Here are a few recipes from the cookbook “Sumptuous Sustenance from the Savage Sisters” or “We Don’t Do Dinner” by K. Lynn Savage and Gail E. Orell.

Lynn went through the cookbook while visiting town last week and marked a few of her favorites, and I’ll also add one, Berry Bundt Cake, which my wife found on page 108 and made on Sunday after picking the blackberries at our house.

Berry Bundt Cake

Makes 12 pieces

Cake

2 cups flour

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

11⁄2 teaspoons salt

1⁄2 teaspoon grated orange rind

1⁄2 cup margarine

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups berries

Topping

1⁄2 cup brown sugar

1⁄4 cup flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons margarine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix dry ingredients for cake in food processor or with pastry cutter until pea size. Add we ingredients and mix thoroughly. Pour cake mixture into greased and floured bundt pan. Sprinkle with 3 cups of berries.

Mix topping ingredients in food processor. Sprinkle topping over berries.

Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 80 minutes, until tests done when inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Plum Soup

Makes 4 to 6 servings

2 cups fresh plums

1⁄2 cup water

1⁄4 cup sour cream

1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 cloves

11⁄2 tablespoons sugar

Wash and pit the plums. Combine the washed, pitted fruit with spices and water in saucepan. Cook until fruit is tender. The skins will have popped. Puree the plum mixture. Add sugar to taste. When cool, add the sour cream and blend. Chill.

Serve chilled. Pour into individual serving dishes, and garnish with a dollop of sour cream.

Gingerbread Pancakes

Serves 4 to 5

21⁄2 cups unbleached flour

5 teaspoons baking powder

11⁄2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄2 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1⁄4 cup molasses

2 cups milk

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup raisins

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Butter for cooking.

Cover raisins in boiling water to soften. Mix and sift flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and spices.

Combine molasses and milk, and add eggs. Stir in melted butter. Add molasses mixture to flour mixture and stir only until completely moistened. Stir in drained raisins.

Bake on 350 degrees griddle, using butter for griddle and 1⁄4 cup batter or less for each pancake. Flip when pancake bubbles.

Serve with Lemony Lemon Curd.

Lemony Lemon Curd

Makes 11⁄2 cups

3 eggs beaten

1⁄2 cup sugar

6 tablespoons butter, melted

3-4 ounces fresh lemon juice (2 lemons)

lemon rind, grated, of same two lemons

Combine sugar, eggs and lemon juice. Add melted butter. Microwave on low to medium-low setting, stirring every three minutes until thickened, about 6-8 minutes. Add lemon zest.

Developed for Gingerbread Pancakes, this sauce may be served on pancakes, muffins, cake or anything needing a tangy sauce.

Puffed Pear Pancakes

Makes 24 pancakes

2 eggs, separated

1⁄4 cup sugar

2⁄3 cup flour

1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon

1⁄8 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 cups pears, peeled, cored, and finely chopped.

Butter for griddle

Mixture of cinnamon and sugar

Combine sugar and egg yolks in food processor and beat until mixture forms thin ribbons. Add flour, cinnamon and salt and mix until batter is smooth. Pour into large bowl over chopped pears.

Beat egg whites in separate bowl until stiff. Carefully fold egg mixture into the batter.

Cook on 350 degree buttered grill.

When batter forms bubbles, flip, and remove when golden brown.

Top with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Serve with small dishes of brown sugar and powdered sugar placed on the table for topping.

Chocolate Raspberry Blintzes

Serves 4, 2 blintzes each

Blintz batter

2 eggs

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 ounce semisweet chocolate, melted

1 cup + 2 tablespoons milk

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla

1⁄4 cup sugar

1 cup flour

Dash of salt and cinnamon

Blend all ingredients on high for 20 to 30 seconds. Pour 1⁄4 cup batter per blintz into a nonstick pan. Swirl until bottom thoroughly coated, and pour off any excess batter. Cook until top forms beads of moisture (just a few seconds). Turn and cook briefly on the other side.

Set blintzes aside.

Blintz filling

11⁄4 cups cottage cheese, strained

1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar

1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1⁄8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1⁄4 cup raspberry sauce (recipe is next)

To assemble:

Put up to 2 tablespoons filling in each blintz. Fold in the two sides, then the two ends, so the blintz is square (she has a diagram on page 70 of the cookbook).

Place 3 tablespoons of raspberry sauce on the bottom of an ovenproof plate. Add two blintzes and top with 1⁄4 cup sauce.

Warm in oven on 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Raspberry Sauce

Makes 6 cups

3 cups raspberries

1⁄2 cup unsweetened apple juice

Sugar to taste (1/8 to 1⁄4 cup)

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1⁄2 tablespoon lemon juice.

Combine berries and juice in blender. Blend until smooth. Press through sieve. Add cornstarch to lemon juice and stir until lumps are removed. Combine sugar and cornstarch mixture in saucepan. Stir in berry mixture. Stir constantly until it thickens and clears. Remove from heat.

Pour over blintzes, crepes or pancakes.