Fresh Strawberries make these favorites even better

Strawberry Cream Crepes

1 1/2 cups milk
3 eggs
2 tbls. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. lemon extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbls. sugar
Dash of salt

Filling:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Topping:
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbls. cornstarch
3/4 cup water
1 tbls. lemon juice
1 tsp. strawberry extract
1/4 tsp. red food coloring
4 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
In a large mixing bowl, combine milk, eggs, butter and extract._ Combine flour, sugar, and salt; add to milk mixture and beat until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Heat a lightly greased 8-inch non-stick skillet. Stir batter; pour 2 tablespoons in center of skillet.
Lift and tilt pan to coat bottom evenly. Cook until top appears dry; turn and cook 15 to 20 seconds longer. Remove to a wire rack. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet as needed. When cool, stack crepes with waxed paper or paper towels in between. In a small sauce pan, combine sugar and cornstarch; stir in water and over medium heat; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in extract and food coloring (if desired). Cool. Add strawberries. In a small bowl, beat the cream until stiff peaks form; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth; fold in whipped cream Spoon two rounded tablespoons of filling of each crepe; roll up. Top with strawberry topping. Yields 22 crepes.
Mrs. Ivan Miller, Clark, Mo.

Strawberry Spinach Salad
1 lb. asparagus spears
8 cups baby spinach, torn
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
3⁄4 lb. cooked turkey, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
1⁄4 cup pecan halves, toasted
Dressing:
1⁄2 cup poppy seed salad dressing
1 tsp. orange peel, finely shredded
1 tbls. orange juice

Snap off, wash and discard woody bases from asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces.
Cook asparagus covered in a small amount of boiling water lightly salted, for 3 to 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain asparagus. Rinse with cold water. Let stand in cold water until cool; drain. In a salad bowl, combine asparagus, spinach, berries and turkey. Place on salad plates. Top with pecans. Dressing: In a small bowl, stir together poppy seed dressing, orange peel, and orange juice; drizzle over salad. Yields 4 to 6 servings. 
Mary Woodfin, Poplar Bluff, Mo.

Strawberry-Cherry Cheese Bars
Crust:
1 cup walnut pieces, divided
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed firmly
1/2 cup butter_ 1/2 cup coconut flakes
Filling:
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla 1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling_
1 (10 oz.) package frozen strawberries thawed_ _
Heat oven to 350°.

Grease 13x9x2-inch pan with butter; set aside. Chop 1/2 cup nuts coarsely for topping; set aside. Chop remaining 1/2 cup nuts finely. For crust: combine
flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter until fine crumbs form. Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts and coconut; mix well. Remove 1/2 cup; set aside. Press remaining crumbs in bottom of pan. Bake at 350° for 12 to 15 minutes, until edges are lightly browned.
For filling: beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla in small bowl with electric mixer until smooth. Spread over hot baked crust. Return to oven; bake 15 minutes longer. Put together cherry pie filling and strawberries. Then sweeten to taste. Spread cherry pie filling and strawberries over cheese layer. Combine reserved coarsely chopped nuts and reserved crumbs. Sprinkle evenly over cherries and strawberries. Return to oven; bake 15 minutes
longer; cool. Refrigerate several hours. Cut into bars. Yields 36 bars._
Terrie Mathis, Newburg, Mo.

Strawberry Smoothies
1 (8 oz.) carton strawberry yogurt
1 cup milk
1/2 cup unsweetened strawberries
1 tbls. honey
1 pint vanilla ice cream
1 medium ripe banana, quartered
Red food coloring
Place all ingredients in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses;
serve immediately. Yields 4 servings.
Kristy Blanchard, Sheldon, Mo.

Strawberry-Bacon Spinach Salad
1 (6 oz.) package fresh baby spinach
1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced
8 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1⁄4 cup red onion, chopped
1⁄4 cup walnuts, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1⁄2 cup sugar
1⁄4 cup raspberry vinegar

In a salad bowl, combine spinach, strawberries, bacon, onion and walnuts. In a small bowl or pitcher, combine mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar. Serve with salad. Yields 6 servings.
Mrs. Eli Miller, Clark, Mo.

Frozen Strawberry Delight
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
2 cups frozen unsweetened strawberries, thawed
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

In a small bowl, combine the flour and brown sugar; cut in the butter until crumbly. Stir in the pecans. Press the mixture into an
ungreased 9-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 14 to 16 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Crumble the baked pecan mixture; set aside 1/2 cup for topping. Sprinkle the remaining mixture into an 8-inch square dish. In a mixing bowl, beat the strawberries, sugar and lemon juice until blended. Fold in whipping cream. Spread evenly into the dish. Sprinkle with reserved pecan mixture. Cover and freeze dessert for 8 hours or overnight.
Freda Miller, Clark, Mo.


Strawberry Cream Cake Roll
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup sifted cake flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
Confectioners' sugar

Cream Filling:
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups fresh or frozen strawberries, cut up
Confectioners' sugar
Whipped cream (optional)

In mixing bowl, beat eggs with vanilla on high speed with electric mixer for 5 minutes or until lemon-colored. Gradually add sugar, beating until dissolved. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; gently fold into egg mixture just until combined. Pour into greased and wax paper lined jelly roll pan. Spread batter evenly over pan. Bake at 375° for 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown. Turn out onto a cloth that has been sprinkled with confectioners' sugar.
Peel off wax paper from cake; roll up cloth and cake. Cool. Filling: Whip cream, sugar and vanilla. Unroll cooled cake and spread filling over it; sprinkle with strawberries. Re-roll cake and chill two hours before serving. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and garnish with strawberries.

Ida Martin, Versailles, Mo.

This month’s recipes were tested by the East Central District of The Missouri Association for Family and Community Education.