LOOK WHAT'S COOKING

Often the harbor of the home, a kitchen can radiate a warmth as comforting as any food.

While cookbooks are written on every conceivable culinary subject, local cookbooks have the corner on the personal touch, regardless of what part of the country they hail.

Extensions of every kitchen represented, locally compiled cookbooks are invitations to step inside and share a meal.

Recipes are usually family oriented and most often call for easy-to-find ingredients and a minimum of time, noted Susan McClanahan of Cape Girardeau.

With the contributor listed beside each recipe, chances are the name rings familiar.

"You know the recipe has been tried and used by that person," explained Carla Fee, also of Cape Girardeau.

Country cooking is often the featured fare.

"It's not like big city cooking, it's the old-time cooking, the way they used to do things," said Mary H. Vetter of Commerce.

McClanahan, Fee and Vetter are among the many with interest in local cookbooks. Fee is involved in compiling a cookbook, while Vetter and McClanahan have worked on separate cookbook projects.

But McClanahan's appreciation of the genre runs deeper than most.

With an ever increasing collection of more than 2,000 cookbooks, she rotates her books from brimming shelves to storage as the seasons change.

Many of McClanahan's cookbooks -- and some of her favorites -- are of the type compiled in hometowns, perhaps by civic organizations, groups, clubs and churches. Family and friends have added to her collection, bringing her cookbooks from throughout the United States and the world.

"Most of the books I have, I've used something out of them, and I've read all of them," McClanahan said, adding with a chuckle, "I read them like most people lie in bed and read romance novels or whatever."

McClanahan's appreciation of the written word and its connection to good cooking began early.

Her mother worked outside of their Southern Illinois farm home and would leave written food preparation instructions. "Mom would write me notes," McClanahan recalls with a smile. "I started cooking for my brothers and sisters when I was in the second grade and I loved it. That's where I got my start."

She went on to major in home economics at Southeast Missouri State University.

Now a wife and mother herself, and the administrator of the Cape Senior Center, McClanahan can read a recipe and draw instant conclusions about the result.

"I love to cook, as time allows," she said, noting with a warm chuckle, that she is also the on-call person for friends who have cooking questions. She often fields calls about cooking from people she doesn't even know.

Through their new cookbook, several moms and dads of boys on a local traveling soccer team called the Rowdies hope to answer questions that often arise on busy soccer days.

Preliminary plans call for specialized sections that address menus and athletics, Fee explained. The cookbook project -- a fund-raiser to help defer team costs -- is the first of its kind for the team.

"We'll have a special section listing foods you could take with you, good ideas other than just junk food that you could travel with," she said. Another section will list suggestions for healthy menus to serve just prior to athletic events.

Each of the some 14 families involved with the boys' soccer team is contributing recipes.

"We're still getting recipes and categorizing them," Fee said. The parents' goal is to complete "Cooking Rowdies Style" by later this month.

Among McClanahan's most recent additions to her collection are a cookbook compiled in 1995 by the Wesley United Methodist Church in Fruitland and a cookbook called "What's Cookin' in Commerce, Book 2," which hails from the Southeast Missouri community by the same name.

Both books reflect the special flair and flavor of their communities.

Come January and February, McClanahan's shelved cookbooks shift from those featuring Christmas holiday fare to recipes reflecting thoughts of Valentine's Day and, soon, St. Patrick's Day.

"Through January and February, I love soups, salads and interesting muffins," she noted.

Whatever the season, local cookbooks are sure to offer suggestions for tasty fare. "It's what I would call just good, country, down-to-earth cooking, basic ingredients, and my husband would say, 'lots of it,'" McClanahan chuckled.

A FEW OF SUSAN MCCLANAHAN'S FAVORITE RECIPES

Hot Chicken Salad Braid

1 chicken, stewed, deboned and chopped

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 heaping tablespoon mayonnaise or Miracle Whip

1 can cream of mushroom soup

Mix above together.

Crust:

2 cups Bisquick

1/2 cup cold water

Top:

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Sliced almonds

Gravy:

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 lb. Velveeta (or remaining cheddar)

1/2 can milk

Heat oven to 425 F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Mix Bisquick and 1/2 cup water. Beat 20 strokes. Knead dough on cloth covered board. Roll into rectangle. Lay dough on cookie sheet and place chicken mixture down the center. Cut sides in one inch strips diagonally up to chicken, then criss cross over the top like a braid. Brush the top with egg and water. Sprinkle with cheese and almonds. Bake 20 minutes. Serve with gravy.

Chocolate Marvel Cake

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 sticks butter, melted

1 pkg. devil's food cake mix

3 cups heavy whipping cream, whipped

Combine pecans, crumbs, sugar, and butter. Into each of four 9" round cake pans, put 1/4 of mixture. Pat down lightly and evenly. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Divide batter evenly into the 4 pans. Bake 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees, staggering pans in oven. Cool for 10 minutes. Loosen edges and invert each layer onto wire rack to cool. Place one layer on serving plate, crumb side up; top with whipped cream. Repeat layers, ending with whipped cream. Refrigerate. Very rich!

Refrigerator rolls

1 cup water

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup warm water

2 pkg. dry yeast

2 eggs, beaten

6 to 7 cups flour

Boil 1 cup water in saucepan. Set off stove. Add butter and shortening and stir until melted. Add sugar and salt. Cool to lukewarm.

In large bowl, put 1 cup warm water. Sprinkle yeast over and stir to dissolve.

Add butter/shortening mixture and eggs to dissolved yeast. Add 7+ cups flour and mix thoroughly. (Use dough hook on mixture if possible.) Let rise 1 hour. Work down and put in refrigerator, overnight, covered. When ready to use, take out of refrigerator and turn onto floured board. Roll out and cut with a 2" cutter. Dip half of roll in melted margarine, fold over, and place on cookie sheet.

Allow to rise until doubled in size.

Bake 12-15 minutes at 400 degrees.

Baked Potato Soup

6 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

4 medium size baked potatoes (skins left on)

2 tablespoon margarine

1/3 cup chopped green onion

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup half and half

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Sour cream

Fresh finely chopped green onions or chives

Prepare bacon and set aside. Bake potatoes, cool and cut in small chunks. In medium size pan, melt margarine and saute onions until tender. Add potatoes, chicken soup, broth, cream, salt and pepper to taste; simmer until hot but do not boil. Ladle into 4 individual soup bowls. Top each with grated cheese, crumbled bacon, a dollop of sour cream and fresh chives. Serves 4.

Cherry Salad

1 3 oz. pkg. cherry gelatin

1 3 oz. pkg. lemon gelatin

2 cup boiling water

1 can crushed pineapple, undrained

1 can cherry pie filling

Mix all ingredients well. Pour into a 9x13 inch pan and chill until firm. Add topping.

Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

1 8 oz. sour cream

1 8 oz. cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix topping ingredients well and spread onto chilled salad.

Cranberry and Apple Harvest Pie

For pie:

3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar

5 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

2 lbs. tart green apples, cut into 1/4" wedges

1 3/4 cup cranberries

2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 9" pie shell

Topping:

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons evaporated milk

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix first four pie ingredients together. Add apples, cranberries and juice; toss. Transfer to pie shell, mounding in center. Bake 1 1/2 hours. Cover with foil and bake 15 minutes more. Cool.

Topping: Melt butter with milk and sugar over low heat. Increase heat and simmer, stirring constantly. Mix in vanilla and pecans. Pour into bowl, allow to stand until slightly thickened and just cool. Stir occasionally for 10 minutes.

Spoon over pie, covering completed. Let stand until topping sets, about 30 minutes.

Corn Sausage Chowder

1 lb. pork sausage, mild flavor

1 cup chopped onion

4 cup peeled and cubed potatoes

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 cups water

1 can cream style corn

1 can whole kernel corn, drained

1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

1/2 lb. Velveeta cheese

In large pan, brown sausage and onion. Drain well on paper towel. Boil water, potatoes and salt until potatoes are tender. Add sausage to potatoes and water. Add remaining ingredients and heat through. May want to reserve the corn liquid. If chowder is a little too thick, add reserved corn liquid to desired consistency.

Apple Muffins

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoon melted butter

2 cups flour

1 cup milk

1 eggs, slightly beaten

3 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup chopped apples (fine)

Sift dry ingredients and add butter, milk and egg. Add chopped apples. Blend just until moistened and fill muffin tins 2/3 full.

Topping:

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over muffins. Bake for 15 minutes at 450 degrees.