Warm Weather Favorites: Fresh Strawberries!
By Brenda Hyde
Fresh strawberries melt in your mouth. It's
often hard to buy enough for recipes and munching. Even
though they are available year round in the grocery store
there is something about a local, in season strawberry
that can't be beat, especially if it's from your own
garden. Whether you grow them or buy them at the local
market these recipes will taste great!
Strawberry Salsa
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh chopped mint leaves
2-3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1 pint strawberries, hulled and chopped
1/4 cup diced pineapple
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
Combine oil, lime juice, vinegar, mint, cilantro,
jalapeno, pepper and salt in medium bowl. Toss
in strawberries, pineapple and onion. Serve over
grilled chicken or pork. Makes 2 1/2 cups.
Strawberry Blast
Ingredients:
1 ripe banana
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup milk
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
Cover and blend until thick and smooth.
Makes 2 servings.
Strawberry Pancake
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 pint strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 tablespoon confectioners sugar
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in each
of two 9 inch pie plates in oven. Beat eggs with milk, flour,
sugar and vanilla.Remove pie plates and pour half of batter
into each plate; scatter with berries. Bake 20 minutes or
until golden. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar. Makes 4
servings.
Strawberry Salad
Ingredients:
4 cups torn salad greens
1 cup watercress
1 cup sliced, hulled strawberries
1/2 half of a small red onion, thinly sliced
Poppy seed Dressing (homemade or bought)
Edible flowers such as nasturtiums or chive blossoms
In a salad bowl, place greens, watercress, strawberries
onion. Top with dressing and toss to coat. Garnish with
edible flowers. Chive blossoms and nasturtiums are
peppery in taste. If they are not available to you, fresh
mint can be used for garnish. Caution: Be sure that
all herbs and blossoms are free of pesticides.
Honey Lime Fruit Bowl
Ingredients:
3 cups honeydew melon balls
4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and left whole
3/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 cup flaked, toasted coconut
In a large bowl, combine melon balls and strawberries;
refrigerate. In small bowl, combine honey and lime
juice; blend. Just before serving, pour over fruit and
toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with coconut.
To toast coconut: Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes
or until golden brown. Spread on a cookie sheet.
12-16 servings.
Strawberry Squares
Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup crushed pecans or walnuts
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
2 cups sliced, hulled fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
For crust, in a bowl combine flour, nuts and brown sugar.
Add melted butter. Toss to combine. Spread in a shallow
baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until
golden, stirring occasionally. Spread 2/3 of the crust
mixture in a 13x9x2 pan. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat 1/2 cup of the whipping cream
until soft peaks form. Add the strawberries, sugar and
lemon juice. Beat mixture well. In another bowl, beat
the remaining 1 cup whipping cream until stiff peaks
form. Fold into the strawberry mixture. Transfer to
prepared pan. Top with remaining crust mixture. Cover
and freeze for at least 6 hours. Let stand at room
temperature for 15 minutes before serving. Makes
9-12 servings. Garnish with additional berries if you wish.
More on Strawberries
Strawberry Jars!
Wild Strawberries
Picking and Freezing Strawberries
Strawberry Memories
