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I do believe it is fresh strawberry season. Yes, we can buy strawberries in the grocery store year round, but they are so much better when picked from your garden or a berry patch aren't they. Many of you know, that in the past number of years I wore awesome "berry pickin" blue and red jeans. Red at the knees and blue elsewhere. They eventually wore out in the knees so I tossed them. I should have kept them as I would have looked like a teen, wearing holey jeans. (I don't think so, Alice!) I did come up with an old pair, without holes, that I can wear...so I'm in good shape. (Don't take that literally!)

Obviously it's about strawberries today. M-m-m-m, they're scrumptious to eat out of hand, but let's add them to other ingredients.

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB COFFEE CAKE

Filling:

3 c. sliced fresh strawberries, sliced in 1-inch pieces

1 qt. fresh strawberries, mashed

2 T. lemon juice

1 c. sugar

1/3 c. cornstarch

Cake:

3 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1 t. each, baking powder and baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 c. butter or margarine, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1-1/2 c. buttermilk

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

Topping:

1/4 c. butter or margarine

3/4 c. each, flour and sugar

In a large saucepan, combine first 3 ingredients. Cover and cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Combine sugar and cornstarch; stir into saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened; remove from heat and set aside. In a large bowl, combine next 5 ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a bowl, beat buttermilk, eggs and vanilla; stir into crumb mixture. Spread half of the batter evenly into a greased 9x13-inch baking pan. Carefully spread filling over top. (Drop spoonfuls of filling over and spread with the back of a spoon). Drop rest of batter by spoonfuls over filling. For topping: melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; stir in flour and sugar until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over batter. Lay a piece of foil on lower rack to catch any juicy spillovers. Put coffee cake on middle rack; bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Cool in pan. Cut into squares. Top with a dollop of whipped cream if you wish.

Makes 12-15 servings.

Don't pass over this recipe... it's very good!

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STRAWBERRY AND

COTTAGE CHEESE SALAD

1-3 oz. pkg. strawberry gelatin

3/4 c. boiling water

1-1/4 c. ice cold water

1 pt. strawberries, halved

1 c. small curd cottage cheese

In a medium bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water, stirring to dissolve completely. Stir in ice water. Chill half of mixture to consistency of egg whites. Fold in berries. Pour into a 4-cup bowl or mold that has been rinsed in cold water. Refrigerate. Chill rest of gelatin until slightly thickened. Fold in cottage cheese. Spoon over berry mixture. Chill 3 hours. Unmold onto serving plate just before serving or if you have used a bowl, serve as is. Garnish with fresh berries if you wish.

Makes 4-6 servings.

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CITRUS BERRY SALAD

2/3 c. orange juice

1/3 c. honey

2 c. strawberry, halved

1 c. each, raspberries and blueberries

2 oranges, peeled and cut into sections (or 1-15 oz. can mandarin oranges, drained)

12 melon balls (cantaloupe or honeydew)

Fresh mint leaves (optional)

In a small bowl, whisk together orange juice and honey. In a large bowl gently combine fruit and dressing. Garnish with mint leaves if you wish.

Makes 6-8 servings.

I'm guessing we all know how to make strawberry shortcake. This is another way to do it.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE WHIRLS

1 qt. (4 c.) fresh strawberries

2/3 c. sugar

2 c. buttermilk baking mix

3 T. each, sugar and butter or margarine, melted

2 T. soft butter

2 T. each, sugar and chopped pecans

1 t. cinnamon

Vanilla ice cream, whipped cream or whipped topping

In a bowl, combine strawberries and sugar; let stand about 1 hour; set aside. In a large bowl, combine next 5 ingredients. Mix to form a soft dough. Knead 8-10 times on lightly floured bread board. Roll into a rectangle, 12x6-inches and spread with 2 T. soft butter. In a small bowl, combine sugar, pecans and cinnamon; sprinkle over dough. Beginning at wide edge, roll up, as you would cinnamon rolls; don't roll it too tight. Seal well by pinching edge of dough into dough. Cut roll in 6 slices. Gently flatten each to about 2-1/2-inches in diameter and put on ungreased baking sheet, 2-inches apart. Bake at 425 degrees about 10 minutes or until light brown. Don't over bake as they will be dry when cool. Serve topped with ice cream and berries or berries with whipped cream on top.

Makes 6 servings.

TFD: Thoughts, recipes, ancestry and history not shared are soon forever lost. To young homemakers: write down the favorite recipes your mom has made over the years and they will not be lost.

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