Scraps of paper to the rescue at recipe exchange

Exchanging recipes with friends and family can be a lot of fun. Oftentimes, the ones we exchange are not written fancy on cards but rather on a scrap of paper, a napkin or a clean paper plate while sitting around a table. Amazingly, the end result is always satisfactory for a memory recited recipe and scribbled down.

Fluffy Raspberry Salad

This first recipe was just that circumstance. My niece, Christa Bollinger and I were at a birthday dinner, and she was telling me about this raspberry fluff recipe, so I pulled a scrap of paper from my purse and jotted the recipe down. I make a similar cold lemon gelatin salad recipe that she loves, and this is quite the same, except it is raspberry. I will be trying this soon. Christa told me that fresh or frozen blackberries and or blueberries work well in this recipe as well.

1 (6-ounce) box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding, NOT instant

1 (6-ounce) package raspberry gelatin

2 cups water

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 (16 ounce) frozen whipped topping, thawed, the low fat or no-fat works fine

2 cups raspberries

Mix together pudding, gelatin, water and lemon juice in saucepan over medium heat until it boils. Remove from heat and pour into bowl. Refrigerate until mixture has thickened, about 1 hour. Beat until creamy. Fold in thawed whipped topping and raspberries. Chill about an hour before serving.

Banana Bread

My friends Becky and Bob Andrews from the Senior Center spoil us by bringing us goodies quite often. Everything they bring is quite tasty and we appreciate it so much. I thought I would share 3 recipes of items they have recently spoiled us with.

3 cups sugar

1 cup butter

4 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

2 teaspoons baking soda

4 cups flour

3 mashed bananas

1 cup chopped pecans

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Add vanilla. Combine baking soda and buttermilk, add flour and buttermilk alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Add bananas and pecans. Bake in 3 greased and floured pans at 350 degrees for 2 hours or just until done.

Peanut Krispies

1 cup white sugar

1 cup white corn syrup

1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter

6 cups cornflakes, slightly crushed

Mix sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and let boil until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Smash cornflakes in large bowl. Pour mixture over cornflakes. Mix well. Pour in large greased pan. Cut while still hot.

Snickers Cake

8 Snickers candy bars, regular size

2 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups flour

1 cup buttermilk

Vanilla

2 sticks butter

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 eggs

For the icing:

3 regular size Snickers candy bars

1 stick butter

3 tablespoons sweet milk

Powdered sugar

Melt 8 Snickers candy bars with 1 stick of butter. Cream butter, sugar and add eggs, one at a time. Add flour, baking soda, milk and vanilla. Fold in Snickers mixture. Bake in a 300-degree oven for 1 hour. For the icing, melt 3 Snickers candy bars together with 1 stick of butter, add milk and mix in enough powdered sugar to make a spreadable consistency.

Becky bakes this cake in loaf pans, ices them in the pans and cuts small pieces to serve because the cake is so rich.

French Onion Dip Hamburgers

These next couple of recipes come from Jodi Thompson of Jackson. They sound good, and I look forward to adding them to my collection of recipes.

3 tablespoons butter

5 onions, 4 thinly sliced and 1 peeled

1 bay leaf

Sea salt and pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground thyme

1 cup beef consomme

1 1/2 cups sour cream

2 pounds ground beef sirloin

Scant 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

A handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

6 brioche buns, split

36 good-quality ridged or thick-cut potato chips, preferably cooked in olive oil

Sliced sweet pickles, for serving

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and bay leaf; season with salt, pepper and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until deep caramel in color and soft, 35 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the beef consomme and cook until all the liquid is almost absorbed. Let cool, then discard the bay leaf. Stir in the sour cream. Preheat a griddle or large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place the beef in a bowl and season with the Worcestershire, salt (for a crusty coating on the burgers) and pepper. Using a box or hand-held grater, grate 3 to 4 tablespoons of the peeled onion over the meat (the grated onion and its juice will flavor the meat itself, plus keep the burgers moist as you cook them). Add the parsley. Mix the meat, but do not overwork it. Form 6 patties, thinner at the center than at the edges for even cooking. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Cook the burgers, turning once, for 6 to 8 minutes for pink centers.

Serve the burgers on the bun bottoms and top with the sour cream sauce, potato chips, a couple of pickles each and the bun tops.

Salmon with Apricot Glaze

4 fresh or frozen salmon or halibut steaks, cut 3/4-inch thick

4 fresh apricots, pitted, or 8 dried apricot halves

1/2 cup apricot nectar

1/3 cup apricot preserves

3 tablespoons sliced green onion

1 1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

1/8 teaspoon salt

Few dashes bottled hot pepper sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 to 2 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce

Fresh oregano sprigs (optional)

Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish; pat dry. Set aside. Cut up fresh apricots; set aside. (Or halve dried apricots; cover with boiling water. Let stand until needed; drain well before using.)

For sauce: In small saucepan, combine apricot nectar, preserves, green onion, oregano, and salt. Bring just to boiling, stirring often; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, about 8 minutes or until slightly thickened. Reserve 1/4 cup of the sauce to brush on fish. In small bowl, combine remaining sauce, apricots, and few dashes hot pepper sauce. Cover and keep warm.

In small bowl, stir together oil and 1 to 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce. Brush both sides of fish with oil mixture. Sprinkle lightly with ground black pepper and additional salt.

Place fish on greased rack of uncovered grill directly over medium heat. Grill for 6 to 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork, turning once halfway through grilling and brushing with reserved sauce during last 2 to 3 minutes. Discard any remaining sauce. Serve fish with sauce. If desired, garnish with fresh oregano sprigs. Makes 4 servings.

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

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