Illinois'
FINEST COOKING

A collection of almost 400 recipes was collected by the St. Matthew Lutheran Church's Dorcas/LWML of Brussels, IL, to create their 1997 cookbook. It is a three-ring hardback binder and sells for $10 plus $3 postage. Order from Carol Sue Carnes, HC82 Box 145, Brussels. IL 62013 or telephone her at (618) 883-2333.

The Clay City United Methodist Church of Clay City, IL, prepared the 1997 cookbook to raise funds for a building addition and remodeling project. The cookbook is spiral-bound, soft-backed and has 174 pages of recipes. To purchase, write to Cathy Croy, RR 1 Box 380, Clay City, IL 62824 or call her at (618) 676-1967. The cost of the cookbook is $8 plus $2.50 for postage.

St Matthew Lutheran Church, Brussels

ALFREDO SAUCE
Mary Murphy

1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese 1/2 C. milk 1/4 C. Parmesan cheese

Garlic powder
1/4 C. butter
 

Put cream cheese, milk and butter into saucepan on medium heat until melted. Add Parmesan cheese; stir with wire whisk. Add garlic powder to taste.

TACO SEASONING MIX
Brenda Scarbeary

1/4 C. dried minced onion   flakes 4 tsp. cornstarch 4 T. chili powder 3 tsp. cumin (may use less)

3 tsp. dried minced garlic
3 tsp. hot crushed red peppers
  (may use less)
2 tsp. beef bouillon, crushed
1 1/2 tsp. oregano

Mix together and store in a covered jar; two tablespoons equals one package of commercial taco seasoning mix.

BOSTON LITE CLAM CHOWDER
Cyndi Axford

4 slices bacon 1 med. onion, chopped 2 (8-oz.) bottles clam juice 4-5 med. potatoes, diced 3 (6 1/2-oz.) cans minced   clams, undrained

2 T. oleo
1 tsp. pepper
2 C. 2% milk
1/2 C. light cream or nondairy
  creamer
2 T. cornstarch

Saute bacon; add onion and cook until tender (about 5 minutes). Add clam juice; increase heat and add potatoes and undrained clams. Cook slowly until potatoes are done (10 to 15 minutes). Add oleo, pepper, milk and cream. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 to 3 T. milk; add slowly to hot mixture to thicken.

LOW FAT BEEF PASTA SOUP
Carol Sue Carnes

3/4 lb. (lean) ground round 1 C. chopped onion 3 C. cooked elbow macaroni 2 cans beef broth

1 (15-oz.) can red kidney
  beans, drained and rinsed
1 (26-oz.) can or jar low-fat
  pasta sauce

Coat Dutch oven with cooking spray; place over medium heat until hot. Add meat and onion. Cook until browned, stirring until meat crumbles. Drain in colander; rinse with warm water. Return to Dutch oven; add cooked pasta, beef broth, pasta sauce and drained kidney beans. Cook until thoroughly heated.

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS
Lynette Dawdy

1 (8-oz.) white button    mushrooms

1 stick butter or margarine
Salt

Wash mushrooms and put in saucepan with 1 stick butter (use margarine for lower cholesterol). Add about one inch of water. Place over medium to high heat. Add a dash of salt. Let: cook down for about an hour. Mushrooms will be dark gray and a hole will appear in bottom of stem when they are done. Add salt along the way as they are cooking; add to taste only. (Better than steakhouse mushrooms).

PARTY PUNCH
Mary Kay Wienefce

1 (46-oz.) can orange juice 1 (46-oz.) can pineapple juice

1/2 C. sugar
 

Pour juices in gallon ice cream bucket. Stir in sugar and place in freezer. When ready to use, thaw to slush stage. Add ginger ale just before serving.

22 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING SEPTEMBER 1998

JEWISH COFFEECAKE
Mildred Seiferman

1 pkg. yellow cake mix 1 sm. pkg. instant vanilla    or coconut cream pudding

4 eggs
1/2 C. oil
1 C. sour cream
Dash of salt

Sugar Mixture:

2/3 C. sugar 2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 C. chopped nuts
 

Mix cake mix, pudding, eggs, sour cream, oil and salt. Beat for 2 to 3 minutes. Grease and flour tube pan. Pour half of batter in pan. Sprinkle with half of sugar mixture. Then balance of batter on top and sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

CREAM PUFF CAKE
Sarah Kinder

1 C. water 1 stick oleo 1 C. flour 4 eggs 3 (4-serving size) fat-free   instant vanilla pudding

1 (8-oz.) fat-free cream cheese,
  softened
1 (8-oz.) Lite Cool Whip,
  thawed
4 C. 2% milk
Chocolate syrup

Pour water into saucepan. Add oleo. Bring to a boil. Add flour; stir until well mixed. Remove from heat; let cool 2 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time; mix well after each addition. Spread mixture in greased 9x13-inch baking dish. Bake at 400° for 30 to 35 minutes (watch carefully, do not overbake). Let cool. Combine pudding mix, milk and cream cheese; mix thoroughly. Pour mixture into cooled crust. Cover with whipped topping. Keep refrigerated. Just before serving, drizzle with chocolate syrup.

Clay City United Methodist Church

AUTUMN'S APPLE SALAD
Leone Taylor

1 can (20-oz.) crushed   pineapple (undrained) 2/3 C. sugar 1 pkg. lemon Jell-O 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese 1 C. whipped topping

1 C. chopped unpeeled apples
  (red ones make prettiest salad)
1/2 C. chopped nuts
1 C. chopped celery
  
 

Boil pineapple and sugar for 3 minutes. Add jello and stir until mixed, add cream cheese. Let cool. Add apples, nuts, celery, and topping. Chill until firm in medium size glass baking dish.

LA PETITE PORK ROAST
Mary Rosborough

Roast:

1 1/2 to 2 lb. pork loin    sirloin roast 2 T. soy sauce 1/4 tsp. dry mustard

2 T. fennel seed
2 T. caraway seed
1 recipe of Mustard Sauce
 

Trim excess fat from roast. Stir soy sauce and mustard together. Using fingers, rub the mixture over all the roast. Combine seeds, spread out on waxed paper. Roll roast in seeds to coat. Wrap and chill two hours or overnight. Next, unwrap roast, place fat side up Verna Murbarger on a rack in shallow roasting pan. Roast uncovered in 325° oven for 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Serve with sweet potatoes and Mustard Sauce.

Mustard Sauce:

1/4 C. water 2 T. dry mustard 1 tsp. cornstarch

3 T. corn syrup
1 T. vinegar
 

Combine all these ingredients in small saucepan and cook until thick. Serve over pork roast.

HOT BUTTER DIPS

Melt 1/3 C. butter in 9x13-inch pan. As soon as butter is melted sift following ingredients.

2 1/4 C. sifted Gold Medal   flour 1 T sugar

3 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. milk

Stir slowly with fork until dough just clings together (about 30 strokes). Turn on well-floured board. Roll over to coat with flour. Knead lightly about 10 times. Roll out 1/2-inch thick into a rectangle. With a floured knife cut dough in half lengthwise then crosswise into 16 strips. Dip each strip in butter (in pan) on both sides, lay close together in two rows in pan. Bake in 450° oven for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

DIET LASAGNA
Lucylle Owen

1 lb. ground round beef 1/4 C. chopped onion 1 (8-oz.) can tomato puree 1/2 tsp. basil 1 tsp. parsley 1 tsp. oregano 1 tsp. garlic salt

dash pepper
1 (4-oz.) can mushrooms,
   drained
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, cut in
  strips
1 (10-oz.) pkg. frozen chopped
  spinach
6 oz. cottage cheese

Saute beef and onions. Drain off fat. Add puree, basil, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper and mushrooms. Thaw spinach and squeeze out water. Combine spinach and cottage cheese. In 9-inch square or 7x11-inch dish, arrange in layers: spinach mixture, meat mixture and cheese. Repeat, ending with cheese on top. Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes.

ICED BARS
Brad Weidner

1 box yellow cake mix 2 eggs, beaten 1 stick margarine 1/2 C. chopped pecans 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese

2 eggs, beaten
1 lb. powdered sugar
1/2 C. chopped pecans
1 (6-oz.) pkg. chocolate chips
 

Mix together cake mix, 2 eggs and margarine, pat in 9x13-2-inch pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle 1/2 C. pecans and chocolate chips on top of crust in pan. Beat cream cheese, 2 eggs, powdered sugar, and 1/2 C. chopped nuts together and pour over top of all. Bake 45 to 50 minutes at 350°. (Recipe comes from a famous department store).

CARAMEL FROSTING
June Padgett

1 stick oleo, melted 1 C. light brown sugar 1/4 C. milk

1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C. sifted confectioner's
  sugar

Combine melted oleo and brown sugar. Bring to boil for one minute. Add milk, and let cool slightly. Add vanilla and sifted confectioner's sugar.

SEPTEMBER 1998 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 23