Safe House recipes from the women of Cape Girardeau

The Safe House for Women in Cape Girardeau has a new cookbook for sale. Just released, the book is on sale at the organization's office next to the Safe House for Women Thrift Store. The 92 pages of recipes offer an interesting and exciting collection from great cooks in and around Cape Girardeau.

The vision of Safe House for Women is that our community would be free of domestic abuse and violence. The group provides shelter for women and their children, school-based violence prevention education and a Thrift Shop designed to serve their clients and the public.

Caramelized Onion Dip

Submitted by Sara Sucharski

2 large yellow onions

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, fresh ground

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Cut onion in half then slice into 1/8-inch thick half rounds, yielding about 3 cups of onions. Heat oil and butter in a large nonstick saute pan over medium high heat. Add onions, cayenne, salt and pepper; saute for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook for 40 more minutes, stirring occasionally, but not too often, as you want the onions to start sticking to the bottom of the pan. The onions will turn brown and caramelized. Add the Dijon mustard and vinegar and continue to cook for about 10 more minutes, allow the onions to cool. In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise. Whisk until smooth. Add all the onions, reserving about a tablespoon for garnish, into the cream cheese mixture. Stir to combine and mix well. Transfer to serving dish and top with reserved onions. Refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to combine. Serve at room temperature with potato chips.

Mushroom Puffs

Submitted by Sydney Herbst

1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, chopped

8 ounces cream cheese

4 to 8 strips bacon

1/2 box Pepperidge Farm puff pastry

Thaw pastry 20 minutes and cut into squares. Saute mushrooms with a little margarine, drain. Cook bacon and crumble. Mix mushrooms, bacon, cream cheese and spread on pastry squares. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes on a greased cookie sheet.

King Tut's Treasures

Submitted by Nancy Garner

2 cups mayonnaise

1/2 cup horseradish

2 tablespoons dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon Accent flavor enhancer

1/2 cup pitted ripe olives

6 cherry tomatoes

1 cup water chestnuts, sliced

2 cups cooked shrimp

2 cups raw cauliflower

2 cups raw zucchini, cubed

Mix mayonnaise, horseradish, mustard, salt, lemon juice, and Accent. Add olives, cherry tomatoes, water chestnuts, shrimp, cauliflower, and zucchini. Refrigerate overnight for flavors to blend. Serve with crackers.

Grilled Onion

Submitted by Tonia Nenninger

1 medium onion

1/4 cup Italian dressing

Bacon Bits

Croutons

Slice onion with apple slicer, then wrap in foil with dressing poured over the top. Top with bacon bits and croutons. Seal foil, grill for 10 to 12 minutes.

Balsamic and Molasses Pork Loin Chops

Submitted by Mercedes Fort

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup molasses

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

8 1-inch thick boneless pork loin chops

Stir together first 6 ingredients and add pork chops to marinade in a glass or plastic container. Chill 6 to 8 hours, turning after 3 or 4 hours. Remove chops, pat dry, grill approximately 15 minutes, turning half way through.

Chinese Spareribs

Submitted by Jodi Thompson

2 to 3 pounds spareribs, split lengthwise

1 cup Kraft BBQ sauce

1/2 cup pineapple preserves

1 tablespoon soy sauce

Place ribs, bone side down, on a broiler rack. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Mix BBQ sauce, preserves and soy sauce together and spread on ribs. Bake another 45 minutes brushing with remainder of sauce every 15 minutes.

Nana's Chocolate Dumplings

Submitted by Betty Brown

1 3/4 cups water

1 cup sugar

2 squares chocolate, melted

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons shortening

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Using ingredients in order, mix water, sugar, chocolate and butter in saucepan and bring to a boil. Let it simmer about 20 minutes. While syrup is simmering, cream shortening and sugar in a bowl. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to shortening mixture. When syrup is at a full boil, drop small balls of dough into syrup. Turn heat to low and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

Have a great week, and until next time, happy cooking.