Readers stir up some ideas on local cookbooks

DEAR READERS • When Syvl Robinson asked where to find locally published cookbooks, Joanne Boudreau of Shattuck sent me a copy of the collector's edition cookbook titled "Celebrate Oklahoma's Centennial — 100 Years of Cooking.” The book includes Oklahoma history and more than 500 recipes.

It can be ordered from the Friends of the Shattuck Library, Box 129, Shattuck, OK 73858 for $20 plus $3 postage. Or you may buy it at the Shattuck Public Library.

There are two pages of such recipes as Rice Cake and Prune Pie from the last century.

The remainder of the book includes newer recipes, many helpful hints and some possibly outdated laws. As an example: It is against Oklahoma law to take a bite out of another person's hamburger.

However, you can share the following Hash Brown and Ham Breakfast Casserole. I know, because I made it and allowed some friends to take bites. Don and Judy Stout of Tulsa shared the recipe in the book.

Note: I added 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.

1 carton (16 ounces) sour cream

1 can (10½ ounces) cream of chicken soup

1 package (32 ounces) frozen hash browns

2 cups cubed cooked ham

1 package (8 ounces) American cheese, cubed

¼ cup chopped onion

½ cup melted butter

2 cups corn flakes, crushed

•Mix first 6 ingredients together. Spread in 13x9-inch, oven-safe dish. Spread butter-coated cornflakes over mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. Serves 12-14.

And to serve with the casserole, I chose Easy Fruit Salad from the book "Homemade With Love, Oklahoma Children's Cancer Association,” shared by Jan Davis of Oklahoma City.

Recipes in this book are from family and friends of children in treatment at the Jimmy Everest Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders at The Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City.

The books can be ordered from OCCA, Box 96292, Oklahoma City, OK 73149 for $10 each plus $3 postage.

1 can peach pie filling

1 can (20 ounces) chunk pineapple, drained

2 cans (10 ounces each) mandarin oranges, drained

2 sliced bananas

1 pound frozen whole strawberries

•Mix well. Do not thaw strawberries. You can mix and chill pie filling, oranges and pineapple, then add bananas and strawberries right before serving.

I mixed the pie filling, pineapple and oranges, covered it and refrigerated it overnight. About two hours before serving, I added the strawberries and bananas. It made 12-14 generous servings.

And while visiting with Avis Scaramucci at Nonna's Euro-American Ristorante and Bar, she gave me a book titled "Oklahoma's Historical Centennial Cookbook.” Included is one of the desserts served at Nonna's.

2 cups milk

2 tablespoons butter

¾ cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1½ teaspoons coconut extract

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup shredded coconut

•Heat milk to scald and add butter. Combine sugar, flour, salt, coconut extract and beaten eggs in a bowl. Gradually add the hot milk mixture, stirring constantly until filling is smooth.

•Add shredded coconut. This filling will be a little "runny” until it cools. Pour mixture into baked pie shell. Top with meringue and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

1½ cups sifted all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup shortening

4-5 tablespoons cold water

•Sift together flour and salt. Cut in shortening with pastry blender or fork until pieces are size of small peas. Gradually sprinkle water into the flour-shortening mixture until all is moistened. Gather up with fingers; form into a ball. On lightly floured surface, roll to 1/8-inch thickness. Transfer to pie plate, fitting loosely onto bottom and sides. Prick bottom and sides well with fork. Bake at 450 degrees until pastry is golden, 10-12 minutes.

Also, Mary Howard tells me that "PEO Recipes” is a cookbook with recipes dating from 1869 to 2008.