Every now and then I need to clean up some loose ends with mail and recipes that readers have passed along to me. There is no particular theme to today's column, which I like to do occasionally to mix things up. It is fun to see what people send in and where they come from. If you have a favorite recipe you would be willing to share, send it in so other readers can try it as well.

Gazpacho Soup

Linda Stevenson-Green sent me this recipe, saying the soup stores great in a thermos for picnics or float trips.

3 cups tomato juice or regular V8 juice

2 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

1 bell pepper of any color (green, yellow, purple, red or green)

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon honey

1 lemon or lime, juiced

1 cup red wine (or substitute tomato juice or regular V8 juice)

2 tablespoons wine vinegar

2 tablespoons olive oil

Dash of ground cumin

Dash of Tabasco sauce

Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

1 medium onion, minced

2 scallions, chopped, including most of the green part

1/4 cup freshly minced parsley (or a combination of parsley, basil, mint, tarragon and chervil) or 1/2 teaspoons dried basil and tarragon

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix until well-blended. All ingredients can be pureed in a blender or food processor or, serve juiceless layered in a clear glass bowl. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

Cherry Ice Cream Pie

3 cups reduced-fat vanilla ice cream, softened

11/4 cups chopped pitted fresh or frozen cherries, divided

1 9-inch chocolate-cookie pie crust

2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips

Gently combine ice cream and 1 cup cherries in a large bowl. Transfer to the crust and garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup cherries and chocolate chips. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

Cherry-Vanilla Bean Milkshake

1 (10-ounce) bag frozen pitted cherries (about 2 1/4 cups)

1 cup reduced-fat "light" vanilla ice cream

1 cup nonfat milk

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place cherries, ice cream and milk in a blender. With the tip of a sharp knife, scrape all the black paste from inside the vanilla bean into the blender (or add vanilla extract); blend until smooth. Stop and stir once or twice if necessary to completely blend.

Zucchini and Swiss Pie

1 cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 of a 20-ounce package refrigerated shredded hash brown potatoes (about 3 cups)

2 medium zucchini, thinly sliced (2 1/2 cups)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cooking oil

3 ounces sliced reduced-fat Swiss cheese

1/4 cup skim milk

2 teaspoons snipped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl combine 1/4 cup of the egg product, onion and Parmesan cheese. Stir in potatoes. Transfer mixture to a greased 9-inch pie plate. Pat mixture into the bottom and up the sides. Bake, uncovered, in a 400 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet cook zucchini and garlic in hot oil until zucchini is crisp-tender. Cool slightly. Place cheese slices in bottom of crust, tearing to fit. Arrange zucchini mixture over cheese.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 3/4 cup egg product, milk, oregano, pepper and salt. Pour over the zucchini mixture in crust. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until filling appears set when gently shaken. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Runza Burritos International

A bunch of chopped cabbage and onions give these burritos a bit of German flavor.

1 1/2 pounds ground round

1/2 medium head cabbage, chopped

1 1/2 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup water

8 (10-inch) flour tortillas

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (reduced fat)

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the ground beef. Cook and stir until the beef is crumbly, evenly browned, and no longer pink. Drain and discard any excess grease. Stir in the cabbage, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, black pepper and water. Cook and stir until the vegetables are tender and the water has cooked away, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the tortillas one at a time in a large skillet over medium heat until pliable. Place a tortilla onto your work surface, then spoon some of the filling halfway between the bottom edge and the center of the tortilla. Flatten the filling into rectangle shape with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese over the filling. Fold the bottom of the tortilla snugly over the filling, then fold in the left and right edges. Roll the burrito up to the top edge, forming a tight cylinder. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Yields 8 servings.

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

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at news@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.