SAVOR SUMMER VEGETABLE ABUNDANCE WITH SELECTION OF RECIPES

I am excited to tell you that the second printing of the Cape Senior Center cookbook has arrived. The center had a first printing last fall and sold out in a very short time. This time 400 more have been ordered. The cookbook has more than 600 recipes and features the beautiful artwork of local artist Mark Farmer. Mark's drawings offer a historic look at Cape Girardeau architecture in old buildings and houses.

The books are available at Judith Ann's in Downtown Cape Girardeau or at the Cape Senior Center for only $10. The book makes a lovely gift, and with the holiday approaching faster than I care to think, here is your chance to get some early shopping done. All proceeds from the sale of the book benefit the Cape Senior Center.

I will share a few recipes with you, at the risk of not making anyone upset that their's didn't get chosen to be in the paper.

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Amber Larson of Cape Girardeau submitted a recipe for Zucchini Puree. Even if you are not particularly fond of zucchini, you will still enjoy this treat.

Zucchini Puree

1 large onion

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 chicken bouillon cubes

2 cups boiling water

4 cups diced zucchini

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

Dash of black pepper

1/4 cup parsley leaves

In saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender; add remaining ingredients except parsley. Cook over medium heat, about 5 minutes, or until zucchini is tender. Carefully pour into blender (if necessary, half at a time), add parsley and whirl at high speed until smooth. If desired, thin soup with additional chicken bouillon. Serves 4 to 6. Very good served hot or cold.

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Dimple Bridges of Cape Girardeau submitted one of her favorite vegetable recipes.

Vegetable Toss in Olive Butter

4 small red potatoes, peeled and sliced

1 pound asparagus, cut in 2-inch pieces

1 red pepper, cut in julienne strips

1 zucchini, sliced

1/2 pound mushrooms, sliced

1 (7 ounce) jar baby corn ears

Olive Butter:

1/3 cup butter, melted

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup black olives, sliced

1 tablespoon lemon zest

Steam potatoes, asparagus and red pepper in 1-inch water. Add zucchini and mushrooms. Steam 5 minutes. Add corn and heat. Combine ingredients for olive butter. Toss with drained vegetables. Serves 6.

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Doloris Meyr does very interesting things with green beans. She has told me that she serves them with tomatoes and its seems to be her husband's favorite dish. This recipe for Bar-B-Que Green Beans is very good and offers a different way to use the abundant garden harvest.

Bar-B-Que Green Beans

3 cans green beans, drained

1 onion, chopped

6 slices bacon, cut in pieces

1 cup catsup

1 cup brown sugar

Mix all ingredients. Bake in covered casserole at 275 degrees for 4 hours. Do not cook bacon ahead of time.

Note: Can substitute 3 quarts green beans for 3 cans.

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On these hot days a sandwich meal may taste better to us rather than a full hot meal. Dorothy Bowers' Chicken Hero Sandwich will certainly be a full delicious meal for you to try.

Chicken Hero Sandwich

About 4 cups or more cooked, diced chicken

3/4 to 1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

5 green onions, including tops, thinly sliced

1 (8 ounce) can drained, sliced water chestnuts

4 to 5 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

5 to 6 drops Tabasco sauce

1 teaspoon salt (optional)

2 to 3 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided, 1/2 for spread mixture and 1/2 for the top

1 baguette loaf French bread

1 cup chopped fresh tomato

Toasted almonds

Paprika

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except bread, tomato, almonds and paprika. This mixture may be refrigerated for 24 hours. Split French bread in half, lengthwise. Trim any uneven crust from bottom so loaf is steady. Place bread, cut-side up, on baking sheet. Mix tomato into chicken mixture. Spread mixture evenly over each bread half. Top with rest of cheese, toasted almonds and paprika. Bake until bubbly, and lightly browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Garnish with minced fresh parsley, sliced green onions, or sliced black olives and serve.

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The Senior Center cookbook also contains several good diabetic recipes. Connie Essner shares her favorite Diabetic Peach Goody.

Diabetic Peach Goody

Peaches

1/2 stick butter or margarine

2 cups rolled oats

2 tablespoons brown sugar sweetener substitute

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup coconut

Fill a 9-inch square pan with peaches. Mix remaining ingredients and spread over peaches. Bake at 350 degrees until done.

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Recipe Swap has been very busy lately with so many of you sending in recipes to share with other readers. This week, Opal Rodgers of Cairo, Ill., shares her "tried and true" recipe for zucchini casserole. She says it has always been a winner no matter where she takes it.

Zucchini Casserole

Prepare one package chicken flavored Stove Top Stuffing mix according to the package directions, and place in a 9x13-inch dish.

Mix together:

2 cups grated zucchini

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 stick melted butter or margarine

1 cup grated carrots

1 large onion, chopped

1 8-ounce carton sour cream

Mix well and spread mixture on top of dressing. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Enjoy!

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Joan Weeks of Cape Girardeau suggests you try something different with spaghetti squash. Her recipe for Gai Chow sounds very delicious.

Savory Spaghetti Squash Gai Chow

1 large spaghetti squash

1 tablespoon butter

2 green pepper, seeded

4 medium carrots

oil

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup diced, drained pineapple, optional

1/4 to 1/2 cup soy sauce

3 cups diced cooked chicken

Cook squash 30 minutes in rapidly boiling water. Cool. Cut in half, remove seeds. Scrape out pulp. Melt butter and saute' squash 3 minutes stirring to avoid browning. Set aside.

Slice peppers in very thin strips. Slice carrots julienne style. Pour oil onto peppers and carrots to coat lightly.

Heat frying pan and stir fry peppers and carrots until barely tender. Add mushrooms, pineapple and squash. Toss until well mixed.

Pour in soy sauce, stirring constantly. Fold in chicken. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Leave on heat just long enough to get piping hot. Serve immediately with a side dish of rice.

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Last week there was a request for a strawberry butter recipe. A nameless response makes her own strawberry butter using the desired amount of real butter, softened, and whipped. Then using a good quality strawberry preserve or jam, fold into whipped butter. If the preserves or jam are whole fruit or in large pieces, mash or break up before folding into butter.

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Want to try a cold refreshing dessert? Try this delicious dessert that has the sweet and tart flavors of ice cream and lemonade.

Pink Lemonade Ice Cream Loaf

1 8-ounce loaf angel food cake

1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened

1 6-ounce can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, unthawed

1 cup whipping cream

3 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced

Additional fresh strawberries, optional

Fresh mint, optional

Slice cake horizontally into three layers; set aside. Combine ice cream and frozen lemonade concentrate; swirl gently. Spread half of ice cream mixture on bottom layer of cake. Top with second cake layer, and spread with remaining ice cream mixture. Place the third layer over ice cream, and freeze loaf 30 minutes.

Beat whipping cream until foamy; gradually add powdered sugar, beating until soft peaks form. Frost top and sides of cake with whipped cream. Freeze until firm. Slice cake, and serve with sliced strawberries, garnishing as you desire.

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Thanks to everyone who sent in recipes this week. There was a nice selection to share.

Have a great week and I'll see you next week.