Photo Credit: Julie Nicole Photography
Strawberry season is upon us – one of my favorite times of year. No more buying gigantic, mutant, tasteless strawberries shipped in from planet Fruitopia (a place I imagine all out of season genetically manufactured fruit is from). Grocery stores are finally fully stocked with sweet berries at low prices, and thankfully I live in an area with an abundance of roadside stands and farmers markets selling freshly picked berries from their patches. There is no taste like strawberries picked right from the patch, warmed slightly from the sun. Or better yet, sliced over some good, creamy
vanilla ice cream. My mother is now getting up from her computer after reading that line, and getting the ice cream and berries out as we speak. This is her favorite thing in the world to consume (actually her most favorite is a vanilla soft serve cone from the McDonalds drive thru). Sorry Mom, I let your little secret out…
vanilla ice cream. My mother is now getting up from her computer after reading that line, and getting the ice cream and berries out as we speak. This is her favorite thing in the world to consume (actually her most favorite is a vanilla soft serve cone from the McDonalds drive thru). Sorry Mom, I let your little secret out…
Photo Credit: Julie Jones I could go on and on singing the praises of fresh picked blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. They are glorious. However, I have a confession. I HATE picking berries. Even as a kid. I think I always hated it. Is that right? Let me think. Yep, never really liked it. Is there something wrong with me? It’s supposed to be some dreamy summertime activity. And I keep thinking it is, as I keep going. I seem to idealize it in my head and forget the misery it always ends up being. As a child, my mother would take us to pick berries to use for her annual batch of strawberry jam. We seemingly always went to pick on the one day in June when the weatherman gleefully reported, “you could fry an egg on the sidewalk!” That, or apparently we only visited patches near the equator.
The whining in unison from us children must have been such a peaceful
backdrop for my mother who basically did all the picking by herself. For a few years, my mother tended her own strawberry patch in our garden. But she claims that didn't yield much as us kids would pilfer and eat the berries before she could pick much! She couldn't win...
Even now, no matter how early in the morning we go, it is sweltering. My back hurts. My legs are falling asleep from crouching. Sweat is dripping into my eyes and blurring my vision. Am I picking a strawberry or a weird bug cocoon?? Eww! Yucky fingers!! When my eyesight clears up, I realize I have put approximately 48
rotten strawberries in my bucket. Dang it.
I must acknowledge how grateful I am to live in such plentiful and bountiful farm country. My children will know and see where their food comes from. But, the other day I stopped at a little Amish roadside stand selling produce. I bought a fresh picked overflowing quart of strawberries for $3. Buy Fresh. Buy Local. This feels so right. And I didn’t even have to sweat through my clothes to enjoy them.
The whining in unison from us children must have been such a peaceful
backdrop for my mother who basically did all the picking by herself. For a few years, my mother tended her own strawberry patch in our garden. But she claims that didn't yield much as us kids would pilfer and eat the berries before she could pick much! She couldn't win...
Even now, no matter how early in the morning we go, it is sweltering. My back hurts. My legs are falling asleep from crouching. Sweat is dripping into my eyes and blurring my vision. Am I picking a strawberry or a weird bug cocoon?? Eww! Yucky fingers!! When my eyesight clears up, I realize I have put approximately 48
rotten strawberries in my bucket. Dang it.
I must acknowledge how grateful I am to live in such plentiful and bountiful farm country. My children will know and see where their food comes from. But, the other day I stopped at a little Amish roadside stand selling produce. I bought a fresh picked overflowing quart of strawberries for $3. Buy Fresh. Buy Local. This feels so right. And I didn’t even have to sweat through my clothes to enjoy them.
Homemade strawberry jam is like potato salad, Thanksgiving stuffing, or rolls, everyone thinks their family recipe is the best. To this day, our freezer is always fully stocked with this jam, because, well, it’s the best. I remember a family we were friends with coming to pick up jelly at our house because that’s the only kind they would eat! Rock on, Mom. I saw my mother giving this jam away to others countless times. So her labor in picking and making the jam was of love. I now help her with this little tradition, and follow her example in sharing it with others. It makes a pretty little gift wrapped in a cellophane bag, along with a freshly baked loaf of country bread (baked or bought!). Add a bag of coffee, a fun flavored creamer, put it all in a basket lined with a pretty cloth or paper napkin, and you’ve got a lovely little breakfast themed gift to drop off to someone who just moved, had a baby, is getting through the first days of school, or needs a "just because" gift. Those are the best of all. And now you think I’m going to share our secret family recipe for Strawberry Freezer Jam, don’t you? Nope. Because it’s the recipe on the Certo box! Find it here.
Instead, here is a delicious dessert shared with me by my sister Janelle. It’s a great dessert to make with a group. Someone can be slicing strawberries; another can be crushing graham crackers, and so on. And all the while talking, laughing, and connecting. Fight the urge to bark everybody out of your kitchen (I’m talking to myself). I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
Instead, here is a delicious dessert shared with me by my sister Janelle. It’s a great dessert to make with a group. Someone can be slicing strawberries; another can be crushing graham crackers, and so on. And all the while talking, laughing, and connecting. Fight the urge to bark everybody out of your kitchen (I’m talking to myself). I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
Strawberry Delight
Crust:
2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cups sugar
1 stick margarine or butter
Cream Cheese Filing:
1 cup 10x sugar
2 T milk
8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
8 oz carton whipped topping (cool whip)
Strawberry Glaze Topping:
1 box strawberry Danish Dessert*
1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced
Directions:
Melt margarine or butter. Combine with graham cracker crumbs and sugar and spread in the bottom of a
9x13 inch pan. Set aside. Follow package directions for Danish Dessert. Cool 10 minutes and fold in strawberries (mix in berries before it gels up). Beat 10x sugar and milk together. Add cream cheese and beat again. Fold in cool whip. Spread carefully over crust. Spread strawberry mixture over cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
*Danish Dessert is a powdered mix that makes a strawberry glaze. It can be found with the gelatins/pie fillings in the grocery store. Not every store carries it, so either buy already made strawberry pie glaze or try this recipe as substitute if you are not able to find it:
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 (3 oz.) package strawberry flavored gelatin
3 Tbsp. cornstarch.
In medium saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil.
Mix jello with cornstarch and gradually add to boiling mixture.
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until mixture is clear and thickened slightly. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
On The Side: Serve this dessert (or any sweet ending) with something salty like a bowl of pretzels, snack mix, or roasted salted cashews. Add a pot of Decaf coffee, a pitcher of ice water, and you've got a simple, but lovely dessert spread to offer your guests.
Crust:
2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cups sugar
1 stick margarine or butter
Cream Cheese Filing:
1 cup 10x sugar
2 T milk
8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
8 oz carton whipped topping (cool whip)
Strawberry Glaze Topping:
1 box strawberry Danish Dessert*
1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced
Directions:
Melt margarine or butter. Combine with graham cracker crumbs and sugar and spread in the bottom of a
9x13 inch pan. Set aside. Follow package directions for Danish Dessert. Cool 10 minutes and fold in strawberries (mix in berries before it gels up). Beat 10x sugar and milk together. Add cream cheese and beat again. Fold in cool whip. Spread carefully over crust. Spread strawberry mixture over cream cheese mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
*Danish Dessert is a powdered mix that makes a strawberry glaze. It can be found with the gelatins/pie fillings in the grocery store. Not every store carries it, so either buy already made strawberry pie glaze or try this recipe as substitute if you are not able to find it:
3 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 (3 oz.) package strawberry flavored gelatin
3 Tbsp. cornstarch.
In medium saucepan, bring water and sugar to a boil.
Mix jello with cornstarch and gradually add to boiling mixture.
Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly for 5 minutes or until mixture is clear and thickened slightly. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
On The Side: Serve this dessert (or any sweet ending) with something salty like a bowl of pretzels, snack mix, or roasted salted cashews. Add a pot of Decaf coffee, a pitcher of ice water, and you've got a simple, but lovely dessert spread to offer your guests.
| Strawberry Delight Recipe |
