Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and we have so much to be thankful for. Family, health, friends, employment -- the list could go on forever. In this season of thanks, take time to stop and think upon those things which we are given so freely.

Many of you know I always love to get a new cookbook, and all of today's recipes are from the Cape County Cowboy Church cookbook.

My neighbor attends this church, and she made sure I got a copy of this wonderful book. With more than 700 recipes, it seemed impossible to choose a few to share with you.

So I decided to pull out recipes that could be used for Thanksgiving and over the weekend. I could have chosen many more, but I ran out of space before I ran out of book. Enjoy these recipes and be sure to get a copy of this book. It is wonderful and would make a great gift.

Barbecued Pecans

Submitted by Nancy Wilson

4 cups whole pecans

1/2 stick butter or margarine

4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Melt the butter over low heat, add seasonings, stir and mix with nuts. Spread on a cookie sheet. Bake at 250 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes until nuts have a brown, toasted appearance.

Cowboy Stew

Submitted by Paula Suzuki

1 pound ground beef

1 can whole kernel sweet corn

8 ounces Ortega salsa

1 can chili beans

1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies

1 pound Velveeta cheese

1 bag Frito scoops chips

Brown ground beef and drain. Melt Velveeta cheese and add corn, Ortega salsa, chili beans, and Rotel tomatoes. Eat with Frito chips. Keep hot in crock pot.

Cranberry-Jalapeno Relish

Submitted by Mary Aldredge

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 (12-ounce) package cranberries

2 jalapenos, fresh, seeded and finely chopped

1 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 to 3 green onions, sliced

1 tablespoon lime juice, fresh

Combine water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add cranberries. Return to a boil; cook 10 minutes without stirring. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool. Add remaining ingredients and mix lightly. Refrigerate. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Serves 8. This relish is best when made a day ahead of time to allow the flavors to blend together and the heat from the jalapeno to mellow.

Mom's Sweet Potato Casserole

Submitted by Lisa Mills

2 cans sweet potatoes

1/3 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons flour

1 cup chopped pecans

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup flour

1 cup brown sugar

Bottom layer: Mix first seven ingredients well, using a mixer, pour into greased baking dish. Topping: Mix the last four ingredients, spread over potato mixture (topping will be thick). Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

Cranberry Fluff

Submitted by Mable Henson

2 cups ground raw fresh cranberries

3 cups small marshmallows

2 cups apples, tart, unpeeled and diced

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1 cup seedless green grapes

1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine cranberries, sugar and marshmallows. Cover and chill overnight. Add apples, grapes, nuts and salt. Fold in whipped cream. Chill. Turn into serving bowl or spoon into lettuce cups. Makes 8 to 10 servings. One pound of cranberries makes 2 cups.

Cream Corn and Turkey Soup

Submitted by Jane Perry

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons butter

4 ounces cream cheese

1 can creamed corn

2 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup milk

2 cups shredded cooked turkey

Cook onion in butter until tender. Add cream cheese until melted. Add remaining ingredients and heat through. Great soup for after Thanksgiving with leftover turkey.

Easy Refrigerator Rolls

Submitted by Margaret Million

2 cups warm water

2 packages yeast

1/2 cup sugar

6 1/2 to 7 cups flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 egg

1/2 cup soft shortening

Dissolve yeast in water in large bowl. Add sugar, salt and half the flour. Mix thoroughly for 2 minutes. Add egg and shortening. Add remaining flour. Cover with damp cloth and place in refrigerator. Let rise about 2 hours, then punch down. Shape into balls and place on ungreased baking sheet. Let rise until doubled in size. Heat oven to 400 degrees and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. When done, brush with butter on top. Makes about 4 dozen rolls. Put unused dough back in refrigerator.

Bucher's Southern Pecan Pie

Submitted by Dave and Jean Bucher

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 tablespoons cold water, divided

For the filling:

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 cup light corn syrup

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Drizzle oil into flour mixture; toss with fork. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut mixture until coarse crumbs form. Gradually add 3 tablespoons of water, stirring until dough can be gathered into a ball (add remaining water, if necessary). Press into a disc, wrap in wax paper and freeze for 20 minutes. To prepare filling, in a medium bowl whisk sugar and eggs. Whisk in corn syrup, butter and vanilla. Stir in pecans. Roll dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper to a 12-inch circle. Remove top sheet, turn dough on a 9-inch pie plate and remove other sheet. Trim the excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang, fold edge under and crimp. Pour filling into crust, bake until set and crust is golden, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone, and may you enjoy the day with friends and family with plenty of great food to enjoy.

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.