Pineapple Cobbler

1 pineapple, peeled, cored, cut into chunks
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1 stick butter
1 cup self rising flour
1/2 cup milk
extra butter and white sugar for top

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Using a large cast iron frying pan, melt the stick of butter.  Add the pineapple and brown sugar.  Cook on med-high heat until the pineapple starts to become limp.  In a bowl mix the flour and enough milk to make it the consistency of pancake batter.  Pour over hot pineapple.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until crust topping is done.  Dot extra butter over top of crust.  Sprinkle with white sugar.  Bake another 5 minutes or until lightly browned.

Comments:  This is a dish I simply made up as I went along.  The pineapple was nice and sweet allowing me to use only 1/2 cup of the sugar.  The pineapple also provided the liquid needed.  I took this to the nursing home and the nurses there raved over how delicious it is.  I'm sure you could use canned pineapple but I don't know if you would get the liquid nor the touch of tartness that a fresh pineapple provided.

Twinkie Short Cake

8 Twinkies type cakes
1 lg. (6.4 oz.) box vanilla pudding mix
2 pkg. frozen strawberries, thawed
1 carton Cool Whip

Split the twinkies in half lengthwise and place filling part up in a 9 x 13 x 2 dish.  Mix pudding according to package directions.  Spread evenly over twinkies.  Top pudding with strawberries and just before serving top with Cool Whip.  Serves 8 - 12

Comment:  This is a recipe that went with a book review I did for author Brian L. Porter's book Avenue of the Dead.  I had trouble finding 'twinkies' but did find another brand that worked perfectly.  For my strawberries I found frozen, whole strawberries on sale so I bought 2 bags and let them thaw.  I sliced the in half and they actually had very little juice which I believe was good.  Their lack of juice kept the dish from having too much liquid and being runny.  This isn't a dish that keeps very well due to the amount of juice that was in the berries but with it as good as it is that wasn't much of a problem.  The one thing that might make it last longer would be to use fresh, sliced berries.  For changes - change the fruit.  Use blueberries, blackberries, peaches, even Kiwi would be good.  This is a fun dish to play with.