Featured cooks share summer favorites

Sharing a few recipes this week from our past Look Who’s Cookin’ features that have a taste of summer with the recent hot temperatures moving in. Strawberries, tomatoes, pears, grapes, blueberries and ice cream all included.

Rebecca Pilgreen of Calhoun City
Strawberry Cake
2 pkgs. frozen strawberries
1 pkg. strawberry gelatin powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 pint whipping cream
1 cubed angel food cake
Boil water and sugar until clear. Add Jello. Add strawberries. Let mixture cool. Whip cream and fold into cooled Jello mixture. Pour over cubed angel food cake and mix gently. Pour in tube pan and freeze.

Janie York of Slate Springs
Green Tomato Casserole
6 medium green tomatoes, sliced in rounds
Salt and pepper
1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs, divided
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
6 Tbsp. butter, divided
Layer half tomatoes in greased shallow dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add half cup cracker crumbs and half cup cheese. Dot with 3 Tbsp. butter. Repeat until gone. Bake, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes or until brown.

Christi Brown of Calhoun City
Jean Scobey’s Shrimp & Pasta Salad
12 oz. angel hair pasta broken into thirds
6 little green onions
4 oz. chopped pimento
4 oz. sliced black olives
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise (Duke’s)
1/4 cup Cavendar’s Greek seasoning (taste as you go because this is very salty)
2 lbs. small cooked, de-veined shrimp
Cook pasta and rinse in cold water. Mix together all ingredients and chill at least four hours.

Jan Cook of Vardaman
Strawberry Salad
2 (3 oz.) strawberry jello
2 ½ cups boiling water
2 (10 oz.) frozen, sliced strawberries in sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 (13 oz.) can of crushed pineapple
1 cup sour cream
3 bananas
1 cup chopped pecans
Dissolve gelatin and sugar in boiling water. Add thawed strawberries, crushed pineapple (with juice), sliced bananas and chopped nuts. Mix together, then pour half in clear serving bowl.
Refrigerate a couple hours until set. Spread sour cream on chilled mixture. Pour remaining strawberry mixture on top of sour cream. Chill until completely set.

Barbara Schreck of Calhoun City
Ambrosia
1-8 oz. tub thawed Cool Whip
3 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
1-20 oz. can chunk pineapple
2 cups coconut
Mix together. Top with sliced almonds or nuts if desired.

Maria Allred of Bruce
Macaroni-Salmon Salad
2 cups boiled and cooked macaroni
1 cup diced cucumber
1-8 oz. can salmon, flaked
1 Tbsp. grated onion, chopped
1 cup DelMonte pineapple tidbits
Mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
Combine ingredients. Toss together until blended. Serve on lettuce. Garnish with chopped parsley and paprika if desired. Serves 4-6.

Phyllis Camp of Banner
Strawberry Pizza
Crust: 2 cups plain flour
2 sticks melted margarine
1 cup chopped nuts
3 Tbsp. powdered sugar
Mix and spread in pizza pan. Bake 12-15 minutes on 350°. Cool.
Filling:
8 oz. softened cream cheese
12 oz. Cool Whip
1 cup powdered sugar
Mix and spread on cooked crust.
Spread bag or box of strawberry glaze on top. Cut up fresh fruit: bananas, peaches, kiwi, grapes, strawberries and sprinkle with Fruit Fresh. Put fruit on top of glaze. Refrigerate.

Nell Harrelson of Bruce
Grape and Blueberry Salad
3 small pkg. grape Jello
2 cups hot water
Stir until dissolved. Add:
1 large can crushed pineapple
1 cup blueberry pie filling
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
Let congeal.
Topping mixture:
1 cup sour cream
1-8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
Cream together and spread on top of salad.

Amanda Bennett of Bruce
Butterfinger Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
8 chocolate ice cream sandwiches
1 large Cool Whip
1 caramel ice cream syrup
4 king size Butterfinger candy bars, crushed
Line 9×13” pan with ice cream sandwiches. Crush two of the candy bars and sprinkle over sandwiches. Drizzle caramel syrup over sandwiches. Spread Cool Whip over the top. Sprinkle remaining two candy bars over Cool Whip and drizzle caramel syrup on top.

Linda Nell Wright of Pittsboro
Linda Nell’s Prized Canned Pear Halves
Wash and peel pears and cut in halves and core with a strong melon ball utensil. (I broke a plastic one and a metal one, but found a new stainless steel at Cook’s store in Tupelo.) To avoid darkening, place in weak brine (1 Tbsp. salt to 1 quart water) while preparing. When ready to use, drain, rise in cold water. If pears are very hard, boil in water until almost tender before cooking in syrup. Use water from boiling to make syrup. Allow one pound sugar and 2 1/3 cups water to three pounds pears. Make sugar and water into a syrup. Cook pears in syrup until tender. Last year my pear halves were still tough after pressuring them for 20 minutes and 10 lbs. pressure, but the family loved them just the same. Our trees are just loaded this year. Can’t wait! “They are the most delicious thing you ever put in your mouth!”