Fresh strawberry season

“Tis the season.” Strawberry season that is. You can buy them all year, but there’s nothing quite like the taste of a fresh berry, picked from your garden or from a strawberry patch. Never mind the back aches, the stooping, the dirty hands and knees, which inevitable comes with berry picking, it’s worth the effort. You can just pop into your mouth, serve as a topping for shortcake, cheesecake, a big scoop of ice cream, in pies, and make sparkling jellies and jams, (which make wonderful birthday, hostess or Christmas gifts). The season is short so enjoy them now. I always had these “yucky” jeans that I used just for berry picking, but this year one of our daughters called and asked if I wanted a flat of berries. Well, does the sun rise every day? No back, aches, red stained hands, etc. and the berries are delicious! And with that...

FRESH STRAWBERRY ALMOND PIE
Crust:
1-1/2 c. crushed shortbread cookies
1/4 c. whole almond or slivered almonds, chopped
1/3 c. butter or margarine, melted
Filling:
6 c. strawberries, hulled and sliced in half 1 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
1/3 c. water
1/8 t. salt
1/2 t. almond extract
1 t. sugar
1 pint whipping cream, whipped
In a small bowl, stir together all crust ingredients. Press on bottom and up sides of a 9” pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Cool completely. Mash enough berries to make 1 c. In a 2 qt. saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in mashed berries and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil (8-15 min.) Boil 1 minute; stir in salt and almond extract; cool 10 minutes. Fill baked crust with rest of berries; pour cooked berry mixture over berries. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. In a small bowl, whip cream with sugar until stiff peaks form. Top each piece with whipped cream. To make it a little prettier, garnish with a sprig or two of mint. Makes six-eight servings.

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An elegant strawberry dessert that is easy to make and tastes delicious
DRESSED UP CREAM PUFFS AND STRAWBERRIES
1/2 c. water
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. flour
2 eggs
1-small pkg. cook and serve vanilla pudding mix
1/2 t. vanilla flavoring
1-1/2 c. strawberries, sliced
1/4” thick-divided
Whipped topping or whipped cream
Prepared chocolate sauce
Combine water and butter in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Add flour and salt all at once, stirring vigorously over low heat until mixture leaves sides of pan and forms a smooth ball. Remove from heat; cool for a few minutes.
Add 2 eggs, 1 at a time, beating with wooden spoon after each addition; beat until batter is smooth. Spoon 6 (1/4 c.) mounds of batter, 3 “ apart, on a ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes; reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 150 minutes longer or till golden brown and puffed. Cool on a wire rack away from drafts. Cook pudding mix according to pkg. directions, using 1-3/4 c. milk instead of 2 cups.
Turn into medium bowl, stir in vanilla; cover bowl with plastic wrap (so a film doesn’t form on the pudding). Cool completely. About an hour before serving, cut a 1” slice from top of each puff; remove any soft dough from inside. Spoon about 3 T. pudding into bottom of each puff. Top with strawberries, a dollop of whipped topping and drizzle chocolate syrup over all. Talk about yummy! You will “wow” your guests. Makes six large cream puffs. Note: You can make the puff shells ahead of time; just let them aside until you’re ready to fill them.

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This is a salad that you can partly make 7 hours ahead of serving time.
FROSTY STRAWBERRY SALAD
1-8 oz. can crushed pineapple, packed in juice
1-8 oz. container reduced - fat soft style cream cheese, at room temperature
1 c. reduced - fat sour cream
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
2 c. fresh, chopped strawberries
1/2 c. chopped pecans or walnuts Fresh strawberries for garnish Drain pineapple, saving 2 T. of juice. In a medium bowl, with an electric mixer on low, beat the pineapple juice, cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and vanilla. When all is combined, beat on high until smooth and fluffy. Fold in pineapple, chopped berries and pecans. Spoon mixture into waxed-paper lined 9 x5” loaf pan. Press lightly with the back of the spoon to make sure there are no air pockets. Cover and freeze for 6-7 hours or until firm. Strawberries are loaded with vitamin C. One cup supplies 150% of US daily adult allowance and contain only 60 calories. How many cups in a pint of berries? A pint of strawberries isn’t the same in any way you slice it! 1 pint=3-1/4 c. whole berries, about 2-1/2 c. sliced berries, and about 1-2/3 c. pureed berries. To serve: Let stand at room temperature to thaw slightly, about 10 minutes. Remove from the pan; turn over onto a sheet of foil. Gently pull off waxed-paper; cut loaf lengthwise in half; then crosswise to make 8 equal pieces. Place on salad plates lined with iceberg or loose-leaf lettuce. Makes eight individual salads. Nutritional value: 1 serving: Calories 227, saturated fat 6 g, carbs 24g, cholesterol 22 mg, fiber 1 g.

Thought for the Day:
Love is a fruit in season at all times, and within the reach of every hand.