Illinois'
FINEST COOKING

The purpose of American Young Mothers is to strengthen the moral and spiritual foundations of the home. Since the beginning of the chapter in 1994, it has been active in the community, such as sponsoring a Mother' Day Essay Writing Contest for third graders in all Warren County schools, various fund-raising activities to help with charitable events. At Christmas, the chapter purchases Christmas gifts for several needy children, and this year donated $1,000 to the park district.

Purchase this 1998 soft-backed, spiral-bound, 185-page cookbook from Stacy Dutton, 2166 85th Street, Monmouth, Illinois 61462, or phone her at (309) 734-5650. The cost of the cookbook is $9 plus $3 shipping.

American Young Mothers of Illinois, Monmouth Chapter

PIZZA SNACKS 1 lb. ground beef 1 lb. pork sausage (medium or hot) 1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed

Sharon Ball

1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Worchestershire sauce

Brown meat. Drain off fat; put back in pan and add cheese and seasonings. Mix well. Cool. Spread on party rye. If you make ahead, spread on cookie sheet and freeze. When frozen, put in freezer package, then small containers. When ready to use, bake at 500° until brown. Makes about 50.

WONDERFUL FRUIT SALAD Any combination of these equaling 6 to 7 C. (strawberries, raspberries, fresh peaches, bananas, kiwi), cut into bite-size chunks

Julie McVey

2 cans chunk pineapple, drained
1 T. poppy seeds
1 large box cook'n serve vanilla
   pudding

Reserve pineapple juice. Pour into saucepan, then add enough water or apple juice to equal 3 cups. Add pudding and cook until thick, whisking constantly. Add poppy seeds and cool. Toss all of the fruit together (if using bananas, soak in lemon juice or 7-Up. Stir the cooled pudding mixture into fruit. Refrigerate until serving. May be layered in a large glass dish.

PEA SALAD 1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen baby    peas, thawed 1 C. diced celery 1 C. chopped cauliflower 1/4 C. diced green onions

Amy Wolf

1 C. chopped cashews
1/2 C. sour cream
1 C. prepared Hidden Valley
  Ranch salad dressing
Crisp, cooked, crumbled bacon

Combine all ingredients and chill.

HERBED SIRLOIN 1 to 2 lb. sirloin 2 T. oil 1 small onion, sliced 2 C. mushrooms 1/2 C. beef broth

Heidi Allaman

2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
 

Brown steaks in large skillet. Add onions and mushrooms. Cook until vegetables are tender and meat has reached desired doneness, stirring occasionally. Remove meat. Combine broth, mustard, Worchestershire sauce, thyme and garlic powder. Stir. Bring to a boil. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon over meat.

OYSTER DRESSING 1 (12 oz.) can oysters Onion, chopped Dash of salt Dash of sage

Barb Addleman

1 bag bread
1/2 stalk celery, chopped
Broth
 

Mix together. Add enough broth to keep mixture moist. Bake with meat.

WHITE CAKE WITH TOPPING Duncan Hines white cake mix 12 oz. pina colada mix 1 can Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

Estelle Barnes

1 (8 oz.) Cool Whip
1 can coconut
 

Bake white cake mix according to directions. While still warm, make holes in it with wooden spoon handle. Pour over the cake the pina colada mix and sweetened condensed milk. Refrigerate overnight. Before serving, spread Cool Whip and coconut over it.

22 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING NOVEMBER 1999

The cookbook of the Saluki Gourmet Foundation, SIU-Carbondale is soft-backed, ring-bound and has 285 pages of recipes and menus. The book was written by Joyce Guyon, first lady of SlU's Carbondale campus, and most of the recipes were served during the nine years her husband served as chancellor.

ALL proceeds from the cookbook go for scholarships for food and nutrition students in the College of Agriculture. Order your copy from Saluki Gourmet Foundation, P.O. Box 552, Carbondale, Illinois 62903. The cookbook sells for $24.95, plus $1.75 sales tax and $2.25 for postage and handling or you can purchase the cookbook in a number of gift shops in Carbondale.

Saluki Gourmet, Carbondale

CASA PECAN SPREAD APPETIZER

1 (8-oz.) package cream   cheese, softened 2 tsp. milk 1 jar ( 2-1/2 oz.) sliced,   dried beef 1/4 C. finely chopped green   peppers

2 T dehydrated onion flakes
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 C. dairy sour cream
1/2 C. coarsely chopped pecans
1 tsp. margarine
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine softened cream cheese and milk, mixing well until well blended. Stir in dried beef, onion flakes, green peppers, and seasoning; mix well. Fold in sour cream. Spoon into 8" pie plate or small baking dish. Heat and crisp pecans in melted butter or margarine and salt. Sprinkle over cheese mixture. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Serve 8-10.

GREEN BEAN BUNDLES

2 lbs. fresh green beans, steamed crisp-tender 6 strips bacon, partially cooked

garlic salt to taste
4 T butter, melted
3 T packed light brown sugar

Gather 6-10 beans in bundles and wrap 1/2 piece of bacon around center of each bundle. Place bundles in baking dish. Sprinkle bundles with garlic salt. Pour melted butter over bundles. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until bacon is done. Serves 6. (Select the thinnest, most tender beans, bright green and crisp).

SPINACH SALAD WITH MUSTARD-BACON DRESSING

1 lb. bacon 1 C. mayonnaise 1 small onion, finely grated 1/4 C. vegetable oil 1/4 C. red wine vinegar 3 T sugar 1 T Dijon mustard

salt and freshly ground pepper
2 lbs. spinach, stemmed, torn into pieces
1-1/2 lbs. mushrooms, sliced
6 hard-cooked eggs, chilled,
   shelled, diced
1/2 C. freshly grated Parmesan
  cheese

Cook bacon in heavy large skillet until crisp. Drain on paper towels; reserve 3 T drippings for dressing. Crumble crisp bacon.
Dressing: Combine mayonnaise and next five ingredients in small bowl. Mix in reserved bacon drippings. Season with salt and pepper. Combine spinach, mushrooms and eggs in large bowl. Toss with dressing. Sprinkle with bacon and Parmesan cheese. Serves 12.

GRILLED BEEF TENDERLOIN WITH HORSERADISH CREME

Seasoning Mixture: 3/4 C. soy sauce 1/2 C. sugar 1/2 C. toasted sesame seed, crushed 1/4 C. vegetable oil 1/4 C. flour 2 scallions, sliced 1-2 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 tsp. ground pepper

 
3-4 lbs. beef tenderloin,
  cut into fillets
  

Creme:
1. C. sour cream
3 T Dijon mustard
2 T horseradish

Combine seasoning ingredients. 15 minutes before grilling, spread mixture on fillets. Grill to desired doneness. Serves 6.
Creme — Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 1 cup.

CRUNCHY PEACH COBBLER

Pastry for double pie crust 5 C. sliced peaches 1 C.sugar 1/4 C. water 3 T flour

1/4 C.sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. almond flavoring
butter
  

Roll half of the pastry very thin and line a 2" deep baking dish. Roll and cut the other half into strips. Bake half the strips on a cookie sheet in a 375° oven until brown. Put fruit, 1 C. sugar and water in a saucepan; cook until fruit is soft. Mix flour, sugar, and salt; add to fruit.

NOVEMBER 1999 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 23