Recipe Swap: Recipes from all over the country to your table

At the Senior Center several of us are always swapping cookbooks to read and try recipes. Recently I read through "The Best of Country Cooks." It is a collection of recipes from all over the country sent in by household cooks. I found several of the recipes interesting and have placed them on my list to try. One nice thing about this type of cookbook is that there are usually comments from the contributor about what they serve as side dishes, when they serve the dish for their family or how it plays into traditions within that family. I hope you enjoy these that I have pulled from that book for you.

French Onion Bread

2 packages active dry yeast

1 cup warm water, 110 to 115 degrees

5 1/4 to 5 3/4 cups flour, divided

4 tablespoons sugar, divided

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups hot water, 120 to 130 degrees

1 envelope French onion soup mix

3 tablespoons shortening

In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add 1/2 cup flour, 2 tablespoons sugar and salt. Beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. In a small bowl, combine hot water, soup mix, shortening and remaining sugar. Cool to 115 degrees. Add yeast mixture with 2 cups flour. Mix for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch the dough down and divide into thirds. Shape into loaves. Place in three greased 8-by-4-by-2-inch loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks. Yields 3 loaves.

Nutmeg Bread

1/2 cup margarine, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

2 cups flour

1 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

In a mixing bowl, cream margarine and sugar. Add egg, mix well. Combine the flour, nutmeg, baking powder and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Pour into a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan that has been coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Yields 1 loaf.

Sloppy Joe Burgers

1 pound ground beef

2 tablespoons flour

1 can condensed French onion soup, undiluted

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

6 hamburger buns, split and toasted

In a skillet, brown the beef. Drain. Stir in flour, soup and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil and stir for 2 minutes. Serve on buns. Yields 6 servings.

Sicilian Meat Roll

2 eggs

1/2 cup tomato juice

3/4 teaspoon dried oregano

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 pounds ground beef

3/4 cup soft bread crumbs

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

8 thin slices fully cooked ham

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

3 thin slices mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl, combine eggs, tomato juice, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. Add beef, bread crumbs and parsley. Mix well. On a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, pat the meat mixture into a 12-by-10-inch rectangle. Place the ham and shredded cheese on loaf to within 1/2-inch of edges. Roll up, jelly-roll style, beginning with the short end and peeling foil away while rolling. Place on a greased baking pan with seam side down. Seal ends. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Top with sliced cheese. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Yield 8 servings.

Tropical Pork Chops

1/3 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons prepared mustard

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce

1/8 teaspoon garlic salt

1/8 teaspoon onion salt

Dash cayenne pepper

4 boneless pork loin chops

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/3 cup water

1/4 cup pineapple tidbits

Hot cooked rice

In a saucepan, combine the first eight ingredients. Cover and simmer until sugar is dissolved, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Set aside. Season pork chops with salt and pepper. In a skillet, cook pork, onion and garlic in oil until meat is browned. Add water and reserved sauce. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 20 to 25 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink, adding more water if needed. Stir in pineapple and heat through. Serve over hot cooked rice. Yields 4 servings.

Have a wonderful week, and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by Southeast Missourian staff.