RECIPES TO FIGHT THE FLU BUG

Have you or someone you know had this terrible virus going around? It seems that there is so much sickness right now. So far our family has been very lucky. I'm almost afraid to talk about it, afraid I will put an end to our good health trend.

A Cape Girardeau reader recently had the flu and during her recovery she made chicken soup for herself and her family. She wanted to share the recipe with other readers who might need her recovery comfort food.

Chicken Tortellini Soup

4 tablespoons margarine or butter

1 onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, shredded

3 ribs celery, shredded

4 cups cooked chicken, diced

1 (12-ounce) package frozen tortellini noodles with cheese

4 cups milk

2 cups whipping cream

1 (8 ounce) jar Cheez Whiz

6 cups water

Melt margarine in a large Dutch oven or cooking kettle. Saut onion, carrots, and celery until tender. Add water, bring to a boil, add tortellini noodles and cook 12 to 15 minutes until tender. Reduce heat; add milk, whipping cream, Cheez Whiz and chicken. Stir over low heat till cheese is melted.

n

Someone in the Cape Girardeau area has a sweet tooth and has shared a few recipes for sweets with us. Each one sounds very good and all are very easy to prepare.

Chocolate Cookie Bars

1 box family size brownie mix

1 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons water

2 dozen crushed chocolate cream sandwich cookies

Follow the directions on the box for preparing the brownies. Before baking sprinkle the crushed cookies on top of brownie mix. Bake as directed on box. Mix powdered sugar and water to form a glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the bars while still very warm.

Just Delicious Cookies

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup margarine, softened

1 cup oil

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon walnut extract, optional

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract, optional

1/2 teaspoon butter extract, optional

1/2 teaspoon burnt sugar extract, optional

3 1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup crispy rice cereal

1 cup pecan pieces

1 cup quick cooking oats

1 cup coconut

Mix all ingredients in the order given. Shape or drop into 1-inch balls. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a sugared glass. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes. This recipe yields about 100 cookies.

Easy Snack Mix

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

1/4 cup butter

6 cups toasted oat cereal rings

1 cup pecan halves or peanuts

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Butter jelly roll pan. Heat sugar, syrup, butter and salt in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cereal and nuts until well coated. Spread in pan. Bake 15 minutes; cool 10 minutes, loosen with metal spatula, let stand 1 hour. Store in covered container. Makes about 8 cups. Be sure to have the cereal and both nuts measured as the syrup hardens quickly making it hard to work with.

n

My cousin, Cindy Dude shares a recipe with us she was able to enjoy over the Christmas holiday. The cheese ball is really good served with Wheatables crackers.

Raspberry Preserve Cheese ball

2 cups Colby and Monterey Jack cheese, finely shredded

2 cups Cheddar cheese, finely shredded

1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

1 cup finely chopped pecans

1/2 cup or more mayonnaise, just to hold together

Line a bowl or two small bowls with plastic wrap. Press the mixture into the bowl. Chill until set. Unmold on serving plate. "Frost" the cheese ball with red raspberry preserves and garnish with fresh red raspberries.

n

Mrs. Melvin Fiedler of Altenburg, Mo., shares her recipe for Oven Burgers with us. Sometimes she serves generously covered in her favorite barbecue sauce.

Oven Burgers

2 tablespoons onion, chopped

1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef

1/2 cup soft bread crumbs

2 tablespoons ketchup

1 teaspoon salt

Dash pepper

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 egg

Chop onion and combine with the beef. Add bread crumbs and seasonings. Add egg and mix well until blended. Form into cakes and place in shallow baking pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until done.

Mrs. Fiedler also has a coffee cake recipe she frequently makes and shares that recipe with us as well.

Quick Coffee cake

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

2 cups flour

Sift these ingredients together. Melt one stick of margarine and mix with flour mixture to make a crumb mixture. Remove 3/4 cup of crumb mixture to put on top.

For the cake:

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup sour milk or buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

Mix well and add the flour mixture. Pour into a well-greased and floured pan. Sprinkle the 3/4 cup reserved crumb mixture on top before baking.

Bake 350 degrees until top is golden brown and cake tests done. If using a glass pan, bake at 325 degrees.

n

We have several sweet recipes this week. Maybe this will get everyone motivated to share entre, vegetable and salad recipes. There, that will give you something to work on this week.

Have a wonderful week and happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan, an administrator at Cape Senior Center, can be reached at Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699. Recipes published are not kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.