'Foodie' friend shares some favorite recipes

Rob Weeks from the senior center loves to collect recipes and cookbooks, grocery shop and cook. He is quite a "foodie," and I guess that is why we are friends. Today, Rob shares four recipes with us that he enjoys making and are great this time of year when fresh fruit and berries are plentiful. I included where he got the recipe if he included that information on the cards. I hope you enjoy a little piece of his recipe collection.

Sweet Berry Popover

1 cup milk

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup berries of your choice

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Whisk milk, butter, vanilla, 1/4 cup sugar, salt and nutmeg together; blend in flour. Gradually mix in eggs; set aside. Butter a 9-inch pie plate; add berries, leaving a wide border around the rim. Gently pour batter on top. Combine remaining sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle over batter. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes; lower heat to 350 degrees, without opening the oven door, and continue baking until golden. Use oven window and light to monitor during baking. Serves 8.

Strawberry Angel Dessert

This recipe came to Rob through the Twin Cities Dairy Council.

1 cup flake coconut, divided

1 quart strawberries

1 cup sugar

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

1 cup hot water

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Toast 1 cup flaked coconut at 350 degrees until golden brown. Spread half in the bottom of a buttered 8-inch square pan. Wash 1 quart strawberries and crush. Sprinkle with 1 cup sugar. Let stand 30 minutes. Soften 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin in 1/2 cup cold water. Dissolve in 1 cup hot water. Stir in strawberries. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Chill until partially set. Fold in 1 cup heavy cream, whipped. Top with remaining coconut. Chill until set, about 3 to 4 hours. Top with whipped cream. Serves 12.

Simple Pie Crust

Rob got this recipe from Concordia Voepel years ago.

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup Crisco shortening

1 egg

1 tablespoon vinegar

6 tablespoons water

Combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until texture is crumble and shortening is small pea sized. Combine egg, vinegar and water and stir with a fork to slightly beat egg. Add to flour mixture tossing until a moist ball forms. At this point the dough is ready to roll out. Makes 3 crusts.

Fruit Dish

Marilyn Priest gave this recipe to Rob. You choose which type of fruit you would like to use in this baked cobbler-type dessert. Peaches, plums, and berries might all be considered, but use your imagination and your favorite fruit suitable for baking.

Fresh fruit of your choice

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish add the fresh fruit of your choice.

Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle over fruit. Mix 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 egg.

Spread flour mixture evenly over fruit. Melt 1/2 cup butter or margarine and drizzle over top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until browned. Serves 6 to 8.

If you have a recipe you enjoy making and would like to share it, please send it in so other readers might enjoy it as well.

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.