Sweet and Simple Serving Suggestions

- Dip whole strawberries into melted semisweet white or dark chocolate.  See recipe below.
- Pour sparkling grape juice over berries in individual goblets.
- Dip them first into lowfat sour cream, then brown sugar or just powdered sugar.
- Toss 1 pint of quartered berries with 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar and a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar; chill for 1 hour before serving.

Suggestions for a Strawberry Morning

- Slice in hot or cold cereal; top with vanilla yogurt.
- Use as a topping for waffles, pancakes, or french toast; drizzle maple syrup over sliced berries.
- Make a shake; blend with orange juice, lowfat yogurt, sliced bananas, and ice cubes.

Fresh Strawberry Pie
This always gets rave compliments!

1-1/2 quarts fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 nine-inch baked pastry shell

- Cap strawberries; reserve half of the best ones. Mash the other half and add sugar and cornstarch which have been mixed together. Cook 5 or 6 minutes until clear and thick. Stir in lemon juice. Cool.
- Add whole strawberries to the cooled mixture, save some for garnish. Pour into baked pie shell. Top with whipped cream and garnish with fresh whole strawberries.

Ruby Strawberry Sauce

1 pint fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water

- Slice half of the strawberries and set aside for Step 3. Mash remaining in a small bowl.
- Mix sugar and cornstarch in a medium size saucepan; stir in water and mashed strawberries.
- Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils 3 minutes; strain into a medium-size bowl; fold in sliced strawberries.
- Serve warm or cold over ice cream, or puddings. Great for gifts, if your family will let you part with any. Makes 2 cups.

Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake
Richer than a biscuit, but not quite as sweet as cake, this is a genuine "short" cake.

1 quart fresh strawberries
1/2 cup sugar 1-1/2 cup flour
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup oil or softened butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk

- Slice berries into a large bowl; Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar. Let set, while juice forms. Save a few perfect whole berries for garnish.
- Stir the flour and baking powder together, set aside.
- Mix the sugar and oil until smooth and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, then add the dry ingredients and milk. Beat well.
- Pour into 2 greased cake pans. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. Remove and cool.
- When ready to serve, layer shortcake and berries, and cover top with real whipped cream (as much as your diet allows:) Garnish with whole berries.

Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake

2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt 1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk
2 pts. Strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup sugar
4 cups whipped real cream (2 cups heavy cream beaten = 4 cups)
2 T. chocolate topping

- Combine dry ingredients; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse Crumbs.
- Add milk, mixing just until moistened.
- Spread batter evenly Into two greased 9-inch layer pans. Bake at 400°F, 15 minutes or until Wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; - Remove from pans. Cool.
- Combine strawberries and sugar; let stand 10 minutes. Cover bottom Shortcake layer with half of strawberry mixture and half of whipped Cream. Top with second shortcake layer, remaining strawberry mixture And whipped cream. Drizzle with chocolate topping. Makes 10-12 servings.

Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries

Select 1 pint strawberries. They should be clean and dry with good stems. Place 4 oz. semisweet chocolate bits in a heat-proof bowl, then place bowl in 1/2 inch barely simmering water in a small skillet over low heat. Heat, stirring occasionally, until chocolate melts. (Do not get water into chocolate.) Add 1 tsp. of vegetable shortening to keep the chocolate shiny. Stir until smooth. Remove skillet from heat, leaving bowl of chocolate in hot water. Holding strawberry by stem end, dip each strawberry into chocolate to cover about three-fourths of the way up. Place on wax paper-lined tray; refrigerate to harden. Serve within several hours. About 4-5 strawberries per serving

Strawberrioca

3 lbs frozen strawberries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup Minute Tapioca
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup water

Combine berries, tapioca and sugar in saucepan. Let stand 15 minutes. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir in lemon juice; chill. Serve with cream.

Berry – Almond Gratin

1/3 cup slivered almonds (1 ¼ ounces)
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 large egg
1/3 cup firm silken tofu
1 tablespoon pure almond extract
3 cups berries, sliced
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 400 °F. Coat a 1-quart gratin dish or a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray. Spread almonds in a shallow baking pan and bake until light golden and fragrant, 4 to 6 minutes. Let c00l. Place sugar, flour, salt and almonds in a food processor until finely ground. Add egg, tofu, butter and almond extract; process until smooth. Spread berries evenly in the prepared gratin dish. Scrape the almond mixture over the top, spreading evenly. Bake the gratin until light golden and set, 40 to 50 minutes. Let cool for at least 20 minutes. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm. Makes 6 servings.

Strawberry – Rhubarb Tart

½ (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough
2 cups sliced rhubarb
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
¾ teaspoon cinnamon, divided
3 cups sliced strawberries
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 400 °F. Press dough into bottom and up sides of a 10-inch removable-bottom tart pan. Line bottom of dough with a piece of foil. Bake at 400° for 5 minutes. Remove pie weights or dried beans on foil. Bake an additional 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Combine rhubarb, ½ cup sugar, cornstarch, water, and ½ tablespoon cinnamon in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until rhubarb is tender, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and stir in strawberries. Pour the mixture into the tart. Mix cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of sugar; sprinkle evenly over tart. Place tart on a wire rack. Serves 8.

Brunch Parfaits

Assemble everything but the granola and almonds ahead of time, and store in the refrigerator for up to an hour. Sprinkle with granola and almonds just before serving for the optimum crunch.

1/3 cup apricot preserves
3 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups low-fat vanilla yogurt
½ cup low-fat granola without raisins (such as Kellogg’s)
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

Place apricot preserves in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at HIGH for 10 to 15 seconds or until preserves melt. Add strawberries, and toss gently to coat. Spoon ¼ cup yogurt into each serving with 1/3 cup strawberry mixture. Repeat the layers with the remaining yogurt and strawberry mixture. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons almonds. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 parfait).

Fresh Strawberry Jam

You don’t need to bring out the canning equipment for this jam. Store in a plastic container in the refrigerator for up to a month.

4 cups halved strawberries
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Combine strawberries and sugar in a medium saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 1 hour or until thick, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice. Cool to room temperature. Yield: 2 cups.

Fresh Strawberries in Honey and Red Wine

4 tbsp. honey
2 cups red wine- may we suggest something from our winery?
1 quart strawberries, rinsed & hulled, left whole
small orange
few drops of fresh lemon juice

Combine the honey and ½ cup of wine in a small saucepan and cook over med-low heat until the honey is dissolved. Stir in the rest of the wine and a few drops of the lemon juice. Remove from heat. Remove the peel from the orange, avoiding the white pith. Cut the peel into 8 strips. Add 4 strips to the honey-wine mixture and reserve the other 4 for garnish. Add the berries to the honey-wine mixture and allow to steep for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
To serve: Divide the berries among 4 plates or use as a topping for citrus pound cake or fresh fruit. Use your imagination!
Serve the sauce separately.

Baked Strawberries

5 tbsp. butter
1 quart strawberries
2 tbsp. orange juice
2 tbsp. Grand Marnier
1 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tbsp brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Smear one tablespoon of butter in a 2-quart baking dish or pie pan. Hull and rinse the berries and place them close together in dish. Sprinkle orange liqueur over them.
Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar over the berries. Smooth the crumbs and sugar together lightly. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter and drizzle over the graham crackers. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve very warm, with whipped cream, crème fraiche or mascarpone cheese.

Authentic Italian Gelato

In a blender, puree:

2 pints strawberries, washed, diced
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cup confectioners’ sugar
1 ½ cups whole milk

Pour mixture into ice cream maker. 25 – 30 minutes later you will have a very rosy confection. Place it in a freezer container and freeze for about an hour to “cure”.
From Caryn Rickel, a farm guest.

Strawberry Salsa

1 pint fresh strawberries, diced
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 to 2 medium jalapeño peppers, minced
juice of 1 lime
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil

In a bowl, combine strawberries, tomatoes, onion and peppers. Stir in lime juice, garlic and oil. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Serve with cooked poultry or pork or as a dip for tortilla chips. Yield: 4 cups.

White Chocolate Berry Pie

5 squares (1 oz. each) white baking chocolate, divided
2 tbsp. milk
3 oz. package cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp. orange zest
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
1 graham cracker crust (9-inches)
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

In a microwave or double boiler, melt four squares of chocolate with milk. Cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, beat cream cheese and sugar in a mixing bowl until smooth. Beat in orange peel and melted white chocolate. Fold in whipped cream. Spread into crust. Arrange strawberries on top. Melt remaining chocolate and drizzle over berries. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Serves 8.

Strawberry-Ricotta Spread

1 lb. whole milk ricotta cheese
1 tsp. honey or to taste
½ tsp. vanilla
2 ½ cups sliced fresh strawberries

Bring the ricotta to room temperature. Beat it together with the honey and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the berries. Great as is, or with pound cake, tucked in a crepe, as a dip for fresh fruit, as a topping for toast! Serves 6.

Strawberry Coffee Cake

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
¼ cup brown sugar
½ cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine cream cheese, butter and sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Stir in milk, eggs and vanilla. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to cheese mixture; mix until smooth. Spread half the batter in greased and floured 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Spread berries evenly over batter. Dot the remaining batter over berries. Mix brown sugar and nuts; sprinkle evenly over cake. Bake 40 minutes. Serve warm. Yield: 15 servings.

Smothered Berries

1 quart fresh berries with stems
3-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg yolk (optional, uncooked eggs which MAY pose health issues)
¼ tsp. almond extract
1 to 2 cups powdered sugar
light cream or half and half
finely chopped almonds, about 1/3 cup

Rinse berries and let dry. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until soft and fluffy. Add egg yolk, almond extract and powdered sugar. Add enough cream to make just the right consistency for dipping. Swirl berry in fondant and dredge in almonds. Let stand on parchment or waxed paper.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Heat 1 bag of semi-sweet morsels in a double boiler or carefully in the microwave. Add 1 tsp. of vegetable shortening to keep the chocolate shiny. When chocolate is melted, holding the strawberries by their stem, dip them into the chocolate and place on wax paper to cool.

Strawberry Tea Bread

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 ½ cup unbleached flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. lemon zest
1 ½ cup sliced fresh strawberries
½ cup chopped nuts of choice

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly whisk the eggs in a bowl. Add the sugar, oil and applesauce, beating for 1 minute. In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients and lemon zest. Pour the liquid mixture over the dry and combine. Stir in the berries and nuts.
Grease and flour a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Pour the batter into the pan; smooth the top. Bake about 1 ½ hours or until a cake tester comes clean. Let cool for 5 minutes and remove from pan to cooling rack.
You can double the recipe and freeze the second loaf.
Claire’s Comer Copia Cookbook

Strawberry Soup

4 cups hulled and quartered fresh or frozen strawberries (about 1 quart)
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup Cointreau or other orange-flavored liqueur
1 cup buttermilk
¼ cup sugar, or to taste

In a blender or food processor, combine the strawberries, orange juice, Cointreau, buttermilk and puree until smooth. Add sugar to taste. Serve at once or refrigerate. Garnish with crème fraiche, orange zest; maybe a biscotti on the side.
Moose wood Restaurant Daily Special Cookbook

Strawberry Daiquiri
(Virgin or not)

2 cups strawberries, hulled
6 oz. rum or orange juice
1 (6 oz. can) frozen pink lemonade
crushed ice

Mix all the ingredients in a blender, adding enough crushed ice to achieve the desired thickness of the drink. The mixture may be stored in the freezer for a short time before serving. Top with a strawberry garnish. Serves 8.

Strawberry Bruschetta

3 slices [1/2 inch thick] rustic white bread 10 sliced fresh strawberries
2 to 3 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 to 5 tsp. sugar

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Grill the bread until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Spread the butter over the toasts. Cut each piece in half. Arrange the sliced berries over the toasts. Sprinkle the strawberries with the sugar. Broil until the sugar begins to caramelize, about 2 minutes. [Do not leave the broiler!] Serves 6.

Strawberry Vinaigrette

1 cup strawberries, hulled
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup white wine, such as Jones Winery’s Woodlands White
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1 cup oil, your favorite
3 tbsp. sugar
¼ cup chopped mint, optional
1 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. Dijon mustard

In a blender, place all ingredients except oil and mint; cover and blend until pureed. With blender running, through the hole in cover, add oil in a slow, steady stream until vinaigrette thickens. Transfer to serving bowl or jar. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate up to 3 days. Stir in mint, if you like. Serve over greens, grilled pork or poultry, a fish fillet or more berries!