Use summer's harvest in your recipes

smcclanahan

Sometimes our children say something so funny I just have to stand and cherish the moment because it is so cute. But on the other hand, sometimes they say things that really make me pause and think. The other evening Lexie just popped off the top of her head, "Mom, what does a typewriter thing do?" I looked at her astonished and thought at first she was just kidding with me. Then I realized that she probably had never seen a typewriter.

I'm sure my parents experienced very similar things in their early parenting days, too. My parents are celebrating their 53rd wedding anniversary today and I wonder how they ever raised the six of us and remained sane through all we put them through. Love is a wonderful and amazing thing and can endure all things. Happy anniversary, Mom and Dad, and I love you dearly.

The Altenburg, Mo., group has sent in a few recipes to share with you this week. We have not had any recipes from Altenburg in a while, so keep up the good work and keep sending in your favorite recipes.

Broccoli and Grape Salad

5 cups broccoli florets

5 cups red seedless grapes, sliced in half

8 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

1 cup diced celery

For the dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vinegar

Combine all salad ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve. For the dressing, combine all of the dressing ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve. Just before serving, toss the salad and the dressing together.

Gooseberry Pie

1 unbaked pie shell

3 cups gooseberries

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup sour cream

1 egg

3 tablespoons tapioca

1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine the filling ingredients and toss to combine these ingredients well. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake until done.

For your gooseberry pie you might like to try this no-roll pie crust. It calls for oil instead of solid shortening and is then pressed into the pan instead of being rolled.

Pie Crust Pressed In

1 cup flour

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup

4 tablespoons milk

Combine ingredients well and press into pie pan.

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I have never seen this recipe and am not sure of its origin, but it is certainly different.

Nanzer's Poor Man's Lobster

1 pound frozen tilapia fish or haddock

2 quarts water

1 1/2 tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

4 bay leaves

1/4 pound butter

1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons ground thyme

Add salt, vinegar and bay leaves to water in a large pan. Add fish, making sure it is covered. Bring to boil and boil until fish turns white, about 15 minutes. In a separate pan, melt butter until it starts to bubble. Add thyme and cook until golden brown. Gently place fish on plate and pour the butter over the top to serve.

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Fresh peaches are delicious and our Lexie just can't get enough of them. I'm sure she will love these preserves and the fresh peach pie recipe as well. Both of these peach recipes came from a Jackson reader.

Skillet Peach Preserves

3 cups fresh peeled and sliced peaches

3 cups sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons maraschino cherries, chopped

Combine peaches, sugar and lemon juice; let come to a rolling boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring constantly, and add maraschino cherries. Put into shallow container overnight. Spoon into jars and freeze.

Fresh Peach Pie

1 (9-inch) pie shell, baked

6 tree-ripened peaches

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1 (3-ounce) package peach gelatin

1 envelope Dream Whip

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese

1 cup powdered sugar

Fill baked pie shell with sliced, well-ripened peaches. Cook water, sugar, cornstarch and gelatin until clear. Cool and pour over peaches. Whip Dream Whip; add cream cheese and powdered sugar; beat until it holds peaks. Chill before serving. Serves 6.

In the strawberry pie recipe we had a few weeks ago, the cream cheese and powdered sugar were mixed together and spread in the bottom of the baked pie shell, then the sliced fruit, then glaze and whipped topping. I think the cream cheese spread over the pie shell would help to keep it from getting soggy too quickly. I'll just give it a try and find out for myself.

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This recipe was given to me from a reader from the Senior Center. She said it's always a big hit anytime she makes it.

Heavenly Orange Fluff

2 (3-ounce) packages orange flavored gelatin

1 (13 1/2-ounce) can crushed pineapple, undrained

1 (6-ounce) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

2 (11-ounce) cans Mandarin oranges, drained

1 (3 3/4-ounce) package instant lemon pudding mix

1 cup cold milk

1 cup whipping cream, whipped, or 1 carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

Dissolve gelatin in 2 1/2 cups boiling water; add undrained pineapple and orange juice concentrate. Chill until partially set. Fold in oranges; pour into a 13-by-9-by-2-inch pan; chill until firm. Beat pudding with mixer until smooth. Fold in whipped cream then spread over gelatin and chill. Garnish as desired. Yields 12 to 15 servings.

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With fresh garden tomatoes ripening you might enjoy a summertime soup that uses your tomato harvest.

Crunchy Tomato Soup

4 slices chopped bacon

2 tablespoons butter

2 large chopped onions

8 cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 strips lemon peel; remove before serving

2 tablespoons sugar

10 large tomatoes, wedged

4 tablespoons tomato purée or paste

1 teaspoon fresh basil, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon thyme

Salt and pepper, to taste

Cook bacon; add butter. Stir in onion and cook until tender. Transfer to soup pot and add chicken stock and remaining ingredients. Cook about 30 minutes. Cool; skim off fat. Reheat desired amount to serve, or this freezes very well.

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We have one recipe request for this week. Pat Wissman of Jackson would like a pickle recipe using red hots in the ingredients. He has eaten these but it was years ago and he would love to be able to make them again, but cannot find a recipe. Please send in the recipes you find so everyone can enjoy them.

I hope each of you have a delightful weekend of cooking and trying new recipes. And as always, send them in for everyone to enjoy. Until next time, 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.