Last week I shared with you about our long bout with the flu and a plastic bead in the nose of our 4-year-old. One week later the flu is being passed from person to person in my family. I decided to have two of my sisters and my parents over for dinner, and days later we were all infected and sick. As for the plastic bead in the nose, our great ear, nose and throat doctor did not find it, so it's anyone's guess as to the whereabouts of the infamous plastic bead.

Putting family health issues aside, we get to a great sharing of recipes. Again this week there are plenty of new recipes to try, including hot pepper sauces and peanut butter pie.

Nathaniel Kinsey of Cape Girardeau would like to grow the vegetables to make his own hot pepper sauce. A Cape Girardeau reader has a couple of recipes for him.

Red Hot Sauce

24 long hot red or green peppers, about 1 1/2 cup chopped

12 large red ripe tomatoes

4 cups vinegar

2 tablespoons mixed spices

1 tablespoon salt

1/2 cup honey or 1 cup sugar

Wash and drain vegetables. Remove seeds from peppers. Core and chop tomatoes. Add 2 cups vinegar to vegetables and boil until soft. Press through a sieve or food mill. Place spices in cheesecloth bag or a tea ball. Add this and salt into a pot with strained vegetables. Boil until thick. Add remaining vinegar and honey. Boil 15 minutes or until as thick as wanted. Pour, boiling hot, into sterilized jars. Seal. Do not process. Makes about 4 pints.

Arkansas "Tabasco" Sauce

3 dozen hot red peppers

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons horseradish

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup cider vinegar

Cover peppers with water. Add garlic and cook until soft. Put peppers and garlic through a sieve or food mill. Add horseradish, sugar, salt, vinegar and peppers. Simmer about 5 minutes or until blended. Pour into hot sterilized jars. Seal the jars and store. Makes about 5 to 6 pints.

Mr. Nebel was looking for a peanut butter pie recipe and the replies sound very delicious. Lorene Wood of Cape Girardeau has used the following recipe for years and it is very quick and easy, but certainly not short on flavor.

Peanut Butter Pie

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup crunchy peanut butter

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup peanuts

1 carton whipped topping

2 graham cracker pie crusts

Whip cream cheese until soft and fluffy. Beat in the peanut butter and sugar, slowly adding the milk. Fold in whipped topping. Divide evenly between the two pie crusts. Sprinkle peanuts on top as garnish, then freeze. Thaw slightly before serving.

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Another Cape Girardeau reader shares her recipe that is much like the previous recipe. It would also be very good put into a chocolate cookie crust.

Peanut Butter Pie

1 (8 ounce) cream cheese, softened

1 (8 ounce) carton frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 (12 ounce) jar peanut butter, smooth or chunky

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla

2 graham cracker crumb pie crusts

Whipped topping

Chopped peanuts

Cream together cream cheese, whipped topping, peanut butter, sugar and vanilla. Pour into crusts. Top with whipped topping, sprinkle with peanuts. Freeze several hours or overnight. Thaw in refrigerator several hours before serving.

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Ann Seabaugh of Cape Girardeau had requested sauce recipes to use with grilled or broiled fish. Again this week readers have responded with a couple of additional recipes for her.

Curry Sauce

Mix 1/3 cup mayonnaise with 1/3 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon curry powder and 1/3 cup shredded peeled green apple. Add salt to taste.

Dill Sauce

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup fish stock or clam juice

1 cup light cream

1/2 cup dry vermouth

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

3/4 cup snipped fresh dill

Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter. Stir in flour. Cook over low heat until blended into a roux. Add fish stock or clam juice, cream, vermouth, parsley and dill. Stir over low heat until thickened and smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Makes about 3 cups.

Grape Sauce

1 teaspoon chopped shallots

1 cup dry red wine

1 cup grape juice

1 teaspoon Cognac

1 tablespoon cream

Combine shallots, wine, and grape juice. Over low heat reduce liquid to half. Stir in Cognac and cream. Heat thoroughly. Makes about 1 cup.

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We have two potato soup recipes today that were sent in from a reader in Altenburg, Mo.

Potato Cheese Soup

6 large potatoes, cubed

1 teaspoon salt

1 stick margarine

1 teaspoon onion flakes

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1/4 pound Velveeta cheese

1 large can evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Cook potatoes with enough water to cover potatoes. Add salt and cook till done. Drain off almost all water except 1/2 cup, and then add margarine, milk, onion flakes, paprika, celery salt and chunks of cheese. Cook slowly until cheese melts. This prepared soup freezes well.

Potato Soup

12 slices bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

4 cups chopped potatoes

2 cans cream of chicken soup

2 teaspoons salt

6 tablespoons bacon grease

1 1/2 cups diced onion

2 cups water

4 cans milk using the soup can as the measurer

Brown onion in bacon grease. Boil potatoes in the 2 cups water until tender. Combine with remaining ingredients and heat thoroughly, but do not boil.

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It seems like I just get started and I'm out of room already. There are many great recipes to carry over to next week, but don't let that keep you from sending in your favorites. Remember the more the merrier. Have a wonderful week, and happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan, an administrator at Cape Senior Center, can be reached at Box 699, Cape Girardeau, Mo., 63702-0699. Recipes published are not kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.