Several recipes submitted by readers

Reader mail is always a welcome addition to this column, and I am so happy today to have just that today. A couple of friends of mine shared recipes with me, and in turn I will pass them along to you.

Beef Stroganoff

This recipe submitted by Ruth Jean Field-Lange is one of her favorite recipes. It is quick, easy, uses common ingredients that almost everyone has on hand and is delicious. Her son-in-law makes this for her when she visits her family and it is always a treat.

1/2 stick butter or margarine

1 round steak, sliced thin and browned

Salt, pepper and onion salt, to taste

Mushrooms, chopped

Combine these ingredients and simmer, then add:

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Simmer on low heat, then add:

1 large carton of sour cream

Simmer on low heat but do not boil, covered with a lid, being careful not to burn

Serve over piping hot brown rice.

Maple-Bacon Crunch Ice Cream

Martha Maxton of Cape Girardeau sends this recipe by way of her son Dan, who lives in North Carolina. Dan recently made this interesting ice cream recipe for his in-laws at a family gathering and they loved it. Martha thought someone might like to try it on Labor Day as an unusual ice cream treat. The only note is that this recipe makes 1 quart, but the brittle makes quite a bit. Martha thought she would double the ice cream portion and keep the brittle recipe the same.

For the ice cream:

3 large egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

Pinch salt

1 cup whole milk

1 cup maple syrup, preferably grade B

2 cups heavy cream

For the bacon brittle

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more for the baking sheet

3 strips smoked bacon

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon chipotle chili powder or a pinch of cayenne pepper

To make the ice cream: whisk the egg yolks, sugar and salt in a bowl until pale yellow. Transfer to a saucepan and whisk in the milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until almost simmering (the mixture should be thick enough to coat a spoon). Stir in the maple syrup. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 30 minutes.

To make the bacon brittle: Butter a rimmed baking sheet. Cook the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 5 minutes per side; transfer to paper towels to drain. Let the bacon cool, then finely chop. Cook the sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it melts and turns golden, about 4 minutes. (If lumps form, remove from the heat and continue stirring until melted.) Continue to cook, stirring until light amber colored, about 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the butter. Carefully stir in the baking soda, then the bacon and chili powder. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet and let cool until set, about 15 minutes. Break into bite-size pieces, then smash about one-third of the brittle into shards with a meat mallet or heavy skillet. Reserve the remaining brittle in a container for up to 3 days.

Stir the cream into the chilled custard. Churn in an ice cream maker. Stir in the bacon brittle shards. Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours. Makes 1 quart.

Marinated Tri-Tip

I was so excited when I saw that Schnuck's was carrying tri-tip in the store. Some time back I tried to purchase it, but it was not available here, but now it is. Any marinade will work just fine, but this is good for the tri-tip.

1/3 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup white wine

Garlic Powder

Prick meat with a fork all over. Marinate 4 hours or longer. Grill or broil to desired doneness. Allow meat to rest at least 10 to 15 minutes, covered with foil, before slicing into strips to serve.

Herb Roasted Orange Salmon

This marinade gives the salmon a bright flavor with the tarragon, it is delicious.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup orange juice

2 teaspoons garlic

2 teaspoons tarragon

4 salmon fillets

Zest of 1 orange

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together as a marinade. Add salmon fillets and marinate 1 hour at room temperature. Bake at 475 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes, skin side down. Serves 4.

Grilled Scallops

I was at the grocery store recently and they had some very nice scallops, so I picked some up and found this recipe on the Food Network site to try. It is simple, but was good to not mask the delicate flavor of the scallops.

20 to 25 large scallops (about 3 pounds)

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 1/2 tablespoons lemon pepper

Pat dry each scallop and lay them on a tray. Sprinkle on some olive oil, coating scallops on all sides. Season the scallops with salt, black pepper, and lemon pepper, making sure that the seasoning covers all sides. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

Grill for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Serve immediately.

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

Lemonade Chicken

This can easily be done with boneless chicken as well, but you lose flavor by taking the bones out. Sometimes it is just good to cook whole chicken with the bones for the rich added depth of flavor.

2 (2 1/2 to 3 pound) frying chickens

1 (6 ounce) can frozen lemonade, thawed

1/3 cup soy sauce

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Cut chicken into serving pieces. In a small bowl, combine thawed lemonade, soy sauce, seasoned salt, celery salt and garlic powder. Stir mixture to blend well. Dip chicken pieces in lemonade mixture. Place chicken, bone-side down, over medium-hot coals. Grill about 25 minutes. Turn bone-side up, and grill until done, 15 to 20 minutes. Brush chicken with lemonade mixture frequently during cooking and especially the last 10 minutes.

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.