Illinois'
FINEST COOKING

Massac County HEA of Metropolis, Illinois complied a cookbook to celebrate its 50th anniversary this year. It is a hardbound 3-ring binder with tabbed sections and has 141 pages of recipes. The fund-raising benefits are used for scholarship and local charities. Order your copy from Susan Howell, 525 W 20th Street, Metropolis, Illinois 62960 or call her at work at (618) 524-2160. The cost of the cookbook is $10 plus $4 shipping and handling.

Macon County HEA compiled an apple recipe cookbook in 1996. There are 51 pages of recipes and fact pages about apples. The cookbook is soft-backed and spiral-bound. Order from Wilma Badorek, 3280 Cherry Drive, Decatur, Illinois 62521 or call her at (217) 428-9038. The cost of the cookbook is $2 plus $1 for postage.

CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP chicken, with broth 1 to 2 stalk celery, chopped 1 onion, chopped

Alice Owens

salt and pepper
seasonings, to taste
1/2 pkg. tiny egg noodles

Boil chicken until tender, reserving broth, Add onion, celery and seasonings. Add noodles, cooking just until tender.

EIGHT CANS OF SOUP 1 1/2 lb. ground beef or   vension, cooked and drained 1 onion, chopped 2 can Veg-All, undrained 1 can Rotel tomatoes, undrained

Debbie Kruger

2 cans stewed tomatoes,
   undrained
1 can chili beans, undrained
1 can Spanish rice
1 can cream style corn,
  undrained

Cook and drain meat and onion. Add all other ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes, then serve.

CHICKEN FOR A CROWD 2 C. cooked chicken, cubed 2 C. broth 1 can each of cream of   mushroom and celery soup 1/2 lb. Velveeta cheese,   diced

Lucille McBride

3 hard-cooked eggs, diced
1 medium onion, cut fine
1 small jar minced pimientos
1 7 oz. pkg. Creamettes
  macaroni, uncooked
 

Mix all ingredients together and let stand overnight in refrigerator in 9xl3-inch pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. Serve hot.

FAT-FREE GRAVY (Diabetic) 2 T cornstarch 2 C. broth or bouillon 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper

Erlene Kruger

1/2 C. onion, minced
1/2 C. mushrooms, chopped
2 T. parsley, minced
 

Add cornstarch to 1/2 cup fat-free meat drippings, broth or bouillon; mix well. Pour remaining liquid into saucepan; heat. Add cornstarch mixture to heating liquid. Makes 3 cups or 12 servings.

VEGETABLE CASSEROLE 1 can cream of mushroom   soup 1 small jar Cheez-Whiz

Kelly Sullivan

1 large pkg. frozen California
mixed vegetables
1 Can Durkee fried onion rings

Cook vegetables according to package directions and drain. Add soup and Cheez-Whiz and heat through. Spray a 9x9" baking dish with Pam cooking spray. Add vegetable mixture. Top with fried onion rings. Bake for 30 minutes in a 3500 preheated oven.

ROUND STEAK ROUNDUP 1 round steak, cut in 4x4"    squares 1 can chili beans

Jamie Fowler

1 bell pepper, cut up
1 small onion, chopped
hot cooked rice

Fry meat and vegetables until done. Add chili beans and simmer 10-15 minutes. Serve over the rice.

22 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING SEPTEMBER 1999

GERMAN PORK CHOPS 6 pork chops, 3/4" thick 16 oz, can sauerkraut,   drained

Erlene Kruger

16 oz. can applesauce
 
 

Brown pork chops on both sides in a greased skillet; drain on paper towels. Place 1 can sauerkraut in bottom of a greased 9x13-inch pan. Spread applesauce over sauerkraut. Arrange pork chops on top of applesauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes. Remove cover and bake 10 minutes or until pork is tender.

LEMON ICEBOX PIE 1 can evaporated milk 1/2 C. lemon juice 2 egg yolks, beaten

Bonnie Stamme

1 graham cracker crust
8 oz. Cool Whip
 

Combine milk, lemon juice and the beaten egg yolks. Pour into graham cracker crust. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Cool pie. Top with Cool Whip. Refrigerate several hours before serving.

CEREAL NUT DROPS 1 1/4 lb. white chocolate 2 C. Captain Crunch with    berries 2 C. Rice Krispies

Connie Obermark

2 C. marshmallows
2 C. mixed nuts
1 C. cashews
 

Melt white chocolate in 200° oven. When melted add cereals, marshmallows and nuts. Drop by tablespoons on wax paper. Store in cool place.

SILVER CLEANER 1 C. water 1 tsp. salt

Fran Kennedy

1 tsp. baking soda
4 to 5" square of aluminum foil

Microwave water on high for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, or until boiling. Add salt and baking soda and a square piece of aluminum foil, crumpled. Dip flatware in this mixture. When tarnish has disappeared, wash flatware in soapy water; rinse and dry.

Macon County HEA, Decatur

APPLE SALAD 1 C. apples, cut finely 1 C. seedless grapes 1/2 C. miniature    marshmallows 1/2 C. pineapple 1/2 C. bananas, cut finely

Mary Bemotas

Dressing:
1 C, pineapple juice
3/4 C.sugar
  juice of 1 lemon
2 T corn starch
1/2 C. Cool Whip

Dissolve corn starch in juice. Add sugar and boil over hot water until thick. When cold, add Cool Whip and fold in the rest of the ingredients.

APPLE-BRAN-MUFFINS High Fiber - Low Fat Mix together: 1/2 C. white flour 1/2 C. whole wheat flour 1 1/2 C. All-Bran

Maxine Musselman
 

 
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
 

Mix together and add to dry ingredients:

1 C. apples, grated 1/3 C. honey 3/4 C. milk 2 T apple butter or applesauce

1/4 C. water
1 egg
1 T corn oil
 

Spoon into muffin tins. Sprinkle with chopped nuts. Bake at 350° about 15 minutes.

APPLE BUTTER

Bonnie Lanham

16 C. apple sauce
7 C. sugar
1 tsp. ground cloves
3 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 tsp. ground allspice

Mix together, place in 275° oven. Stir every 1/2 hour for 8 hours, or until thick enough to suit individual taste. Seal in hot sterilized jars.

APPLE CHICKEN STIR-FRY

1/2 C. onion, vertically sliced 1 C. (2-med.) carrots,    thinly sliced 1 1/2 tsp. vegetable oil 1 tsp. dried basil, crushed 1 C. fresh or frozen vegetables, (such as pea   pods, broccoli, celery, etc.)

1 T water
1 medium apple, cored and
  thinly sliced
1lb. cubed boneless, skinless,
   chicken breast
1 T. oil
2 C. cooked rice

Stir fry cubed chicken breast in 1 T vegetable oil in nonstick skillet until lightly brown and cooked. Remove from skillet. Stir-fry onion, carrots and basil in oil in same skillet until carrots are tender. Stir in vegetable and water; stir-fry 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in apples. Add to chicken, serve hot over cooked rice. Makes 4 servings. (365 calories per serving).

APPLE STUFFING

1/4 C. butter, margarine   or bacon drippings 1/2 C. chopped onion 1/2 C.chopped    celery

4 C. tart apples, diced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 C.sugar
4 C. small bread cubes
 

Melt fat in a large frypan. Add onion, celery and apples. Sprinkle with salt and sugar. Cook, turning occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes or until apples are lightly browned. Add bread cubes and toss gently to blend ingredients.

To use apple stuffing:
Sprinkle the inside of a 4-pound boned fresh pork shoulder with 1 tsp. salt and pepper, as desired. Spread with stuffing. Fold meat over stuffing and skewer. Place on a rack, skin side up in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 325° (slow oven) for 21/2 hours or until meat is tender and juice is no longer pink.

SEPTEMBER 1999 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 23