Adventures in Cooking Our CSA Share: Real Kids Eat Quiche

With a dozen farm-fresh eggs every week from our CSA, I decided to make a quiche tonight, based on a French-born co-worker of Mama's ad hoc recipe (see below.)  And since I wanted to try to tempt the kiddos, I decided to make it broccoli and cheese quiche.  They were even a tad curious because Sis had fetched the sour cream, which I thought I had, from an obliging neighbor (hi and thanks, Miss K!).   

After poking at it and requesting a confirmation of the ingredients--cheese, broccoli, and eggs, mostly--they both tried a morsel.  You've never seen kids who could take such small bites of new foods as these kids can.  Atomic-level bites, sometimes, just a whiff of flavor.  I can't see how they ever don't like something, as little as they get of it.  But they took second and third and bigger bites and then each had their own pieces!!

Success!!!!

They were even more excited about it when I promised to put ham bits in the next one.

Other items in our CSA box this week:

• Cantaloupe (keep on counter for a few days, then in fridge if not used)
• Peaches (keep in fridge)
• Apricots (keep a few out,  a few in the fridge until needed)
• Parsley (wrap with damp paper towel and keep in crisper)
• Bunched Carrots (remove tops and keep in fridge)
• Bunched Sweet Onions (remove tops and keep in fridge)
• Celery (keep in crisper in fridge)
• Asian Eggplant (keep on counter or in a cool place, in fridge if not used in 4 days)
• Cherry Tomatoes (KEEP ON COUNTER, NOT IN FRIDGE)
•  a Whole Chicken, Kielbasa, Hot Dogs and Bratwurst.
•  Doe Re Mi cheese 

•  AND MORE EGGS!!!!

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Adapted from Mme M's Quiche

1 pie crust (or half of my pie crust recipe, below)

4-5 eggs

1/3 cup sour cream

8 oz. Colby or cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes (do not grate/shred)

2 cups frozen broccoli florets, cooked and drained til less wet

salt, pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F.  Place pie crust in pie plate, crimping edges.  

Mix all ingredients.  Pour into prepared pie shell.  Bake 35-45 minutes until middle is set and crust is golden.

Serve warm or room temperature.

Mommy Hungry

Church Pie Crust
Makes 2 crusts

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon sugar (omit for quiche)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening (I use coconut oil)
1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1/3 + 1 tablespoon ice water

Mix all ingredients in food processor set to dough setting.  Form into disk and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate 15 minutes to overnight.  When ready to use, let come close to room temperature and roll out to 9" crust.

from Joy of Cooking

Original quiche recipe:

Adventures in Cooking Our CSA Share: Blueberries Galore!

With a pint or two of blueberries in the fridge and hopes for blueberry picking this weekend, I've been searching my blog for blueberry recipes.  I've actually made quite a few blueberry recipes over the year, more than I realized.  I think of all of them, I'd liked to make the Blueberry Crumble French Toast again and try the Blueberry Cobbler.


TRIED AND TRUE:

Lattice-Top Blueberry Pie a la Martha Stewart

pie dough for two-9" crusts

about 7 cups blueberries (washed, drained, de-stemmed)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon lemon juice

your favorite wash--egg yolk, milk, water

sugar for dusting (I use raw sugar and cinnamon)

Roll out bottom crust and place in 9" pie plate.

Mix blueberries (I crushed half lightly), sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Pour into prepared pie plate.

Cut other crust into approximately 1" strips. Weave into a lattice-top (No worries, it's not hard--see here..) Apply chosen wash and dust with sugar and cinnamon.

Freeze or refrigerate pie for 30 minutes to set up. Preheat oven to 400F. Remove pie from fridge and cover edges. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake for another 55 minutes, until pie is bubbly and crust is browned.

Allow to cool completely, approximately 3 hours. Yeah. Right.

Martha Stewart with directions written by Mommy Hungry

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Pie Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup butter, unsalted and chilled, cut into pieces

1/4 cup ice water

In a food processor, pulse flour with salt and sugar. Add butter. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces remaining. Add water; pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if needed, add up to 4 tablespoons more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not overmix. turn out onto a work surface; knead once or twice, until dough comes together. Chill dough shaped in discs in plastic wrap, at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.

Everyday Food

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Blueberry Pie

2 pie crusts

2-10 oz bags of frozen blueberries (approximately 4 cups)

1/3 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

cinnamon, nutmeg

1-2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 350F. Place crust in pie plate. Place blueberries (still frozen) in bowl with flour and sugar. Mix together and slightly mash. Spoon blueberry mixture into shell. Cover with other crust, piercing to vent. Sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar over crust and dot with butter. Bake at 350 for approximately 1+ hours, until golden brown crust and bubbly, covering rim of pie until last 15 minutes.

Mommy Hungry

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Sis and Bud's Muffins, a la Martha Stewart

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan

2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups fresh blueberries (we used 1 cup frozen strawberries, defrosted, for Bud; 1/2 cup chocolate chips for Sis)

1 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Generously butter a standard 12-cup muffin pan and dust with flour, tapping out excess; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Working over the bowl, toss blueberries in a fine sieve with about 1 1/2 teaspoons flour mixture to lightly coat; set aside the flour mixture and the blueberries. (Or skip this part.)

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a handheld mixer, beat butter and 1 cup sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined. Mix in vanilla.

With the mixer on low speed, add reserved flour mixture, beating until just combined. Add milk, beating until just combined. Do not overmix. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the blueberries.

Or, for our muffins, divide batter into two separate bowls. In one, stir in the strawberries; in the other, the chocolate. Continue . . .

Divide batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake, rotating pan halfway though, until muffins are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center of one muffin comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool 10 minutes. Turn muffins on their sides in their cups, and let cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

adapted from blueberry muffins in Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook (except, online, she adds 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg for crunchy topping; commentors suggest adding a bit of lemon zest to batter)

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Double Good Blueberry Pie
From the reusable farm basket . . . and it was good (and much like the strawberry pie we made last month). As usual, Sis liked the crust and Bud prefers his berries "plain."

3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon lemon juice
baked, 9-inch pie shell

-Mix sugar and cornstarch in saucepan, add water, and 2 cups berries. Cook over medium heat, stirring until mixture is thick, clear, and boiling. Remove from heat, stir in lemon juice, cool. -Place remaining 2 cups of raw blueberries in pie shell. Top with cooked blueberry mixture. -Chill. Serve with 1/2 sweetened yogurt - 1/2 sweetened sour cream sauce, if desired.

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Blueberry Crumble French Toast
This was my favorite dish at breakfast at the Frederick-Talbott Inn the morning Mama and I went to Winter on the Prairie at Conner Prairie Living History Museum. MMmmmmm! I could’ve been a pioneer with sustenance like this! I sent the cook my mom’s Orange Biscuits recipe in exchange.

bread sliced ¾ inch thick (they use Italian; I used challah)
8 eggs
1 cup milk
¾ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
¼ cup flour
1 cup dry oats
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (we skipped this)
1 to 2 cups blueberries

Grease a 6 x 10 baking dish. Preheat oven to 375°F. Slice bread in ¾ inch thick slices and place in a single layer in the bottom of the prepared pan. Cut additional bread into small pieces to fill in spaces around slices.
Beat together eggs and milk. Add vanilla.
Pour egg mixture over bread. There should be enough liquid to cover bread. Let sit one to two minutes to allow bread to absorb egg mixture. Turn bread slices to evenly soak both sides.
For topping, blend together with a pastry cutter the butter, brown sugar and flour or use your fingers to work the butter into the sugar and flour; stir in oats. Sprinkle over soaked bread in baking dish. Top evenly with nuts and blueberries.
Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until the bread is puffy and bubbles rise around the sides of the pan. Let sit 5 minutes before cutting into rectangles to serve. Peaches or apples may be substituted for the blueberries. Serve with maple syrup or blueberry syrup.

Frederick-Talbott Inn, Indiana

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Blueberry Poundcake
This is the recipe for the pound cake.  It is really for muffins so just bake for about an hour (checking) if you do the bread.

1/2 c butter

1 c sugar

2 eggs beaten

1/2 c milk

2 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 c fresh blueberries

cinnamon/sugar topping (taste fine with or without)

Cream together butter and sugar.  Add eggs mixing well. Stir in milk.  Combine dry ingredients and add to mixture- stir to combine. Fold in blueberries.  Fill greased muffin tins and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar (optional) and bake at 375 degrees for 20 min.

Enjoy!
MIss J.D.

Note:  I also added a teaspoon of almond extract.

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Blueberry Smoothie

2 quarts (2 1/2 lbs.) frozen blueberries, slightly thawed; or 2 quarts free blueberries
1 quart pineapple-orange-strawberry juice blend; or pineapple-orange juice
1 quart low-fat vanilla yogurt
8 tsp. Sugar

- In a container of an electric blender, combine blueberries, juice, yogurt and sugar.
-Blend until smooth, about 1 minute.
-Serve immediately in tall glass.
-Garnish with blueberry skewers spiraled with thin stripes of orange peel, if desired.

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Miss M's BLUEBERRY GRUNT*

2 cups soft bread cubes

1/2 cup water

1 Tbsp butter, melted

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs, well beaten

1 pint blueberries

Soften bread with water. Add all but berries. Layer bread mixture and blueberries in a greased, shallow 1 quart pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. Serve with cream.

Yield: 4 servings

*Grunt is baked, uncovered or steamed.

Slump if cooked, covered, on top of the stove.

Another recipe:

BLUEBERRY CRISP

4 cups blueberries

1/3 cup flour

1 tsp grated lemon zest

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine

Spread berries in shallow baking dish or a deep 9" pin pan. Sprinkle with lemon rind. Blend remaining ingredients and sprinkle over berries. Bake at 375 degrees for about 25 minutes. If 1/2 recipe is made bake for only 15 minutes. Best served warm.

Yield: 6 servings.

Miss M

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TJ's Multigrain Blueberry Coffeecake

1 egg 1 cup buttermilk (lowfat) 3 tablespoons oil 2 1/2 cups Trader Joe's Multigrain Baking Mix 1/2 cup sugar 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (do not need to thaw) additional sugar for topping (this is my addition.  I used turbinado)

In a large bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk and oil. Stir in multigrain baking mix and sugar until moistened. Fold in blueberries. Spread batter into an 8x8x8-inch pan coated with cooking spray. (My addition:  dust with a few teaspoons of sugar to add a crunchy top). Bake 45-50 mins in preheated 350 F oven or until top is golden brown and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 mins. Cut into squares and serve warm. Makes 16, 2-inch servings. back of the box of Trader Joe's multigrain baking mix -=-=-=-=-=-=- Blueberry Crumb Cake Streusel: 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup light brown sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg 1 stick unsalted butter, melted 1 1/3 cup flour Cake: 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 extra large eggs, room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest 2/3 cup sour cream 1 1/4 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup fresh blueberries confectioner's sugar for sprinkling Preheat oven 350F.  Butter and flour a 9" round baking pan. For streusel:  combine 1st four ingredients in bowl.  Stir in melted butter, then flour.  Mix well. For cake:  Cream butter and sugar with mixer on high speed 4-5 minutes, until light.  Reduce to low and add eggs one at a time.  Add vanilla, lemon, and sour cream.  In separate bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  With mixer on low, add flour to batter just until combined.  Fold in blueberries.  Spoon into prepared pan, crumble topping evenly over batter.  Bake for 40-50 minutes until tester comes out clean.  Cool and sprinkle with confectioners sugar.  Enjoy! Miss P.K. -=-=-=-=-=- Blueberry Cobbler 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, and 8 tablespoons of butter, melted and cooled 1 1/2 cups sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest 3 cups blueberries, rinsed 1 1/2 cups flour 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 1/2 cups milk Melt and cool 8 tablespoons of butter in 9x13 pan while you preheat oven tto 350. Meanwhile, pulse 1/4 cup sugar and lemon zest and set aside until the end. Mash blueberries with 1 tablespoon of lemon sugar. Mix 1 1/4 cups sugar, flower, baking powder, and salt. Whisk in milk and cooled melted butter. Pour batter in hot pan. Dollop blueberry mixture over dough. Sprinkle with remaining lemon sugar. Bake 45-50 minutes, turning pan halfway, until golden and bubbly. Cool 30 minutes. Cook's Country (with instructions written by Mommy Hungry) -=-=-=-=-=-

Blueberry Crisp

5 cups blueberries

In a bowl, combine blueberries with 4 T. of sugar and 3 T. all-purpose flour.

Place in a 2-quart square baking dish prepared with non-stick cooking spray (or place in a 9 X 13 pan and double the topping recipe).

For the topping, combine 2-4 T. granulated sugar

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup butter - Cut butter into the mixture until it resembles course crumbs.

Stir in 1/4 cup nuts or coconut (I used coconut.)

Sprinkle topping over fruit filling.

Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes. If desired, serve warm with vanilla ice cream

Miss J and Mr. D

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DS's Favorite Punch, a.k.a. How He Ate 2 Pints of Blueberries
1 bottle sparkling cider
1 container lemon sorbet
1 can of pineapple rings
1 pint of blueberries

Combine. Yum.

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Blueberry Freezer Jam
4 cups crushed blueberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1.59-ounce package of Ball Freezer Jam Fruit Pectin

Stir sugar and contents of package in a bowl until well blended.

Stir in 4 cups of crushed fruit. Stir 3 minutes longer.

Ladle jam into clean jars to fill line. Twist on lids. Let stand until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Ball pectin package

TO TRY:

Blueberry Biscuit Cobbler

4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed

3/4 cup sugar, divided

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 tablespoons cold butter

3/4 cup buttermilk

In a large bowl, combine the blueberries, 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch,

lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Transfer to a 2-qt. baking dish

coated with cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine the flour, lemon peel, baking powder, salt, baking soda and remaining sugar; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk just until moistened. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto blueberry mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve warm. Yield: 8 servings.

Taste of Home

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Blueberry Sauce

In a sauce pan, combine:
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
1/3 cups flour
1/2 cup honey or corn syrup
enough orange juice to cover the berries
1 tablespoon grated orange rind
Bring berries to a boil and cook for 3 minutes. In a bowl mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/2 cup cold water until smooth. Stir mixture into hot berries and cook until thickened.

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Blueberry Muffins

2 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg, well beaten 1 cup milk
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon sugar
-Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/4 cup sugar. Combine egg, milk, and shortening and add all at once to flour mixture. Stir until dry ingredients are moist but still lumpy. Fold in blueberries.
-Fill greased muffin pans 2/3 full. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake in 400 F over about 25 minutes.
Yield: 1 dozen muffins.

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Blueberry Lemonade
1 quart blueberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup fresh/frozen concentrate lemon juice
1 quart water

In a food processor, combine berries, sugar, and lemon juice. Puree until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a pitcher and stir in the water.
Place ice cubes in a clear glass and top with blueberry lemonade.

Adventures in Cooking Our CSA Share: Fruit!

This weeks box will be very popular because of the three fruits--more wonderful blueberries, plus apricots and plums.  They'll also like the corn, cabbage, and cauliflower.  And Bud will definitely like the tuna!!  He'll love making his own sushi or eating it seared.  

I might have to make a blueberry cobbler or some jam (do you have a favorite blueberry recipe?), as Bud can't eat them in yogurt parfaits fast enough.

• Blueberries (keep in fridge)
• Apricots (keep in fridge)
• Plums (keep in fridge)
• Cherry Tomatoes (keep on counter, NEVER IN FRIDGE)
• Sweet Corn (keep in fridge, sweetest if eaten in 4 days or less)
• Boston lettuce (wrap in damp paper towel and keep in crisper)
• Mexican Mint Marigold (wrap in damp paper towel and keep in crisper)
• Green Cabbage (keep in fridge, will last for 1 month or more)
• Romanesco Cauliflower (keep in fridge)
• Albacore Tuna Loin, which can be cooked or eaten raw as Sushi, it is pretty incredible for Sushi, better known as Hamachi.
• Bogart cheese

Adventures in Cooking Our CSA Share: New Stuff

No more strawberries, thankfully. But we got some wonderful blueberries, which will probably be all gone in less than a day (Bud has already eaten half a pint.)   And green beans!!!  I've been craving some green beans with onions and red potatoes.  Yum!  The rest--lettuce, cucumbers, squash, beets are all good.  It seemed like a smaller box this week, which is ok.

• Blueberries (keep in fridge)
• Green Haricot Vert Beans, Yellow Wax Beans and/or Purple String Beans (keep in fridge)
• Arugula (wrap in damp paper towel and keep in crisper)
• Romaine Lettuce (wrap in damp paper towel and keep in crisper)
• Salt and Pepper/Green Cukes (KEEP ON COUNTER)
• Zephyr Squash (KEEP ON COUNTER)
• Bunched Sweet Onions (remove tops and keep in fridge)
• Bunched Red Beets (remove tops and keep in fridge)
• Wild Alaskan Salmon and/or Albacore Tunaa
• Our Seasonal Cheese is Kinkead

Adventures in Cooking Our CSA Share: More Strawberries

I'm up to my eyeballs in strawberries.  I've made jam and strawberry rhubarb crisp and frozen quarts and quarts for later, still with more fresh in the fridge.  And now more are in our CSA box!  Not a bad problem to have, though.  So tonight I made strawberry ice cream sodas, combining the Redwall Cordial recipe for strawberry soda with ice cream instead of cream and even spooning some extra jam into the glass.  Delicious!!!

Otherwise, Bud has requested pickled cucumbers a la Ma.  The rest will probably be served straight or simply sauteed.

We've got:

• Strawberries (2 Quarts) Keep in Fridge- Best if eaten within 5 Days
• Cucumbers-  Small Persian Skinless Cukes, Large Slicing Cuke (KEEP ON COUNTER)
• Purple and White Cauliflower- Keep in Fridge
• Spigarello- Cooking Green, related to Broccoli- Wrap in damp paper towel and keep in crisper
• Dandelion Greens- Wrap in damp paper towel and keep in crisper
• Siberian Kale- Wrap in damp paper towel and keep in crisper
• Sugar Snap Peas- Keep in Fridge, sweetest if eaten in 3-5 days
• Red and Green Lettuce- Wrap in damp paper towel and keep in crisper
• Lamb Chops and Ground Lamb.
• Doe Re Mi Goat Cheese

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Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3 cups sliced fresh rhubarb or frozen rhubarb, thawed**
• 2 cups sliced peeled apples or sliced strawberries**
• 1 cup quick-cooking or old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Vanilla ice cream, optional

• In a large bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add rhubarb and apples or strawberries; toss to coat. Spoon into an 8-in. square baking dish.
• 
  
• In a small bowl, combine the oats, brown sugar, butter, flour and cinnamon until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over fruit. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until bubbly and fruit is tender. Serve warm with ice cream if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

**My note:  I didn't have enough strawberries or rhubarb and so used my leftover strawberry-rhubarb compote.  Delicious.  Also, I would double the oats and cut the butter.  But the kids liked it!

from Taste of Home

Summer Fun AND Adventures in Cooking Our CSA Share: STRAWBERRIES

We went strawberry picking today.  "The best ever!" we all said repeatedly.  Best because the weather topped out at a breezy 79F, which is perfect berry weather (and beats sweltering in the usual mid-80s+).  Best because there were so many bright-red berries.  Best because they were the sweetest strawberries we have ever picked.  Best because I could crawl around on the ground to help scavenge under the leaves.  Best because it's the only time Sis will eat strawberries, right off the plant.  Best because for Bud it's as good as a candy store.  Best because a friend had loaned us Pamona's universal pectin when I couldn't find Ball freezer pectin anywhere so that we could still make jam.  

It just so happens that Mama brought home an additional two quarts of strawberries from our CSA share today.  So we are overflowing with beautiful berries.  We've already made our first batch of jam (everyone gave the jam pot a stir--isn't that an old superstition?) and, depending on how many of the recipes below that we make and how many we freeze straight up for smoothies later, several more batches might be in the offing. 

Oh, and we can eat them plain, too.

(Though, they never compare to right off the bush, warm and sweet.)

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BEVERAGES and APPETIZERS

Redwall Strawberry Cordial

2 lbs. strawberries

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

3/4 liter of plain seltzer

2 tablespoons water

1 pint heavy cream

Wash and slice strawberries. Heat strawberries on low flame in saucepan with ½ cup sugar and 2 tablespoons of water. When soft and rendering liquid, add the other ½ cup of sugar.

Strain strawberries over bowl, saving juice. Crush strawberries until only seeds and fibers left. Add to juice.

Cool juice. Add seltzer to strawberry juice to taste. Add cream to cordial to taste and texture. Sweeten with powdered sugar.

Refrigerate at least an hour or until chilled.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

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Mommy Hungry's Strawberry-Almond Smoothie
1 1/2 cup almond milk or milk of your choosing
1 to 1 1/2  cup strawberries
1 heaping tablespoon almond butter

Blend and serve.

Mommy Hungry

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Make Your Own Smoothie

1 1/2-2 cups frozen fruit (or mix of fresh and frozen, with ice cubes for thickness)

1/2-1 cup dairy or non-dairy (milk, soymilk, almond milk, yogurt, even silken tofu)

1 1/2 cup additional liquid like juice or nectar (mango nectar, orange juice, soda, tea)

1-2 tablespoons sweetener (honey, maple syrup, brown sugar)

add-ins:  almonds, fresh fruit, coconut butter, lime juice, vanilla extract, kale!

Blend, adding additional liquid for desired consistency.

Mommy Hungry

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Rise 'N Shine Smoothie
1/2 cup uncooked old-fashioned oats
1 cup orange juice
6 oz. vanilla yogurt (or plain, with 1 tablespoons sweetener)
1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
4 whole strawberries
3 ice cubes
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Grind oats into fine crumbs in blender.  Then add remaining ingredients, blending until smooth.

Makes 2.

Smoothies and Summer Drinks recipe booklet

BREAKFAST

All-Star Muffins

3 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose or cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons butter

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup sour cream

(Note: the KA cookbook mentions all sorts of add-ins, approximately 2 1/2 to 3 cups of whatever you desire

Preheat oven to 400F and lightly grease 16 muffin cups or use paper liners. 

In medium bowl, whisk flour, powder, soda, and salt, then set aside.  

In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy and almost white in color. Scrape down the bowl to make sure all the butter is incorporated, then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and sour cream and mix until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until the batter is smooth. Fill muffin cups and bake 18-24 minutes , until tester comes out clean. Remove from oven, cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pan to finish cooling on a rack (muffins left in pan with become touch from steaming).

(1 basic muffin, 274 calories)

King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion All-Purpose Baking Cookbook

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Strawberry Bread

The first quick bread I made for DP—I made it one weekend I visited and left her the loaves. Those frozen strawberries are messy but work really well.
Makes 2 loaves

3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, well beaten
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chopped pecans
1 ½ pints strawberries, washed and stemmed (Note: 2-10 oz. packages frozen
strawberries, thawed, may be substituted for fresh.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a bowl, combine flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and sugar; mix well.
In a separate bowl, mix eggs and oil; add to dry ingredients. Stir in pecans. Fold in strawberries until moistened. Pour into 2 greased 9 x 5 x 3 in. loaf pans. Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. 

Mom

DESSERTS

My Own New Fresh Strawberry Pie

1 1/4 cups graham crackers, crushed

1/3 cup butter, melted

1/4 cup sugar

1-1/2 quarts fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice
16 oz sour cream

Make graham cracker crust but combining melted butter and sugar, then stir into crushed graham cracker crumbs until they stay together when pressed. Press into lightly greased pie plate, bake at 375 for 4-5 minutes. Cool. (BH&G recipe)

Cap strawberries; reserve half of the best ones. Mash the other half and add sugar and cornstarch which have been mixed together. Cook 5 or 6 minutes until clear and thick. Stir in lemon juice. Cool. (This takes longer than you expect and is the hardest part).

- Add whole strawberries to the cooled mixture, save some for garnish. Pour into baked pie shell. Top with sour cream and garnish with fresh whole strawberries, if desired.

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Fresh Strawberry Pie

1-1/2 quarts fresh strawberries
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 nine-inch baked pastry shell

- Cap strawberries; reserve half of the best ones. Mash the other half and add sugar and cornstarch which have been mixed together. Cook 5 or 6 minutes until clear and thick. Stir in lemon juice. Cool.
- Add whole strawberries to the cooled mixture, save some for garnish. Pour into baked pie shell. Top with whipped cream and garnish with fresh whole strawberries (though, we like it even better with a dollop of sour cream!)

strawberry pamphlet

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Fruit Pie (adapted from Aunt T's Dewberry Cobbler recipe)

Crust*:

2 frozen pie crusts

Filling:

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour, to thicken

2-10 oz. bags frozen mixed berries (including strawberries)

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Remove both crusts from plastic bag. Place one on a cookie sheet. Cut the edge off the other so as to leave a circle of dough.

Mix sugar and flour together and then toss into frozen berries, mixing well (there is no need to defrost; the flour absorbs the extra liquid). Crush berries to extract juice.

Fill the pie crust with the berries. Remove the second pie crust (sans edge) and place it on top of the filled crust; it will overlap the edge of the filled crust. Pinch edges together and the impress with fork. Puncture the center to allow steam release, dab with pats of butter, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Cover edges with foil and bake 1-1 ½ hours, with cookie sheet below to catch spills, or until bubbling.

*Grammy and Aunt T's Original Oil Crust:

2 cups flour

½ cup oil

¼ cup milk

Mix flour, oil, and milk until it is the consistency of store-bought pie crust. Take 1/3 of dough and put aside for crust. Roll out remainder until the size of the pie plate, about ¼ inch thin. Place in ungreased plate (we used bread tin). . . . Later, roll out other crust and cover plate. Puncture to allow steam release, dab with pats of butter, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Mama and Mommy Hungry

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My Strawberry Shortcake Birthday Cake

1 box white cake, with ingredients to make it
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 jar all-fruit strawberry jam
fresh strawberries, sliced

Bake cake in two 9" rounds according to instructions. Cool completely.

Whip heavy cream with sugar to taste (I like it less sweet so the cream flavor comes through).

Spread jam on bottom cake layer. Smooth some cream over this. Top with second round.

Cover with remaining whipped cream. Decorate with strawberries.

Serve immediately and keep remainders in refrigerator.

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Victoria Sponge/Sandwich a la Tea & Sympathy

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter (softened)

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

a few drops of vanilla extract

2 cups sifted flour (or 2 cups minus 2 Tablespoons flour)

1 heaping teaspoonful baking powder

Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease and flour two 8" round pans (I greased, put down parchment rounds, and greased and floured.)  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately two minutes.  Add eggs, one at a time.  Add vanilla.  Stir in flour and baking soda and stir til smooth.  Divide batter into two prepared pans.  Bake 20-25, until cake tester comes out clean.   Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.

Filling:

heavy whipping cream

strawberry jam

fresh strawberries, sliced or diced

Spread jam on one cake round.  Distribute cut-up strawberries.  Whip heavy cream until thick and spread on top of jam level.  Place second cake round on top.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar.  Serve.  (I overstuffed my sponge--it should be a reserved thin layer, but, well, no.)

adapted from Anita Naughton and Nicola Perry, Tea and Sympathy:  The Life of an English Teashop in New York

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Raspberry and Strawberry Shortcake

12 ounces fresh raspberries or frozen raspberries
7 ounces self raising flour
1 ounce ground almonds
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
4 tablespoons/2 ounces butter
3 ounces caster (superfine) sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/4 pint (1/2 cup) milk
2 tablespoons raspberry jam
1-ounce icing (confectioners') sugar
1/4 pint (1/2 cup) double cream
DIRECTIONS

Thaw the frozen raspberries, if using.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Sift the flour, almonds, salt and cinnamon into a bowl and rub in the butter, mix in the sugar. Add the beaten egg and milk to make a scone-like dough. Divide the dough in 2 and gently shape each half to fit into greased 8-inch sandwich tins. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. When cold spread one of the layers with raspberry jam, then generously with the double cream and raspberries. Sprinkle raspberries with icing sugar, cover with the second layer and top with more cream. Decorate with a few raspberries. Best eaten when fresh.

© Recipe courtesy Jennifer Paterson and Clarissa Dickson Wright

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Individual Pavlovas
4 egg whites, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup sugar

Topping:
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
1/2 cup sour cream, chillled
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat to 200F.

Using mixer with whisk, whip egg whites, vanilla, and cream of tartar on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute.  Then increase speed and whip on medium-high until stiff peaks form, another minute or two.  Gradually add 1 cup sugar.

Scoop six 1/2-cup mounds of meringue onto parchment-covered baking sheet approximately 1 inch apart.  Make indention in mound with back of spoon.   Bake for 1 1/2 hours until meringues are dry and firm, then turn off the oven and leave them there to cool for another 2 hours, until they are completely dry and hard.  Serve or store at room temperature for up to two weeks.

Beat topping ingredients and spoon into meringues, serving with macerated fruit, like strawberries (or, the kids liked ice cream toppings! )

America's Test Kitchen Best Summer Recipes

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Eton Mess
meringues
whipped cream
berries and/or jam

Crumble meringue cookies into whipped cream and layer with berries and/or jam.  Serve immediately.

Meringues:
• 3 large egg whites
• pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

1) Preheat the oven to 200°F. Prepare a sheet of parchment paper by tracing a 9" round cake pan with a pencil to create a circle. Flip the paper pencil-side down and place on a baking sheet. You should still be able to see the circle outline through the paper.
2) In a large bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
3) Combine the Baker's Special sugar and cornstarch and slowly add it to the whites, as you continue to beat. The mixture will thicken and turn glossy. Beat for about 1 more minute. Remove from the mixer and stir the lemon juice in by hand.
4) Spread the meringue on the parchment, staying within the circle. Use about 1 1/4 cups meringue to pipe a tall border around the edge of the meringue in the circle. When baked, this will form a ring to keep the cream and fruit from spilling over.
5) Bake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and leave the door closed. Cool the meringue in the oven for at least another hour, or up to overnight. The pavlova will color slightly from white to light tan. Small cracks are normal.

from the Pavlova recipe of King Arthur Flour

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Strawberry Risotto

1/2 cup low or non-fat strawberry yogurt (not the fruit-on-the-bottom kind)--make into yogurt cheese by straining in a sieve lined with wet paper towel/cheesecloth/paper coffee filter set over a jar for about 6 hours

2 1/2 cups low or non-fat milk

zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup arborio rice

1 cup sliced fresh strawberries

Warm milk in saucepan and steep lemon zest in it for about 10 minutes, keeping the milk below a simmer.

Dissolve sugar in milk, then strain to remove zest.

Put rice in heavy saucepan and pour enough of hot milk to cover the rice. Stir over low heat until milk is absorbed. Keep adding hot milk and stirring until you've used all the milk and rice is plump and chewy, about 40 minutes.

Take risotto off heat and let cool a bit, stirring oven, for about 5 minutes. Stir in yogurt cheese and let cool completely. Stir in fresh strawberries

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, covered, until chilled through. Stir well before serving.

Diana Shaw, Almost Vegetarian

FROZEN DESSERTS

Strawberry Sorbet

2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 quart strawberries, hulled
1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice

In heavy saucepan boil water and sugar for 5 minutes; do not stir. Add strawberries; cook 5 minutes more. Stir in lemon juice. Cool. Puree. Refrigerate until chilled. Pour into ice cream maker and freeze for approximately 25 minutes.

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Strawberry Sodas
Per soda:
2 scoops strawberry ice cream
1 tablespoon or more strawberry syrup or jam
half-and-half or cream
seltzer

Stir syrup/jam into seltzer, then add seltzer and cream. Delicious!

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Strawberry Soda Ice Cream
Just saw this in Food Network Magazine and it reminded me of the Big Red soda we made at camp (sans strawberries)!  It was delicious.  We also made root beer ice cream at camp, which was also awesome.  This recipe, below, makes about the best strawberry ice cream I've ever had.
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
3/4 cup red cream soda (Big Red!) or regular cream soda
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup frozen strawberries, thawed and mashed


Whisk the condensed milk, half-and-half, cream soda, cream and strawberries in a medium bowl.  Churn in ice cream maker.  Transfer to an airtight container and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.

Laura Duckworth, Food Network Magazine

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Fresh Ice Cream

1 bag frozen fruit
1/2 C yogurt (plain)or vanilla
1/4 C sugar
3 TBsp water

Blend all ingredients in mixer until smooth and enjoy.

(Note: Rees and James love it! We've had strawberry, mango, pineapple and blueberry. Can't wait to try more. Trying to find coconut. If you see it, let me know!

D.S.

MISCELLANEOUS

Strawberry Freezer Jam

4 lbs strawberries, rinsed and hulled and crushed (or 3-12 oz bags unsweetened frozen, thawed in fridge until soft enough to crush)

1 1/2 cups sugar

plastic or glass freezer jars

1 packet of Ball No Cook Freezer Jam Pectin

Stir sugar and pectin together in a bowl until well mixed.

Add 4 cups crushed fruit. Stir 3 minutes.

Ladle jam into clean jars to fill line. Twist on lids. Let stand until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Freeze for up to 1 year. Thaw in fridge and enjoy up to 3 weeks.

Makes 5 half-pint jars.

Ball Freezer Jam pectin