The St. Pius Guild and Christian Mothers cookbook, "What's Cookin' in Brookline" has been seven years in compilation.

Not because it is complicated and involved, or thick and bulky, guild president Jean Ratay says, but because it is time consuming to collect, sort and test 400 recipes when there are more pressing guild matters to attend to.

Each of the previous guild presidents pushed the cookbook along during her term of office, Ratay says, and finally during her administration, it was completed.

The recipes were submitted by parishioners in the 1400 member church and many recipes, such as Chicken Divan, have been served at church functions.

The biggest difficulty was selecting only 200 of the 400 recipies submitted, Ratay said.

The cookbook sells for $4.50 plus $1 for mailing and postage. Ratay says it would make a suitable grab bag Christmas gift since it contains recipes for holiday entertaining. Checks should be made payable to St. Pius Guild and Christian Mothers and mailed to St. Pius X Church, 3040 Pioneer Avenue, Pittsburgh 15226. Mark envelope with the word "Cookbook."

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Below are four of the entries listed in the cookbook.

Appetizer Pie
Submitted by Lynette Fawcett

* 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
* 2 tablespoon milk
* 2 tablespoons chopped green pepper
* 2 tablespoons chopped onion
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Soften cream cheese, blend with milk. Add remaining ingredients except nuts. Pat into 8-inch pie plate and sprinkle with nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Serve on crackers.

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Hungarian Pastries
Submitted by Jean Ratay

* 4 cups flour
* 1 large package cream cheese
* 1 pound cold margarine or butter
* Bakers fillings - apricot, pineapple or cherry

Cut ingredients like pie dough, gather into bail and chill. Roll out on powdered sugar board. Cut into small squares and fill with bakers filling. Fold opposite sides, overlapping.

Place on lightly greased cookie sheet about two inches apart. Bake approximately 15 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool on rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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Polish Kruszykies
Submitted by Loretta Deluga

* 4 cups flour
* 1 cup sugar
* 1/2 pint sour cream
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 pound butter
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/4 ounces whiskey
* 3 eggs

Combine sugar, sour cream, eggs, vanilla and whiskey. Fold in dry ingredients and work by hand on floured board.

Roll out and cut in 1x4-inch strips. Make small cut in center of strip and bring one end through. Cook in hot oil until golden brown.

Yield: 7-8 dozen.

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Pina Colada Squares
Submitted by Cathy O'Neil

* 4 envelopes unflavored gelatin
* 1 1/2 teaspoons artificial sweetener (6 packets)
* 1 cup vanilla ice milk
* 2 1/2 cups sweetened pineapple juice, heated to boiling
* 2 tablespoons flaked content
* 1/8 teaspoon rum extract

Mix gelatin with sweetener in medium bowl. Add hot juice and stir until gelatin is dissolved. Stir in remaining ingredients and blend thoroughly. Pour into 9x13-inch pan. Chill until firm and cut into 1-inch squares.

Yield: 5-6 dozen, ten-calorie squares.

* Article reprinted from the November 24, 1982 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette *