Illinois'
FINEST COOKING

The Women's Council of the First Presbyterian Church of Cobden created a cookbook as a fund raiser to help celebrate the church's 125th anniversary. The cookbook is spiral bound, soft-backed and has 105 pages of favorite recipes of members and former members. To order, contact Donna Budelsky, 225 Kerr Canyon Road, Cobden, IL 62920 or call her at (618) 893-4355. The cookbook sells for $7 plus $3 postage.

The Illinois Breeders Pygmy Goat Club in Camargo, Illinois shares its 1998 cookbook which features "udderly" delicious recipes. The cookbook is soft-backed, spiral-bound and has 66 pages of recipes. To order, contact Linda Nees, RR 1 Box 32A, Edgewood, IL 62426, or call her at (618) 238-4516. The cookbook sells for $6 plus $2 postage.

Cobden Presbyterian Church

PUNCH FOR 100 1 lg. can pineapple juice 1 qt. fresh orange juice 1 qt. fresh lemon juice 1 qt. fresh lime juice

Ruth Parks

1 qt. sugar syrup (2 C. water
  and 2 C. sugar cooked
  together until clear)
Bottles of ginger ale
Ice

Mix fruit juices in a large kettle. For each full punch howl, use 4 C. mixed fruit juice, 1 C. sugar syrup, 1 to 2 qts. ice water and 1 qt. ginger ale.

CURRIED CHICKEN SALAD 1 tsp. curry powder 2 C. plain yogurt 2 C. chicken, cook and   cubed

Esther Mary Ayers

2 Granny Smith apples
  unpeeled, cored and cubed
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1/2 C. nuts, chopped (pecans
  or almonds)

Mix yogurt and curry powder. Mix chicken, apples and celery. Add yogurt dressing, stirring well. Pour into 8x8-inch pan. Smooth out. Top with nuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

HAWAIIAN BREAD 1 pkg. yellow cake mix 5 C. flour 4 pkg. yeast

Sue Ella Rich

1-1/4 C. pineapple juice
1-1/4 C. hot water
 

Mix cake mix, flour and yeast. Add warm pineapple juice and hot water; mix and let rise. Knead slightly. Divide into 3 balls (can be made into hot rolls or cinnamon rolls). Let rise. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes for hot rolls, 15 to 20 minutes longer for bread loaves. Makes 3 loaves.

BAKED PARMESAN CHICKEN 1/4 C. dry bread crumbs 2 T. grated Parmesan cheese 1 T. parsley flakes 1/8 tsp. lemon pepper

Judy Gray

1/8 tsp. thyme
3 T. oleo
6 frozen (thawed) skinless,
  boneless chicken breasts

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine bread crumbs, cheese and seasonings in shallow dish. Dip chicken breasts in crumb mixture, coating both sides. Melt oleo in 9xl2-inch baking dish. Add chicken, turning to coat both sides with oleo. Bake uncovered for 1 hour.

CHICKEN AND BROCCOLI ALFREDO 6-oz. uncooked fettuccine 1 C. broccoli florets 1 T. butter or margarine 2 skinless, boneless chicken   breast halves, cubed

Jennifer L. Burke

1 (10-3/4 oz.) can cream of
  mushroom soup
1/2 C. milk
1/3 C. grated Parmesan cheese
 

Prepare fettuccine according to package directions. Add broccoli for last 4 minutes of cooking time. Drain in colander. In skillet, over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add chicken and cook until browned, stirring often. Add soup, milk, cheese and fettuccine mixture and cook through, stirring occasionally. Serves 4.

BATTER FOR ONION RINGS 2 T. cooking oil 1 T. sugar 1 egg

Grace Brusco

1 C. milk
Flour as needed

 

Mix above with as much flour as needed. Dip onion rings in batter and fry in cooking oil.

22 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING MAY 2000

RED DEVILS FOOD CHOCOLATE CAKE 2 C. sugar 3/4 C. butter 2 eggs 1 C. sour milk 1 tsp. vanilla Bea 2-1/2C. flour 2 tsp. soda 1 tsp. salt 3/4 C. cocoa 1 C. boiling water

Cream butter and sugar. Add unbeaten eggs one at a time. Combine dry ingredients and add alternately with sour milk. Add boiling water. If you do not have sour milk, add 2 T. of vinegar to 1 C. of milk. Bake in greased and floured 8xl3-inch pan. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Do not overbake. Cake should be very moist.

Illinois Breeders Pygmy Goat Club, Camargo

DERKEY'S CHICKEN 4 chicken breasts, slightly frozen 4 T. butter 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Paula Barnes, Heidi Wolinski

French-fried onion rings, crushed
Parsley
Parmesan cheese
 

Combine the butter and Worcestershire sauce. Roll chicken beasts in mixture of the onion rings, parsley and Parmesan cheese. Bake in 350° oven for 1 hour.

SPINACH TORTE 2 pkg. spinach, thawed, squeezed and drained 1 small pkg. Hidden Valley   Ranch (dry) 1 small can water chestnuts,   chopped

Nancy Simpson

1 pkg. (8 to 10) Torties
1 C. sour cream
1 C. mayonnaise
1/2 C. real Hormel bacon bits
 
 

Combine ingredients and spread a thin layer of mixture on each Tortie and stack. Cut into finger sandwiches.

GREEN BEANS AU GRATIN 4 T. butter, melted and    divided 2 T. flour 1 C. sour cream 1 tsp. minced dried onion 1 tsp. sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper

Bobbie Montgomery

3 (16-oz.) cans French style
  green beans, drained
1 C. freshly shredded Parmesan
   cheese
1-1/2 C. butter flavored cracker
  crumbs
2 tsp. sesame seeds
  

Preheat oven to 350°. In medium bowl, combine 2 T. melted butter and flour. Add sour cream, onion, sugar, salt, pepper and stir well. Stir in green beans. Pour in greased 7x11-inch baking dish. Sprinkle cheese on top. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs, 2 T. butter and sesame seeds. Sprinkle over cheese. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until golden brown. Makes 8 servings.

Tips for cooking with onions Yellow onions turn a rich, dark brown when cooked and give French Onion Soup its tangy sweet flavor. White onions are the traditional onion used in classic Mexican cusine. They have a golden color and sweet flavor when sauteed. The red onion is a good choice for fresh use or in grilling and charbroiling.

STUFFED MUSHROOM    FLANK STEAK 1-1/2 to 2 lb. beef flank steak Salt Pepper 8-oz. fresh mushrooms,   sliced

Joyce Matich,
  Eydie Olson

2 green onions, sliced thin
4 T. butter, divided
1/2 C. soft bread crumbs
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
String

Preheat oven to 425°. Pound steak to 1/4-inch thickness (12x8-inch rectangle). Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Cook mushrooms and onions in 2 T. butter until tender. Stir in bread crumbs. Spread mushroom mixture over steak to within 1 inch of edge. Roll up steak from short side; place seam side down. Tie with string. Place on rack in roasting pan. In a small pan, melt 2 T butter and Worcestershire sauce to brush over meat roll. Bake 45 to 60 minutes. Baste frequently.

MACARONI AND VEGGIE SALAD 3 C. cooked fancy macaroni   (Wacky Macs) 1 C. chopped green or red   pepper 1 C. chopped onion Dressing: 1 C.sugar 2 T. water

Peggy White

1 C. chopped celery
1 bag mixed vegetables (1/2-bag
  Italian and 1/2-bag Fiesta
   Blend veggies) or your choice
 
 
1 C. vinegar
1 T. prepared mustard

Cook dressing 10 minutes after it starts to boil; cool. Bring the frozen mixed vegetables to a boil; cool and drain. Add dressing to the macaroni and vegetables and refrigerate. Best if made and chilled overnight.

SWEET-AS-SUN CORN BREAD 1 large egg 1/4 C. unsweetened coconut   milk 3 T. vegetable oil 1/2 C. milk 1/2 C. flour 3/4 C. corn meal

Teresa Sutton

3 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/3 C. golden raisins
1/3 C. grated coconut
 

Preheat oven to 425° and grease a 6-inch loaf or baking pan. In a medium-size bowl, beat the egg until golden, then add the coconut milk, oil, milk and flour. Stir until well mixed. In a large bowl, blend together the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients and stir until you've got a thick, smooth batter. Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake in the middle of the oven until golden on top, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cut into pieces and serve warm.

MAY 2000 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 23