Fresh fruit makes summer sensational!

PLUM DUMPLINGS
Slyvų virtiniai

25 prune plums
3 Tbsps. sugar
2 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
½ tsp. salt
3 egg yolks
2 Tbsps. shortening or butter, softened
Dough
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. baking powder
Sauce
½ cup butter
1½ cups dark brown sugar
¼ cup fine dry bread crumbs
To pit the plums, slice them almost in half, open, and remove pit. Place about 1 / 3 teaspoon of sugar in the hollow of each plum; close the plum, and place in a bowl. Set aside. Place potatoes in a large pot with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender. Drain. When cool enough to handle, mash potatoes with a fork or potato masher. You will need 1 cup of mashed potatoes. Set aside, and keep warm. To make the dough, sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together into a pile on a breadboard. Make a well in the center; add 1 cup mashed potatoes, egg yolks, and shortening into the well, and work in until the dough is pliable and smooth. When dough is thoroughly kneaded, roll it out onto a floured board to a thickness of about ¼ inch. Cut into roughly 4-inch rounds with a biscuit cutter. Holding one piece of dough in your hand, place a whole pitted plum in the center. Place another piece of dough on top, and press to seal the edges of the dough together. Make sure there are no leaks, or the plum will come out during cooking. To cook, bring a deep pot of salted water to boil. Place dumplings in water, and boil gently for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, to make the sauce, melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar. (If you like, stir in some of the juice that collects in the bowl of pitted plums.) Stir in a small amount of bread crumbs to slightly thicken the sauce. When dumplings are done, remove them from boiling water, and place them in the frying pan, and turn to coat the dumplings. Serve hot with extra sauce poured over them.

STRAWBERRY CREAM ROLL
Braškių vyniotinis

3 eggs
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup hot water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup confectioners’ sugar for dusting
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. unflavored gelatin
1 Tbsp. white sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Butter a jelly roll pan. Line it with buttered foil or buttered parchment paper. Beat the eggs until thick and lemon colored. Gradually add 1 cup white sugar beating constantly. Stir in water and vanilla extract. Fold in flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour batter into tin. Bake for 15 minutes. It should be springy to the touch, and beginning to shrink away from the sides of the pan. Lay out a tea towel, and sprinkle it with confectioners’ sugar. Turn the jelly roll out on the towel. Take off the paper or foil. Cut away crusty edges. Roll the cake up in the towel, and leave it to cool. Whip the cream. Add unflavored gelatin and 1 tablespoon sugar. Fold in strawberries. Unroll the cake. Spread with the strawberry cream, and roll up again. Chill. Cover the top with more whipped cream when serving.

RHUBARB CAKE
Rubarbarų pyragas

½ cup butter or margarine
1½ cups white sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups rhubarb, chopped
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
¼ cup butter or margarine
2 tsps. ground cinnamon
1 cup packed brown sugar
In a large bowl, cream together butter or margarine and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. In another bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, soda, and salt. Add sifted ingredients alternately with buttermilk to creamed mixture. Toss rhubarb with 1 tablespoon flour, and stir into batter. Spoon batter into buttered 9 x 13 inch pan, and smooth the surface. Blend together ¼ cup butter or margarine, cinnamon, and brown sugar; sprinkle evenly over batter. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes.

PLUM OR CHERRY LIQUEUR
Slyvų arba vyšnių likeris

1 basket plums (or sour cherries)enough to fill a gallon jug)
1 24-ounce bottle gin
4 cups sugar
Wash and stem fruit, remove pits if desired. Fill jug with fruit, alternating with the sugar. Pour in gin to cover the fruit. Close tightly and keep in a dark cool place for 6 months. Strain into decanters.