Recover from winter ills with soup

smcclanahan

What a week! We have been plagued with influenza at our house. Both of our children have had the flu, and it is a very nasty bug, and I hope you don't get it. Poor Ross missed several days of school, and it about killed him. He is quite concerned with his schoolwork and now has blown his perfect attendance. During the week neither of them felt like eating anything, but when all else fails, chicken soup usually does the trick. Even if it didn't make them feel better, I think it did me. So, a couple of chicken soup recipes for you this week.

Spring Chicken Soup

3 to 4 ounces macaroni, prepared according to directions, and set aside

1 (14 ounce) can chicken broth

2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans cream of chicken soup

1 cup milk

2 cups chopped ham

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 ribs celery, diced

1/2 cup butter

1 (16 ounce) can tomatoes

2 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pint half-and-half

In a medium sized bowl, combine macaroni and broth, soup, and milk. Set aside. In a large soup pot, sauté ham, onion, carrots, and celery in the butter until tender. Add broth mixture and simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken and seasoning. Add half-and-half and gently heat through. Serves about 8 to 10.

Chicken Vegetable Soup

1 (6.25 ounce) package Uncle Ben's Instant Long Grain and Wild Rice

3 pounds chicken, cut up

6 tablespoons instant chicken bouillon

1 yellow onion, diced

8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup butter

2 cups diced carrots

2 cups diced celery

Cook chicken in about 8 cups water over medium-high heat until tender.

Remove from broth to cool. Skim off fat and residue off the broth. Add bouillon, carrots and celery to broth and cook until tender. Add rice and seasoning packet that comes with the rice. Continue to cook over medium heat. Sauté mushrooms and onion in the butter. Add to the broth. Skin and bone chicken and cut into small pieces. Add to the broth and serve when hot.

Serves about 6 to 8.

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The ladies from Altenburg have been busy writing some of their favorite recipes during these cold winter days. It is a wide variety of recipes from quiche to salad and dessert, so enjoy them all.

Zucchini Quiche

3 cups grated zucchini

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons parsley flakes

4 eggs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 cup salad oil

1 cup buttermilk baking mix

Mix all above ingredients together and pour into prepared baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until done. As an added tip, you wish to sprinkle with cracker crumbs before baking, if desired.

Tuna Asparagus Casserole

2 cups canned asparagus

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can mushroom pieces, drained

1/2 cup sour cream

1 can tuna

1 green pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons pimento

1 1/2 cups uncooked noodles

1 cup grated cheese

Spread asparagus in greased baking dish. Mix soup, sour cream and mushrooms; stir in tuna. Fold in uncooked noodles; spread over asparagus. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until noodles are tender.

Overnight Salad

4 cups cubed chicken

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 3/4 cups mayonnaise

1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas

1 medium head lettuce

1/2 cup chopped green onions

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/4 cup green pepper

In a large bowl layer celery, onion, green pepper, chicken and peas with lettuce. Mix mayonnaise and curry powder together and spoon over salad.

Cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Toss well before serving.

Lemon Gelatin Cake

1 (3 ounce) package lemon gelatin

1 cup boiling water

1 lemon supreme cake mix

2/3 cup oil

4 eggs

1 teaspoon lemon flavoring

Juice of two lemons, or 1/2 cup juice

Rind of 1 lemon

2 cups powdered sugar

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water and allow to cool. Combine dry cake mix and oil; then add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add flavoring and mix together. Add cooled gelatin mixture. Bake in a greased 12-by-9-inch-baking pan for 35 to 40 minutes. Combine lemon juice, rind and powdered sugar and immediately after cake is removed from the oven, prick holes with the tines of a fork and pour lemon mixture over hot cake surface.

When completely cooled, you may dust with additional powdered sugar.

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Joan Weeks of Cake Girardeau sent in recipes entitled "attention mushroom lovers!" She has shared three of her favorite mushroom recipes. With the wide variety of mushrooms available in the grocery stores, these can be year-round favorites.

Mushrooms In Sour Cream

1 pound fresh mushrooms

4 tablespoons butter

1 cup chopped onion

Salt and pepper to taste

1 cup sour cream

Slice mushrooms. Melt butter. Saute onion 10 minutes. Add mushrooms. Sauté 5 minutes. Add salt and pepper, then sour cream. Heat but do not boil. Serve on toast as a lunch dish or as a vegetable.

Fresh Mushroom Potato Cheese Bake

4 potatoes

4 teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced

2 cups, about 1/2 pound, shredded Swiss cheese

4 eggs

2 cups milk

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Cook potatoes with 3 teaspoons salt about 20 minutes. Drain, peel and slice the potatoes. Melt butter and add onion and paprika. Cook until onion is tender. Add mushrooms; cook 5 minutes. Place a layer of potatoes in greased 2-quart casserole dish. Top with 1/2 mushroom mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the cheese. Repeat layers. Beat eggs, milk, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Pour over vegetables. Bake at 325 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes. Serves about 4.

Mushroom Casserole ala Russe

1/2 pound mushrooms

4 tablespoon butter

1 clove garlic

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 tablespoon flour

1/2 cup milk

1 cup sour cream

1 egg yolk

Salt

Dash ground red pepper

2 tablespoons chopped dill

Cut mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Melt butter in a skillet; add garlic and sauté until just brown, then remove. Add mushrooms and onion. Saute 5 minutes. Stir in flour. Blend in milk. Mix sour cream, egg yolk, salt, and red pepper. Stir into mushroom mixture and heat. Add dill. Serve on toast or in patty shells. Yields about 6 servings.

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There are no requests this week.

I hope you have a healthy week avoiding the terrible flu bug. Until next week, happy cooking.

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