Illinois'
FINEST COOKING

Zion United Church of Christ in Metropolis The Zion United Church of Christ in Metropolis submits its cookbook filled with 147 pages of wonderful recipes. The book is hard-backed and three-ring binder style and sells for $10 plus $2.50 postage. Profits from the book will be used for various charity programs. To order, contact Linda Adams, 2th Street, Metropolis, IL 62960, or call her at (618) 524-5292.

Mashed Potato Casserole    Dorothy Gragg

8 to 10 potatoes
5 T. butter
1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese
1 C. sour cream
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 or 2 T. chives Warm milk as needed
Paprika

Cook potatoes and mash. Add butter, softened cream cheese, sour cream, warm milk, garlic powder and chives, mix together. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. This can be made the day before and baked when ready to serve.

Potato Casserole    Mary Sundmadker

2 lbs. hash browns
2 cartons sour cream
2 cans mushroom soup
Med. onion
8-oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated

Topping:
1 stick butter
1 C. crushed corn flakes

Mix all ingredients together. Mix topping and put over potatoes and bake at 350° until brown.

Beef Taco Bake     Donna Stratmeyer

1 lb. ground beef
1 (10-3/4-oz.) can tomato soup
1 C. salsa
1/2 C. milk
6 flour tortillas or 8 corn tortillas, (6-8 in.), cut into 1-in. pieces
1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef until browned. Pour off fat. Add soup, salsa, milk, tortilla and half the cheese. Spoon into 2-quart shallow baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 35 minutes until hot. Sprinkle with remaining cheese

Chicken-Broccoli Casserole     Connie Hefner

3 C. cooked broccoli cuts
12-oz. chicken, cooked and cut into chunks
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
6 T. mayonnaise
2 chicken bouillon cubes
2 C. milk
2-1/2 T. flour
1/2 tsp. curry powder
6-oz. grated cheddar cheese
2 slices bread, crumbled
1 T. margarine

Layer broccoli in a 13X9-inch baking dish. Layer chicken on top of broccoli. Mix lemon juice, mayonnaise, bouillon cubes, milk, flour and curry powder in a saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until sauce thickens. Pour this sauce over broccoli and chicken. Next, add layer of cheese. Melt butter and pour over bread crumbs. Put this mixture on top as the last layer. Bake at 350' for 30 minutes.

Soup Burgers    Linda Walter

1 lb. hamburger
4 T. catsup
2 T. mustard
1 can vegetable soup

Brown ground beef and drain off fat. Add catsup, mustard and soup. Simmer for 5 minutes. Serve on hot rolls or hamburger buns.

Sausage-Onion Casserole     Judith Watson

1 C. shredded cheddar cheese
1 lb. sausage
1 C. chopped onion
1 C. chopped celery
2 C. rice
4 C. water
1 can mushroom soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can onion soup
1 soup can of milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice and water. Brown sausage, remove and saute onion and celery. Mix rice, sausage, onion, celery, milk and soups. Pour into 3-quart casserole dish. Bake at 350° until bubbly, then add cheese. Bake until it melts.

Evelyn's Blackberry Cake    Evelyn Mittendorf

3 eggs
1 C. butter
2 C. sugar
1 C. buttermilk
1 tsp. baking soda
3 C. flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. nutmeg
1 C. blackberries, drained

Icing:
2 T. flour
1 C. milk
1 stick butter
1/2 C. shortening
1 C. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Cream butter, eggs and sugar. Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk and pour into creamed mixture. Add well-drained berries, spices and flour. Mix well and bake at 350° for 40-60 minutes. Icing: Heat flour and milk to a thick paste. Cool and add butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla. Beat 8 minutes, put on cooled cake.

Whoopie Pies     Michelle Meinders

1 C. butter, softened
1-1/2 C. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
4 C. all-purpose flour
3/4 C. Dutch cocoa
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. water
1 C. buttermilk

Filling:
1 C. butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla
6 C. powdered sugar
2 T. milk

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs until well mixed. Combine dry ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with water and buttermilk. Batter should be smooth and goopy. Drop by heaping teaspoonful onto greased baking sheet. Leave and inch or so between as they will spread during baking. Bake at 375° for 5-7 minutes or until they lose their shine and look cake-like. Cool completely. Filling: Cream butter. Add remaining ingredients and beat until light and flurry. You may need to adjust milk and sugar for an easy spreading consistency. Spread on half of the cookies. Top with remaining cookies. Yields 25-30 cookies.

22 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING • MAY 2001

The Davis Memorial Christian Church of Taylorville The Davis Memorial Christian Church of Taylorville submits its cookbook filled with 144 pages of delicious recipes. The book is soft-backed and spiral bound and sells for $8 including postage. To order, contact Deb Jelley, 919 E. 1320 N. Road, Taylorville, IL 62568, or call her at (217) 824-3046.

Cranberry Salad     Wilma Tolle

2 (3-oz.) pkg. raspberry Jell-O
2 C. boiling water
1 (20-oz.) crushed pineapple, undrained
1 C. chopped nuts (save a few for top)
1 C. chopped celery
1 C. whole cranberry sauce

Topping:
1/2 C. sour cream
3-oz. cream cheese

Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Add pineapple (juice and all), nuts, celery and cranberry sauce. Pour into a 13X9X2-inch pan or 2-1/2 quart mold. Chill until firm. Topping: Combine sour cream and cream cheese; mix until soft. Spread over firm Jell-0. Sprinkle a few nuts on top.

Taco Soup     Sharon Manning

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 large chopped onion
3 (16-oz.) cans undrained
chili beans
1 (16-oz.) can undrained whole kernel corn
1 (16-oz.) can undrained chopped tomatoes
1 (15-oz.) can tomato sauce
1-1/2 C. water
1 (4-oz.) can green chilies
1 (1-1/4-oz.) pkg. taco seasoning mix
1 (1-oz.) env. Ranch style salad dressing mix

Toppings:
Tortilla chips
Shredded cheese
Shredded lettuce
Chopped tomatoes
Sour cream
Chopped avocado

Brown and drain meat. Add other ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Serve with desired toppings. This soup may be frozen.

Low Fat Italian Chicken Soup    Shelley Carlen

2 tsp. oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 C. chopped onion
1/4 C. chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 C. water
1 (10-oz.) can condensed chicken broth
1 (14-oz.) can sliced stewed tomatoes (undrained)
1 C. frozen corn
1-oz. (1/3 C.) uncooked vermicelli, broken into 2-inch lengths
2 T. grated Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan, stir-fry chicken pieces in hot oil until lightly browned. Add onion, celery and garlic; cook and stir until vegetables are crisp-tender. Stir in basil, pepper, water, broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in corn and vermicelli. Cover; simmer 10 minutes, or until thoroughly heated and vermicelli is tender. Garnish each serving with Parmesan cheese.

Pizza Cups     Kathy Satterlee

3/4 lb. ground beef
1 (6-oz.) can tomato paste
1 T. instant minced onion
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1 (10-oz.) can refrigerated biscuits
1/2 to 3/4 C. shredded Mozzarella cheese

Brown and drain beef. Stir in tomato paste, onion and seasonings. (Mixture will be thick.) Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Place biscuits in a greased muffin tin, pressing to cover bottom and sides. Spoon about 1/4 C. of meat mixture into biscuit lined cups and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 12 pizza cups.

Party Casserole     Earlyne Keel

1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. dry onion soup mix
1 can mushroom soup
1 soup can of water
1 can whole kernel corn
1 can chow mein noodles
1 sm. can pitted ripe olives, sliced

Combine soups and water in casserole, then add corn, noodles, olives and meat. Mix thoroughly. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.

Turtle Cake     Margaret Crawford

1 German chocolate cake mix
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1 jar caramel topping
1 small container whipped topping
2 Heath bars, crushed

Bake cake according to directions. When cool, punch top with fork. Layer top of cake as follows, Eagle Brand milk, caramel topping, whipped topping, and finish by sprinkling top with Heath pieces. Refrigerate.

Peanut Butter Pie     Mary Dooley

2 C. whipped topping
1/2 C. sugar
3/4 C. peanut butter
8-oz. lite cream cheese Graham cracker crust

Blend sugar and cream cheese. Add peanut butter; blend until smooth. Fold in 1/2 whipped topping and top with remaining whipped topping.

Correction: Last month we printed a recipe called "Drumstick Dessert" that called for four eggs, but the recipe did not stipulate that the eggs needed to be pasteurized. Fortunately, some of you caught the error and brought it to our attention. You can still make this dessert, by either buying pasteurized eggs at the grocery store, or by pasteurizing them yourself. To pasteurize eggs, crack them into a bowl and vigorously beat them. Next, heat the egg mixture gently and use a thermometer to make sure the temperature reaches 160 F (the mixture should coat a metal spoon.). Egg substitute, which is pasteurized, can be used in this recipe instead of eggs, but shouldn't be used by people who have weak immune systems. We apologize for our oversight. Because of the threat of Salmonella bacteria, it is unwise to use unpasteurized, raw eggs in any recipe. For more information about eggs, log on to www.ssis.usda.gov/OA/pubs/eggs.pdf

WANTED: A Few Good Recipes Calling all cooks! Illinois Country Living needs your help. Send us your favorite recipe and it could be used in the Illinois Country Living cookbook - Coming soon to a kitchen near you! Send recipes to: Catrina McCulley Young, Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfield, IL 62708. Or e-mail them to mcculley@aiec.org. Please make sure recipes are either typed or printed neatly. Please include your name and phone number in case we need to contact you.

MAY 2001 • ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 23