses cake from the turn of the century. Her recipe is not as heavily spiced as the previous recipe.

Turn-Of-The-Century Molasses Cake

2 cups unsulfured molasses

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup unsalted butter or margarine, room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

3 cups cake flour, sifted

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar, for garnish

Sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center of oven. Generously grease a 12-cup Bundt pan. Lightly dust with flour, tapping pan over sink to remove excess flour. Combine molasses and baking soda; set aside. Use mixer to cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add reserved molasses mixture. Mix until combined. Combine flour and salt. Add alternately with milk until combined and smooth. Transfer to prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Set pan on cooling rack; let cool 15 minutes. Gently invert pan and remove cake. Let rest at least 45 minutes before serving. Serve warm. Can be made a day ahead and kept at room temperature, well-covered, or frozen up to 3 months, wrapped airtight. To serve, reheat cake (thaw in wrapping first, if frozen), wrapped in foil in 350-degree oven until warmed through, about 15 minutes (or alternately, in microwave oven on medium power until just warmed through, not hot). Sift confectioner's sugar over cake.

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Jodi Thompson also shares a second version of this old favorite.

Molasses Cake

1 cup sugar

3 cups flour

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup molasses

1 cup water, very hot

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon water, cold

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground

1 teaspoon cloves, ground

1 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

Mix sugar, salt, flour and shortening like for pie crust, reserving 1/2 cup for topping. Mix the baking soda with the cold water and add along with the spices, molasses, adding the hot water last. Mix well, then pour into a greased 9-x-13-inch cake pan. Sprinkle reserved crumbs over the top and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Note: if you can find Barbados Molasses use it, otherwise, baking molasses will do.

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Another molasses recipe was sent in from a publication "Ma's Cookin' Mountain Recipes." It is a bread recipe but still sounds very good.

Sorghum Molasses Bread

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons shortening, melted

1/4 cup molasses

3/4 cup raisins

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 yeast cake

6 cups flour

Combine milk, shortening and molasses in mixing bowl and let cool till lukewarm. Add yeast and allow to stand for about five minutes. Then add raisins. Add flour, a little each time and beating after each time, until you have a stiff dough. It must be stiff enough to knead on a lightly floured board. Knead till smooth and elastic. Cover with a warm damp cloth and let set in a warm place till double in bulk. Punch down and let it rise to double in bulk again. Form into loaves and place into well-greased pans. Cover and let the dough rise again till double in bulk. Bake in a hot oven, 415 degrees for about 45 minutes or until done. Good served warm with coffee.

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Peggy Barks of Scott City has a couple of diabetic and low-fat recipes to share. She and her husband are diabetic, and she thinks the following recipe is absolutely decadent but guilt free.

Diabetic Blue Ribbon Frozen Snicker Dessert

12 ounces or 2 cups frozen vanilla yogurt or sugar-free ice cream

1 cup fat-free whipped topping

3 or 4 tablespoons chunky peanut butter

1 (4 serving size) package instant sugar-free chocolate pudding

3 graham cracker squares (1/2 cup crumbs)

2 to 3 tablespoons butter

Crush graham cracker squares into fine crumbs. Melt 2 to 3 tablespoons butter and mix together. Press in an 8-x-8-inch pan or pie plate. Soften ice cream and mix with whipped topping, peanut butter and dry pudding mix. Use a spoon to mix, not an electric mixer. Pour into dish, being careful not to disturb crumbs. Freeze until firm. Remove from freezer 10 minutes before serving. Cut into 8 equal portions. Note: Peggy suggested adding a small package of salted peanuts to this recipe. Sounds great to me.

Peggy also shares this very low-fat recipe that is certainly not low in taste.

Low-Fat Taco Skillet Supper

4 cups thinly sliced peeled potatoes

1 small onion, chopped, divided

1 teaspoon low-sodium chicken bouillon granules

1 cup hot water

1 pound ground turkey breasts

1 envelope low-sodium taco seasoning mix

1/4 cup skim milk

1 1/4 cups salsa, divided

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

egg substitute to equal 1 egg

1 cup grated Cheddar cheese, optional

Coat a 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Add potatoes and 1 teaspoon onion. Dissolve bouillon in water. Pour half over potatoes. Combine turkey, taco seasoning, milk, 1/4 cup salsa, oats, egg substitute, and remaining onion. Mix well. Spread over potatoes. Combine remaining salsa and chicken broth. Pour over the turkey mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle grated cheese over top of casserole and return to oven until cheese melts.

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We recently had a request for Buttermilk Cookies from a Cape Girardeau cook, and another Cape Girardeau cook has replied. The recipe is very simple sounding, but it sounds very good. There is something to be said for simple elegance.

Buttermilk Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter or shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

4 cups flour

cinnamon sugar, candy sprinkles or colored sugar to sprinkle on top

Cream shortening and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs, then beat well. Sift dry ingredients. Add to the mixture alternately with buttermilk in three portions. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, candy sprinkles or colored sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 14 minutes. Watch carefully. Cookies should not "brown." Store covered.

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There are several blackberry recipes I will share with you next week, so be sure to see those.

Recipe Swap wouldn't be complete without recipe requests. This week Dolly Duncan of Cape Girardeau is looking for your favorite recipes for flour and cornmeal tortillas and homemade bagels. Her family loves both of these foods, and she would like to learn how to prepare them from scratch.

This has been a fantastic week for Recipe Swap thanks to you, the readers, for sending in your recipes. Keep up the great work, have a wonderful rest of the week and I'll see you next week.