Try a new recipe for this year's Easter dinner

Easter has so many neat legends surrounding the different symbols and meanings for the holiday. There is the legend of the dogwood tree, which has been one of my favorites for many years. Now, in the past several years, the legend of the pretzel has become popular. In my first- and second-grade Sunday school class we talked about the legend of the pretzel, ate a few as a snack, and the children got to go home with the recipe to make their own. Last year I shared with you the Resurrection Cookie recipe, so you can add this one to your Easter holiday file. I hope you have a chance to make these "arms crossed in prayer" pretzels for the holiday. It is fun to do as a family project.

Easter Pretzels

Sprinkle 1 package dry yeast on top of 1 1/2 cups of warm water in a large bowl. Allow it to dissolve. Stir in a tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon salt. Add 4 cups flour to the yeast, a little at a time. When the mixture forms a dough, turn it out onto a floured board. Knead until it is smooth and elastic. Pinch off golf ball-sized pieces of the dough and roll into "snake-like" shape. Twist the "snakes" into pretzel shapes and arrange them on a greased cookie sheet. Beat one egg in a small bowl. Brush the top of each pretzel with the egg and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Just for fun, try making some other shapes.

A Jackson reader shares a recipe that can be served as a main dish with crackers and is delicious, different and healthy.

Soybean with Yellow and White Hominy Salad

10 ounces shelled soybeans

1 (15-ounce) can yellow hominy, drained

1 (15-ounce) can white hominy, drained

1 small red pepper, diced

1 small onion, diced

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Optional ingredients:

1 fresh jalapeno pepper, diced

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup lime juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 teaspoons salsa

Salt and pepper, to taste

Place the boiled or steamed soybeans, hominy, pepper, onion and cilantro in a bowl. Include the jalapeno pepper, if using. Toss to combine. In a separate bowl, combine a mixture of your choice of vinegar, lime juice, oil, chili powder, cumin and salsa. Whisk to combine and pour sauce over salad. Chill at least 4 hours. Keep leftovers in the refrigerator. Serves 6 to 8.

My cousin in Lebanon, Ind., shared this recipe with me to serve at our Easter dinner. The asparagus in the store is beautiful right now.

Roasted Asparagus

Roast fresh asparagus (snapped) in a 400 degree oven for approximately 12-17 minutes uncovered on a cookie sheet. "Brown" 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan. When browned remove butter from heat. Add 2 teaspoons soy sauce and 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar. Mix well, pour over asparagus; serve immediately.

This sauce also tastes great on fish. If you have a lot of asparagus spears you may have to double the sauce recipe.

Opal Rodgers of rural Cape Girardeau has shared a few of her favorite recipes with us in the past, and is doing the same once again. Opal shares a couple of recipes that I thought might be good to serve on that East buffet and family dinners.

Orange Gelatin Salad

1 large or 2 small boxes orange gelatin

2 cups hot water, mix well with gelatin

Add 1 pint of orange sherbet

Let mixture cool before adding:

1 can mandarin oranges, well drained

sliced bananas

1 pint whipping cream, whipped until stiff, divided in half

Pour into a flat baking dish or mold to set up.

For the topping:

1/2 of the whipped cream

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla

1 small can well-drained crushed pineapple

2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 can well-drained mandarin oranges

After mixing these ingredients together, spread over gelatin mixture.

For a larger recipe, add and extra small box of gelatin and whip 2 pints of cream in order to have extra cream to put into the gelatin mixture.

Mandarin Orange Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

3/4 cup oil

3 eggs

1 large can mandarin oranges

Mix all ingredients together. Beat well. Bake according to box directions in a

9-by-13 inch baking pan. Cool in pan before adding the topping.

For the topping:

1 (9 ounce) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (3 ounce) box instant coconut pudding mix

1 small can crushed pineapple, well-drained

Mix together and ice cake. Use a few reserved oranges for decoration.

Peanut Butter Freezer Pie

For the crust:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup margarine, melted

1/2 cup salted chopped peanuts

Combine and pat into a pie pan. Bake until lightly browned; remove from oven and cool.

For the filling:

1 (4 ounce) cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

Combine these ingredients and combine with 1 (9 ounce) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed. Pour into cooled crust and top with 1/4 cup chopped salted peanuts. At this point the pie may be frozen and will remain very good quality in the freezer for a couple of months.

Opal Rodgers has a recipe request today for us. She would like recipes for pickled boiled eggs. With eggs being on sale this week, it would be a good time to make up several and have them on hand, but she needs recipes first. Hope you can help Opal with this recipe request.

As I bring this to a close this week, it is my hope that each of you have a very blessed Easter holiday and may each of us take the time to ponder the true meaning of Easter and celebrate in that meaning.

Until we meet again, 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.