Strawberries – My Favorite Summer Treat

My family was lucky enough to enjoy our first gallon of fresh North Carolina strawberries recently -my favorite summer-time treat - picked by the Young At Heart group from Oak Grove Baptist Church in Boone, who take a trip to a favorite fruit farm in the Elkin area about this time every year. The berries were so big and juicy and delicious – I tried to make them last as long as possible, but you know, that’s not very long! I once loved going to pick strawberries, but I ate as many as I picked, and didn’t think that was fair to the growers, so now, I just try to buy them from someone else. They have arrived in abundance and can be found at local produce stands, on the roadside, and in the supermarkets.

Did you know this about strawberries?
· They were cultivated in ancient Rome
· were used as a medicinal herb in the 1200s
· are grown in every U.S. state and Canadian province
· are a member of the rose family
· have a museum dedicated to them in Belgium
· are very high in vitamin C, potassium and antioxidants
· have just 55 calories per cup (plus 0 cholesterol and 0 fat).

These are just some of the reasons we need to savor every last one of them while we can!

 

Strawberry Cheesecake
Crust:
1½ cups Graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbs. margarine or butter; melted

Stir together graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Mix in butter thoroughly and press into a 9" spring-form pan. Bake 10 minutes at 350; Cool. Reduce oven temperature to 300-degree F.

Filling:
2 (8 oz) blocks, plus 1 (4 oz) block cheese cream, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. lemon peel, grated
¼ tsp. vanilla
3 eggs

Beat cream cheese in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add sugar, beating until fluffy. Add lemon peel and vanilla. Beat in eggs one at a time. Pour into shell. Bake 1 hour or until center is firm. Cool to room temperature and then spread with the strawberry glaze.

Glaze:
1 cup strawberries; mashed
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/3 cup water

Blend sugar and cornstarch together in a small saucepan. Stir in water and strawberries. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Cool thoroughly before spreading over cheesecake. Chill at least 3 hours.

 

Frozen Strawberry- Cream Cheese Pie
1 ½ cups crushed pretzels
¼ cup melted butter
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
¾ cup sugar
1 1/3 cups orange juice *(see note below for alternates)
1 cup crushed strawberries
Cool Whip topping

Combine pretzels with melted butter; press onto bottom of a 9 x 13-inch pan. Beat cream cheese with ¾ cup sugar in bowl with an electric mixer until smooth Stir in (orange) juice and strawberries; whisk in Cool Whip. Pour over crust; freeze until firm. Remove from freezer and let stand in refrigerator for 15 minutes before serving

*Substitute your favorite prepared juice, such as raspberry, lemonade, limeade, grape or pink lemonade.

 

Strawberry Pudding Cake
Angel Food Cake
1 large box vanilla instant pudding
Milk for pudding
3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1 8-oz. container Cool Whip

Tear cake into little pieces and cover bottom of baking dish. Mix pudding according to directions on box; pour over cake. Spread fresh strawberries over pudding mixture. Top with Cool Whip. Refrigerate.

 

Strawberry Sauce
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon or lime juice
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

In a food processor, combine strawberries, sugar, lemon or lime juice and vanilla. Puree, then chill. Delicious served over ice cream or pound cake.

 

 

Don’t forget your copy of “Lovin’ Spoonful . . . Cooking With Family and Friends,” a compilation of nearly 400 mouth-watering recipes by Sherrie Norris. It is available at all locations of High Country Media – Boone, Banner Elk, West Jefferson, and at The Avery Journal in Newland, all Boone Drugs, Black Bear Books, Trailway Laundry, Wilcox Emporium,( top level, booth 312-W,) and beginning June 15 at Mast Store locations.