Beecher City cooks prepared their cookbook as a fund-raiser to build a new community center. The building is up and is being used. Beecher City received second place in the Governor's Home Town Awards for volunteer efforts in constructing the community center. Their 1995 cookbook contains 168 pages plus helpful hints. Order from Sharon Wonus, First State Bank of Beecher City, P.O. Box 36, Beecher City, IL 62414. (618) 487-5161. The cost is $10 including postage.

The Advisory Council of the Child Development Laboratories (CDL), SlU-Carbondale, prepared their cookbook as a fund-raiser to buy toys, books and playground equipment. 40th Anniversary Volume 3 will be available in October. Volume 2's 82-page cookbook is available for $5 plus $1 shipping. Order Volume 2 or 3 from Sara Starbuck, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois 62901.

Beecher City Area Kluthe Center

CARAMEL PARTY MIX
Marla Rincker

4 C. popped popcorn
4 C. Corn Chex®
4 C. pretzels
4 C. Cheerios®
1 can mixed nuts

Coating:

1 1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. butter
1/2 C. white corn syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda

Heat butter, sugar and syrup to boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla, soda and cinnamon (will froth up). Pour over cereal. Bake at 250° for 1 hour. Stir every 15 minutes. Spread on waxed paper to cool.

HAM LOAF
Miriam E. Reeder

1 lb. ground smoked ham
1 lb. ground fresh pork
4 eggs
2 C. milk
2 C. dry bread crumbs
Pepper and salt to taste

In a large bowl, mix the meats. Add eggs, salt and pepper. Add milk and bread crumbs and form a loaf. * Place in oven. Bake at 350° until done.

*Variations:

• Pour tomato juice over loaf.
• Pour 1 C. brown sugar, 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 T. mustard over loaf.
• Pour 1 C sugar, 1 can crushed pineapple over loaf.

PO-PO'S (appetizers)
Elaine Mathias

1 lb. ground beef
1 egg yolk
2 to 3 crackers
Italian seasoning, to taste
Parmesan cheese

Mix first 4 ingredients; roll in tiny balls. Saute in butter until brown. Roll in Parmesan cheese.

BROCCOLI DELIGHT SALAD
Sandy Laue

1 lg. bunch fresh broccoli, cut in pieces
1 c. raisins

Dressing:

3 to 4 T. sugar
1 T. vinegar
1/4 C. diced red onion
10 strips bacon, fried, crumbled
1 C. sunflower seeds
1/2 C. salad dressing (mayonnaise)

Put broccoli pieces in large bowl, add raisins, onion, bacon and seeds. Mix together dressing ingredients. Pour over salad. Refrigerate.

GARLIC CHICKEN BREASTS
Connie L Gilbert

Chicken breasts, boneless, skinned
Creamy garlic dressing Mushrooms
Swiss cheese Non-stick cooking spray

Marinate chicken breasts in creamy garlic dressing (enough to cover or coat them good) a few hours or overnight in refrigerator. Place marinated chicken breasts on sprayed baking sheet or dish. Bake in a 375° oven for 1 hour. Remove from oven, top with sliced mushrooms and Swiss cheese, let melt and serve.

CHAMPAGNE SALAD
Florence (Smith) Richards

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
3/4 C. sugar
1 lg. can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (10 oz.) frozen strawberries with juice
2 diced bananas
1/2 C. chopped nuts
1 med. Cool Whip®

24 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING NOVEMBER 1997

Soften cheese, mix with sugar in mixer. Mix other ingredients and combine. Freeze until solid. Slice to serve.
Optional way to serve: Put in liners (foil) works best in muffin or smaller tart pans. Pour mixture in each. Cover with plastic wrap. Can be frozen in covered container.

PUMPKIN BARS
Daryl Gilbert

1 (16 oz.) can pumpkin
2 C. sugar
1 C. oil
4 eggs
2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 C. nuts, optional

Stir first 4 ingredients together. Sift in last 5 ingredients. Pour into an 11x15-inch sided cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes.

Frosting:

6 oz. cream cheese
2 T. milk
1/4 C. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. powdered sugar

Cream together cheese, milk, vanilla and butter. Stir in powdered sugar; beat with mixer until smooth. Frost cooled bars and refrigerate until chilled.

FOOLPROOF MERINGUE
Ann Hunt

3 egg whites
Dash of salt
1 C. (1/2 jar) Kraft® marshmallow creme

Beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add marshmallow creme, beating until stiff peaks form. Spread over pie filling, sealing to edge of crust. Bake 350° for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.

Recipe Exchange I didn't have potatoes, so I substitued rice. I didn't have paprika, so I used another spice. I didn't have tomato sauce, so I used tomato paste. A whole can — not a half — I don't believe in waste. A friend gave me the recipe, she said you couldn't beat it. There must be something wrong with her we couldn't even eat it.

The CDL Family Cookbook - Volume 2
(Many kid-tested recipes)

CURRIED GROUND BEEF
Mel Warren

(This was the winning dish in CDL's first International Food Festival.)

2 lbs. ground beef
2 C. chopped onions
1/4 C. vegetable oil
1 T. curry powder and garlic powder (to taste)
2 C. apples, chopped and peeled
2 C. beef or chicken bouillon or stock
2 T. flour
2 T. butter or margarine
Salt and pepper to taste

Saute beef, onions, curry and garlic powder in hot oil until brown. Add apples and cook until tender. Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Add flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add bouillon and stir frequently over medium heat until sauce thickens. Pour sauce over beef and simmer 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over steamed rice. Accompany with chopped onions, chopped peanuts, grated eggs, grated coconut and chutney.

VIETNAMESE CHICKEN SALAD
Joni Bailey
(Hunter and Tia)

(This dish was voted Best Ethnic Dish at the second annual CDL International Food Festival.)

2 green onions
11/2 lbs. chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and cut into matchstick-size strips
1/2 tsp. minced fresh ginger root
1 tsp. salt/1/2 tsp. pepper
4 T. salad oil (or 2 T. vegetable oil and 2 T. olive oil
3 T. lemon juice (use fresh lemon juice for best flavor)
1/2 tsp. sugar
3 C. cabbage, finely shredded

Cut green tops of onions into 2" pieces, then cut into thin strips lengthwise. Mix with cabbage, and set aside. Finely chop the white part of the onion. Combine chopped onion, chicken, ginger, 1/2 tsp. of the salt and 1/4 tsp. of the pepper. Place wok (or skillet) over high heat. When hot, add 2 T. of the oil. When oil is hot, add chicken mixture. Stir-fry until chicken is opaque (about 3 minutes); remove chicken from the wok; cool, cover and chill. Stir together the lemon juice, sugar, and remaining 2 T. oil, 1/2 salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Just before serving, toss together all 3 parts: chicken, cabbage, onion and lemon dressing.

CINNAMON APPLES AND OATS
CDL toddler room

1 1/2 C. coarsely chopped apples
3 T. butter or margarine
1 1/2 C. rolled oats (uncooked)
1 egg, beaten
3 T. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Saute apples in butter in 12 to 12" skillet. Combine oats and egg in a bowl. Mix until oats are thoroughly coated. Add oats mixture and remaining ingredients to apples. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes.

DIRT
Melissa Wesley

(Big hit at the CDL second annual International Food Festival.)

2 C. milk
1 pkg. (4 serving size) chocolate pudding
1 (8 oz.) container Cool Whip®
1 pkg. (16 oz.) Oreo® cookies

Crush cookies and divide in half. Make pudding according to package directions and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir Cool Whip and half of the cookies into the pudding, mixing until it is all the same color. Place enough of the remaining cookies in the bottom of a clean, new flowerpot to cover the bottom. Fill with the pudding mixture and top with remaining cookies and chill until set about 1 hour. Decorate with silk flowers and serve with a trowel. You can also serve this in individual cups and decorate with gummy worms for kids parties.

SAND CUPS

2 C. cold milk
1 pkg. (4 serving size) vanilla instant pudding
1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip®, thawed
1 pkg. (12 oz.) vanilla wafers, crushed
8 to 10 (7 oz.) plastic cups
Suggested decorations: miniature umbrellas; gummy seashells, worms, and sharks; candy stars; chopped peanuts

Pour milk into large bowl. Add pudding mix. Beat with whisk until well blended, 1 to 2 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Stir in whipped topping and half of the crushed cookies. Place 1 T. crushed cookies into each cup. Fill cups three-fourths full with pudding mixture. Top with remaining crushed cookies. Refrigerate 1 hour. Decorate.

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