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There are a lot of fruits that make summer sweeter and one of them is raspberries. For snacks, salads, sauces, desserts, jams and jellies, these berries can hardly be beat. The small, soft-textured fruit is among the most flavorful and fragrant. I don’t know which fruit has the best aroma. Is it strawberries, peaches, cherries, cantaloupe, nectarines or raspberries? The fresh fruits of summer are a part of almost all of our meals and on a scale of one to 10, all of them get about a 15. So it’s raspberries today.

CREAMY RASPBERRY PIE
6 c. fresh raspberries, divided
1 c. sugar
3 T. cornstarch
1/2 c. water
8 oz. cream cheese, softened (very soft)
1 c. whipped topping
1 c. powdered sugar
1-9 in. graham cracker crust

In a bowl, lightly mash two cups berries to make one cup. In a small saucepan, combine mashed berries, sugar, cornstarch and water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Lower heat; cook and stir two minutes. Let cool completely. In a bowl beat cream cheese until fluffy; slowly beat in powdered sugar then whipped topping. Spread into graham cracker crust. Cover with remaining four cups raspberries. Pour cooled sauce over berries. Refrigerate 3-4 hours. Makes six servings.
Note: Blueberries or strawberries can be substituted for raspberries.

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RASPBERRY SPINACH SALAD
3 T. canola oil
2 T. raspberry vinegar
2 T. raspberry jam
1/8 t. pepper
8 c. packaged baby spinach or torn regular spinach
2 c. fresh raspberries, divided
4 T. slivered almonds, toasted, divided
1/2 c. thinly sliced onion, cutting slices in half
3 kiwi, peeled and sliced, cutting slices in half
1 c. seasoned salad croutons

In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine first four ingredients; shake well. In a large salad bowl, gently combine spinach, 1 c. berries, 2 T. almonds and onion. Top with kiwi, croutons, remaining berries and almonds. Drizzle with dressing just before servings. Makes six servings.

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RASPBERRY RICE PUDDING
1-1/2 c. whipping cream
1/4 c. sugar
3/4 t. vanilla
1-1/2 c. cold, cooked rice
3 drops red food coloring
1 c. fresh raspberries

In a mixing bowl, beat cream, sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Gently stir in rice, jam and food coloring. Refrigerate one hour. Spoon into serving dishes and garnish with berries.

RASPBERRY PEACH JAM
3 c. sugar
2-2/3 c. peeled, finely chopped peaches
1-1/2 c. crushed raspberries
1-1/2 t. lemon juice

In a large kettle, combine all ingredients. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbly, about 10 minutes. Bring to a rolling boil; lower heat just enough to keep mixture boiling. Boil for 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, skim off foam. Pour hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust caps. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. Makes five half-pints.


Thought for the Day: Be bold in what you stand for and careful what you fall for.

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