It's finally here!!! Thanks to all our loyal readers who sent in their favorite recipes, the Illinois Country Cooks Cookbook is finally available. The cost of the book is $14.95 plus $3 shipping and handling per copy. Make checks payable to Illinois Country Living. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

Chocolate Brickle Square
Erin Weller

12 graham crackers
1 C. butter (light butter will not set)
1 C. sugar
12-oz. pkg. real chocolate chips
6-oz. pkg. almond brickle chips or
Heath bits

Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray well with cooking spray. Place graham crackers in a single layer on bottom. Combine butter and sugar in heavy pan, bring to a boil over medium heat, and stir often. Boil 1-1/2 to 2 minutes without stirring and pour over graham crackers. Bake at 350° for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Spread smoothly over top and sprinkle brickle chips or Heath bits on top. Press into chocolate. Cool and then break into pieces.

Tortilla Pinwheels
Kathie Clapper

1 (8-oz.) ctn. dairy sour cream
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 (4-oz.) can diced green chilies, well drained
1 (4-oz.) can chopped black olives, well drained
1 C. grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 C. green onion, chopped
Garlic powder, to taste
Seasoned salt, to taste
5 (10-inch) flour tortillas
Salsa

Mix sour cream, cream cheese, green chilies, black olives, Cheddar cheese, green onion, garlic powder and seasoned salt together thoroughly. Divide the filling into 5 parts and spread evenly over each tortilla; then roll the tortillas like a jelly-roll. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, twisting ends. Refrigerate for several hours. Unwrap and cut in slices 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick (an electric knife works great). Lay pinwheels flat on glass serving plate; garnish with parsley. Leave space in center of plate for small bowl of salsa if desired. Note: This is a recipe that I always get requests for.

Scalloped Pineapple
Sharon Miller

3 eggs, beaten well
4 C. bread, torn finely
2 C. sugar
1/2 lb. margarine
1 sm. can crushed pineapple,
   undrained 1/4 tsp. salt

Line a 9x13-inch pan with foil. Cream margarine and sugar. Add beaten eggs. Fold in bread, salt and pineapple. Pour into the pan. Bake for 1 hour at 350°.

Cherry Nut Bread
Marilyn Ashinhurst

2 C. flour, sifted
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. chopped nuts
1 egg, beaten
1 C. diluted Milnot (1/2 C. Milnot,
     plus 1/2 C. cherry juice or water)
3 T. melted shortening
1/3 C. maraschino cherries, chopped

Sift dry ingredients together, add nuts. Mix all liquids together, add cherries; blend into dry ingredients just until moistened. Bake at 350° for 60 minutes in a greased 9x5-inch loaf pan. Note: There is enough Milnot, cherries and cherry juice left over to make 2 loaves. One loaf can be wrapped and frozen.

Impossible Mexican Pie
Jeri Corn

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 env. taco seasoning mix
1 (4-oz.) can green chilies, drained
1 can chili beans, drained
1 C. Cheddar cheese, shredded
1-1/4 C. milk
3/4 C. Bisquick
3 eggs
Dash hot sauce (opt.)
Various taco garnishes

Heat oven to 400°. Spray a 9x9-inch glass pan with Pam. Brown beef and onion, drain. Stir in taco mix. Spread beef mixture on bottom of pan. Cover with chilies, beans and cheese. Beat milk, Bisquick, eggs and hot sauce in a blender until smooth. Pour over beef mixture in pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, jalapenos and a dab of sour cream. Serves 6.

Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
Sara Fraser

1 C. (8-oz.) sour cream
1/2 C. sugar
1/2 C. butter or margarine
1 tsp. salt
2 pkgs. (1/4-oz. each) active dry yeast
1/2 C. warm water (110-115°)
2 eggs, beaten
4 C. all-purpose flour
Filling:
2 pkgs. (8-oz.) cream cheese, softened 3/4 C. sugar
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. salt
Glaze:
2-1/2 C. confectioners sugar
1/4 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
Almonds (opt.)

In a sauce pan, combine sour cream, sugar, butter and salt. Cook over medium to low heat, stirring constantly, for 5-10 minutes or until well blended. Cool to room temperature. In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add sour cream mixture and eggs; mix well. Gradually stir in flour. (Dough will be very soft.) Cover and refrigerate overnight. Filling: The next day, combine filling ingredients in a mixing bowl until well blended. Turn dough onto a floured surface. Knead 5-6 times. Divide into four equal portions; roll each portion into a 12x8-inch rectangle. Spread 1/4 of the filling on each to 1-inch of edges. Roll up jellyroll style from the long side, pinch seams and ends to seal. Place seam side down on greased baking sheet. Cut six X's on top of loaves. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Glaze: Combine ingredients and drizzle over loaves. Sprinkle with almonds if desired. Store in the refrigerator. Makes 20-24 servings.

Better Than Sex Cake
Carol Boeker

1 chocolate cake mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 C. butterscotch topping, warm
3 C. Milky Way candy bars, broken into pieces
1 (8-oz.) cm. Cool Whip

Bake chocolate cake as directed in a 9xl3-inch pan. Cool. Poke several holes in cake. Pour sweetened condensed milk over cake. Pour warm butterscotch topping over cake. Top with 2 C. crushed Milky Way bars. Cover candy bars with Cool Whip. Scatter rest of Milky Way bars over top. Chill.

Sweet Potato Casserole
Linda Clevenger

3 C. cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
1/2 C. sugar
3 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 C. margarine, softened
1/8 C. milk
Topping:
1/2 C. light brown sugar
1/3 C. flour
1 C. chopped pecans
3 T. margarine, softened

In a large mixing bowl, combine potatoes, sugar, salt, eggs, a 1/4 cup margarine, vanilla and milk until smooth. Pour into a greased 9x13-inch casserole dish. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, pecans, and remaining 3 T. of margarine. Top sweet potato casserole with crumbled mixture. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes. The casserole can be assembled ahead of time, refrigerated, and baked at 350° for 50 minutes. Serves 8 to 10.

Photos by Catrina Young

Mint Brownies
Barb McCulley

3 sticks oleo
1 C. sugar
1 can Hershey's syrup
4 eggs
1 C. flour
1 tsp. peppermint extract
4 C. powdered sugar
4 T milk
Couple drops green food coloring
1 (12-oz.) pkg. chocolate chips

Cream together 1 stick of oleo and sugar. Add Hershey's syrup, eggs and flour. Mix and pour into a greased and floured jelly roll pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Cream together 1 stick oleo, peppermint extract, food coloring, powdered sugar and milk. Spread over cooled brownies. Melt last stick of oleo and chocolate chips together. Spread over the mint layer. Let stand until chocolate sets. Freezes well.

OCTOBER 2002 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 23