Illinois Finest Cooking

Photos by Catrina McCulley

Creamy Vegetable Cheese Soup
Janice Sharkey

1 (10-oz.) pkg. mixed vegetables 1 (10-oz.) pkg. chopped broccoli 2 lbs. frozen hash browns 1 C. minced onion 6 chicken bullion cubes 6 C. water 2 C. milk 2 cans cream of chicken soup 1 lb. Velveeta cheese

Mix and simmer mixed vegetables, broccoli, hash brown, onions, chicken bullion and water for 30 minutes. In a different pan, mix and stir over medium heat, milk, chicken soup and cheese until the cheese is fully melted. Add cheese mix to vegetables. Salt and pepper to taste.

Cheese-Garlic Biscuits
Jean Rieckenberg

1 C. Bisquick 2/3 C. milk 1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese 1/2 C. butter, melted 1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Mix Bisquick, milk and cheese together until a soft dough terms. Drop by table-spoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Rake 8-10 minutes at 400° until golden brown- Mix butter and garlic together. Brushh over warm biscuits.

The Gottlieb Rathert family submits their 60th reunion cookbook to be featured. The book is soft-backed and comb/bound and contains 256 pages of delicious recipes. The book sells for $10, plus $2.75 postage. To order, contact Kathy Rathert at PO Box 64, Ava, IL 62907, or call her at (618) 426-3530.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball
Danielle Rodewald

3/4 C. mini chocolate chips 1 (8-oz.) cream cheese, softened 1/2 C. butter 1/4 tsp. vanilla 3/4 C. powdered sugar 3/4 C. brown sugar Chopped pecans

Cream together cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Add sugars and chocolate chips and mix- Refrigerate for 2 hours. Roll into 2 balls. Return to the refrigerator for 1 additional hour. Roll in chopped pecans. Serve with graham crackers and/or vanilla wafers. Very rich. If you make this low fat, the results will be more of a dipping consistency than a firm ball.

22 | ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING | www.icl.coop

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies
Debbie Ward

1 roll refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough 48 miniature peanut butter cups

Cut dough into 1/4-inch slices. Press slices into a mini muffin pan- Press peanut butter cup into each cookie. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.

Baked Chicken Salad

2 (6-oz.) cans boned chicken 1 C. macaroni (cooked and drained) 1 C. celery, diced 2 T. onion, minced 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 1 T. wine vinegar 1/2 C. pecans, broken 3 hard-cooked eggs, chopped 3/4 C. potato chips, crushed 3/4 C. mayonnaise or salad dressing 1 C. condensed cream of chicken soup

Put all ingredients except mayonnaise and soup into a large bowl; mix gently. Add mayonnaise and soup and toss just until mixed. Turn into a buttered 2-quart casserole. Bake in a 350° oven 30-35 minutes or until heated throughout. Serves 8.

Southern Pound Cake
Betty Bareither

1 C. butter, softened 3 C.sugar 3 C. flour 1/4 tsp. baking soda 6 lg. Eggs 1 (8-oz.) ctn. sour cream 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat butter until creamy. Add sugar; combine flour, baking soda, and add to cake mixture. Separate eggs. Add yolks to batter. Stir in sour cream. Beat egg whites until stiff and stir into batter. Spoon batter into a 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 300° for 2 hours. Can be baked in two 9x5x3-inch loaf pans at 300° for 1-1/2 hours.

Illinois Country Cooks Cookbook Sale!!! For a limited time, you can purchase our wonderful cookbook for the discounted price of $12. We will even ship it for free. That's a savings of nearly $6. Make sure you get one while supplies last. They make wonderful gifts. If you would like a copy, send a check for $12 for Culley, PO Box 3787, Springfield, IL 62708.

MARCH 2004 | www.aiec.coop | 23