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Strawberries
by
Julie Badger Jensen
Strawberries
. . . red, ripe and ravishing . . . a beautiful addition to any
meal. Delightfully versatile - - they are spectacular in a simple
salad or elegant dessert. Strawberries make wonderful garnishes
for cakes and pies or as toppings for crepes, ice cream, waffles,
or pancakes. The possibilities are endless.
Whether picked
fresh from the garden or supermarket, always look for bright red
berries that are still a little firm. Don't worry too much about
size . . . the small berries are often more sweet and juicy than
the big ones. Handle strawberries with care. Use them as quickly
as possible. For longer freshness, leave them unwashed and place
in a paper bag before refrigerating. When ready to use, prepare
them by gently rinsing berries and thoroughly drying on paper towels.
And don't forget
the nutritional value of strawberries! They are an excellent source
of Vitamin C and also contain iron and other trace elements. They
are great for calorie counters . . . containing just 45 calories
in a whole cup.
A few favorite
recipes follow for you to enjoy, but the delicacies you can create
are limited only by your imagination. Whether you serve strawberries
simply or elegantly, family and friends are sure to gather around the table.
Strawberry Frosty
Healthy
and delightful drink
2 cups strawberries,
sliced
1 / 4 cup sugar
1 cup vanilla
yogurt
1 / 2 cup pineapple
juice
1 cup crushed
ice
Sprinkle berries
with sugar. Place in blender or food processor with yogurt and pineapple
juice. Blend well. Add 1 cup crushed ice. Blend. Makes two generous
frosty drinks.
Strawberry Spinach Salad
Full of
nutrition, this is a great
accompaniment for many main dishes
1 (10-oz.) pkg.
baby spinach greens, washed
1 qt. strawberries,
sliced
1 / 4 cup sugar
1 cup sliced
almonds, toasted
Lightly sprinkle
sugar over strawberries and toss with spinach greens. Serve with
Celery Seed Dressing.
Celery Seed Dressing
3 / 4 cup sugar
1 / 2 cup honey
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. mustard
1 tsp. onion,
finely grated
1 / 2 cup lemon
juice
1 cup vegetable
oil
1 / 2 tsp. celery
seeds
Blend first
six ingredients in blender. Gradually add oil and celery seed while
blending. Pass dressing
for individual servings. Sprinkle with toasted almonds. Salad serves about 20.
Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
Adored
at any occasion
24 fresh, unblemished
strawberries
12 oz. dipping
chocolate
Begin by washing
whole strawberries and letting them dry thoroughly on paper toweling.
Dip on the same day.
To melt chocolate,
place in a microwave safe dish and microwave for 90 seconds, then
stir well. Continue to microwave for 15 second intervals, stirring
well after each interval, until smooth. Or to melt chocolate in
the oven, place chocolate in an oven pan. Preheat oven to 120 degrees
and place pan in the oven for approximately 10 minutes or until
chocolate is soft. Remove and stir until smooth.
Hold each strawberry
by its stem and dip half of the berry into the chocolate. Let the
excess drip back into the dish or pan. If desired, you can also
dip the berry into finely shredded coconut or chocolate sprinkles
or double dip in white dipping chocolate. Place each berry on a
baking sheet lined with waxed paper and refrigerate until served.
Plan on preparing and eating this treat within 24 hours.
Angel Bavarian with Strawberries
Heavenly
2 envelopes,
unflavored gelatin
1 pint whipping
cream
3 eggs
1 qt. fresh
strawberries, sliced
2 cups sugar
3 cups milk
pinch of salt
1 Tbs. vanilla
1 angel food
cake
Dissolve gelatin
in 1 / 2 cup of milk. Separate eggs. Mix yolks, remaining milk,
1 1 / 2 cups sugar and salt in the top of a double boiler. Cook
mixture until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Add gelatin
mixture. Let cool.
Whip cream and
egg whites separately. Fold cool custard into cream and then into
egg whites. Break the angel food cake into egg-sized pieces in a
9x14-inch pan. Pour custard mixture gently over broken cake. Set
at least 10 hours.
Frost the cake
with remaining cream. Slice the strawberries and sprinkle with remaining
1 / 2 cup sugar. Refrigerate berries and dessert separately. When
ready to serve cut into individual squares and spoon strawberries
over top. Serves about 12.
Fresh Strawberry Parfaits
These eye-catching
treats are beautiful and so easy to make!
3 cups ripe
strawberries
1 pint whipped
cream
1 pkg. Strawberry
Danish Dessert
1 pkg. vanilla
instant pudding and pie filling (6-oz.)
2 cups milk
Wash, stem
and slice berries into a bowl. Sugar to taste and refrigerate at
least 1 / 2 hour.
Make Danish Dessert according to directions for pudding. Cool completely.
Make vanilla instant pudding according to package directions, using
only 2 cups milk. Let set 1 / 2 hour or longer. Then fold in 2 /
3 cup whipped cream, sweetened to taste. Reserve the rest of the
cream for topping.
Layer all ingredients
in parfait glasses, beginning with strawberries, then vanilla pudding
mixture and Danish dessert. Top with whipped cream and strawberries.
Makes 6 parfaits.
Strawberry Ice Cream Cake
A "cool" dessert for any occasion
1 angel food
cake
1 1 / 2 qt.
(6 cups) strawberry ice cream, slightly softened
1 pint whipping
cream
1 / 2 cup sugar
red food coloring,
a few drops
Slice the cake
twice horizontally to make three layers. Spread half of the softened
ice cream on the bottom layer. Cover with the middle layer of cake.
Spread remaining ice cream on top. Then cover with top layer of
cake. Freeze the cake until very hard. After cake is frozen, prepare
whipped cream, adding 1 / 2 cup sugar. Mix in enough red food coloring
to turn whipped cream pink. Frost cake, top and sides, with whipped
cream. Return to freezer until serving time. Decorate with fresh
strawberries.
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