Sourdough starter makes many treats

smcclanahan

Recipe Swap readers are really on the ball. When I checked the mailbox it was full; thanks to you. We have had a few requests lately and you have responded, and in a big way. It is the reader participation that makes this column so much fun. So, keep up the great work and let's get right to those recipes.

Ledillon Powers of Olmsted, Ill., shares a couple of her favorite recipes with us. She said this apple dessert is very rich and a small serving is plenty, so it makes quite a few servings. Her other recipe is for apple pudding and is a very special recipe. It was given to her by her mother in 1949, and is still her favorite dessert.

Quick Apple Dessert

3 cups sliced peeled apples

1 (3 ounce) package raspberry or strawberry gelatin

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup margarine, softened

Place apples in buttered 10-by-by-6-by-1 3/4-inch baking dish. Sprinkle gelatin over apples. Combine flour and sugar in a small bowl; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Apple Pudding

3 cups chopped peeled apples

1 cup white sugar

Mix these ingredients and let stand 10 minutes, then add the following ingredients: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1 egg; 1 teaspoon baking soda ;1/2 teaspoon vanilla; 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Mix all together very well and pour into an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan; bake in 375 degrees oven for 30 minutes. Cool slightly and pour topping over pudding.

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons cream or canned evaporated milk

Boil these ingredients together for 3 minutes, beat slightly, and pour on pudding.

I did receive a few more sweet potato casserole recipes from the recent request of Pat Baldwin of McClure, Ill. Sue Kraus from Cape Girardeau and Michele Gilmer of Scott City, Mo., sent in the exact same recipe and identical to one that we shared last week. But Judy Griffaw's recipe calls for one different ingredient, corn flakes, so I hope you enjoy this recipe as well as the others we have shared with you. Her recipe also only bakes for a very short time, since you start with hot sweet potatoes. Just make sure the temperature in the center is hot enough to cook the eggs in the ingredient list.

Crunchy Topped Sweet Potato Casserole

1 (2 pound) can sweet potatoes

1 stick butter or margarine, melted

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat sweet potatoes until hot. Mash potatoes, adding melted butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla. Whip. Put in large baking dish.

Topping:

3 cups corn flakes

1 stick butter or margarine, melted

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Crush corn flakes. Mix in the above four ingredients. Spread on top of potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, checking frequently, as the topping tend to brown quickly.

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Eva Kelley from Cape Girardeau stopped me one day at the Senior Center and needed a recipe for sourdough starter. I thought it would be fun to see what you use or different recipes you might have in your files. And Glenda Buchanan of Perryville, Mo., not only sent in her starter recipe, called Herman, but several ways to use the starter, which is wonderful. So let's get started with her recipes, and we will have to finish them up next week.

'Herman' Sourdough Starter

2 cups thick potato water

2 tablespoons sugar

2 cups flour

Boil 2 potatoes until tender and mash. Add water to make 2 cups. Mix with sugar and flour and allow to ferment, about 1 week in refrigerator; stirring each day with a wooden or plastic spoon and keeping covered tightly with plastic wrap or waxed paper.

The schedule for keeping and feeding your starter is as follows:

Day 1 -- Feed your existing starter or start new.

Days 2, 3 and 4 -- Stir with wooden or plastic spoon.

Day 5 -- Mix and add 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup flour and 1 cup milk.

Days 6 and 7 -- Stir.

Days 8 and 9 -- Do nothing; let alone.

Day 10 -- Add 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup flour and 1 cup milk; ready to bake on day 10.

Put in a glass jar; Stir with wooden or plastic spoon. Take 1 cup out for making another batch, give 1 cup to a friend and use 2 cups for baking. This recipe makes 4 cups of starter. Then, using the 1 cup you took out for yourself, start with day 1 again, and you'll be ready to bake on day 10 again. You may find it helpful to keep a calendar of your stirring and feeding days.

Herman Coffee Cake

2 cups Herman starter

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ginger

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup oil

1 cup chopped nuts, pecans

1 cup raisins

Mix together and spread evenly in a greased 9-by-13 inch-baking pan. Spoon the following topping over the batter:

1/2 cup melted butter

1 tablespoon flour

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cloves

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Combine ingredients. Sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. After cake baked, remove from oven and top with the following glaze while cake is still hot:

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sugar or powdered sugar

Boil 5 minutes then pour over hot baked coffee cake. You may also add chopped apples or other fruit as desired.

Herman Carrot Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups shredded carrots

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup Herman starter

4 eggs

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

In bowl of electric mixer stir together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add carrots, oil, Herman starter and eggs. Beat at medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. Pour batter into greased and floured 9-by-13 inch-baking pan. Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 55 minutes or until done. Cool cake thoroughly and top with powdered sugar or spread with cream cheese icing.

Herman Bread

Use the same ingredients listed above for Herman Carrot Cake but substitute 2 cups mashed bananas for the carrots and add 1 teaspoon vanilla for the cinnamon. Mix as directed. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-by-5 inch loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Recipe can be halved to yield one loaf.

Herman Biscuits

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1 cup Herman starter

1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, starter, salt and shortening. Mix well to form a soft dough. Knead as little as possible. Allow to rise 10 to 30 minutes. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a 425 degree oven 12 minutes or until brown on top. Yields about 1 dozen biscuits.

Herman Pancakes

1 cup Herman starter

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 cup flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup oil

Beat well and fry on griddle. May need more milk depending on how thick you like your pancakes.

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We have two requests this week. Steve and Sherry Hoernig of Benton, Mo., would like canning preservation methods for processing and canning pumpkin and apples. They have never tried canning either item before and need instructions. I will call our local University Extension office for more details, but if you have a method, please pass it on for them.

Our second request is from Mabel Smith of Scott City, Mo. Mabel has been looking for her misplaced recipe for Christmas Fudge. He recipe used four different types of chips and condensed milk. She would love to have her recipe back again if anyone could help her out. She said it is the best fudge, so I think many of us would like to have that recipe as well.

Next week we will have a few more Herman starter recipes, as well as persimmon recipes.

I hope you have enjoyed this time of recipe sharing. So 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 the Southeast Missourian staff.