Fresh Strawberry Crisp!

It's strawberry season here in Kentucky and you just can't have enough recipes to use them while they are so good and fresh and locally grown.  This recipe is so easy, you won't believe it, but it is absolutely delicious.   A crisp is really just an easy version of a cobbler that 's just a little, well, crispier.  

Here is what you need for this one:

6 cups of fresh strawberries, capped and sliced

1 pkg. yellow cake mix

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup quick cooking oats, not instant

1 cup butter, melted (2 sticks)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Lay the sliced strawberries in an 11"x7" dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.  

In a bowl, mix the cake mix, oats, and sugar.  sprinkle evenly over the strawberries.  Pour the melted butter evenly over the dry mixture. 

Place in the oven and bake for 55 minutes to 1 hour.  The top should be browned.

This is best served slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!  



Strawberry Shortcake Trifle!

There is nothing that says 'summer' like strawberry shortcake!!!   When strawberries come in season and they are extra yummy, I always start thinking about new ways to use them.   My husband loves just a simple strawberry shortcake!   When I tell him I need to think of different ways to use the strawberries for the blog, he still just wants the strawberry shortcake!   

So, I came up with this "Strawberry Short Cake Trifle" to make him happy and to turn it into something a little different for my readers!!!  The results were really wonderful I must say!  This is so delicious, but also very easy!

This is a yummy mixture of pound cake, a creamy custard, whipped cream and sweetened strawberries!!!   I prefer to use the classic pound cake in this, because it's just more like classic shortcake, but to lighten it up some, you could use an angel food cake also!  

Here is what you will need:

Vanilla Pound Cake

1 cup (2 sticks)  butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 cups all purpose flour

Custard Filling

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

16 oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed (reserve 1/4 of it for the top)

2 pints strawberries, capped and sliced

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 6 cup loaf pan well with nonstick baking spray.

In a large mixing bowl,  with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time and beat.  

Beat in the vanilla, salt, baking powder, and gradually add in flour.  Beat just until combined.  Do not over mix.  Pour into the loaf pan and place on middle rack in preheated oven.   Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.   Cool for about 15 minutes in the pan and then invert on a rack to cool completely before using in the trifle. 

If you really want to make this easy on yourself, you can also buy a frozen pound cake and use it and it's still really good!

I have found that the "Sara Lee All Butter Pound Cake" is perfect in this!!!

Place the strawberries, you have washed, capped and sliced in a bowl with a tight fitting lid. 

Sprinkle 1 cup sugar over the berries and drizzle 1/4 cups water over all. Stir with a big spoon just until the sugar is throughout.

Save about three of the nicest, bigger berries for the garnish on top, leaving them whole!

Cover with the lid and place these in the fridge for up to 24 hours.  You need to let them sit for at least 6 hours so this needs to be done the night before or early in the day! This process is called macerating the berries and it makes them taste even better!

As they sit, the juices come out and thicken slightly and it just makes the berries so good!

Cut the pound cake in uniform cubes and spread one half of it in the bottom of a large trifle dish.  If you don't have a trifle dish, you can use a large glass bowl! 

With an electric mixer beat the cream cheese, confectioners sugar and vanilla until it's fluffy. 

Mix in the 3/4 of the carton of frozen whipped topping.  Reserve the other 1/4 for the top of the trifle. 

Spread 1/2 of the strawberries and some of the juice over the cake cubes.

Spread 1/2 of the custard layer over the berries and cake.  Now repeat all of the layers again!

Spread the 1/4 of carton of whipped topping you reserved  over the top and garnish with the berries you kept out! 

 I like to take the can of aerosol whipped cream and do the top so it's extra pretty!  That's just an optional step, but it's not hard at all and it does look really pretty!!! 

This is best if you chill it in the fridge for about 4 -5 hours before serving!  

Strawberry Lasagna!!!

As I have said before, my husband loves strawberries and any recipe I make with strawberries!!!  So this time of year, when strawberries are coming in season and so good, I try to come up with some new recipes using them!   

This "Strawberry Lasagna" is a no bake layered dessert I decided to make and it was a big hit!!!  This has a graham cracker crust, a cheesecake layer, sliced strawberries, a rich pudding layer,  and  topped with whipped cream, more strawberries and nuts!!!   You know that has to be good!!! 

When we can all get together again and have cookouts and family gatherings, I can see this being perfect for a Memorial Day cookout or maybe a 4th of July party!!!

I even thought this was yummy and I know it's odd, but I don't really like strawberries all that much normally!!!   I know, strange, right!   If I do eat them, they have to be in something really sweet and creamy, like this!!!   I think I will make this again and use blueberries in place of strawberries which would also be excellent!!!

Here is what you will need:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs
1  (8 oz.) pkg cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup whipped topping
2 lbs. strawberries, divided
2  (3.4 oz) boxes of instant cheesecake pudding mix  (could substitute vanilla)
1  (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups milk
16 oz. container of whipped topping, thawed
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Combine the melted butter and the crushed graham cracker crumbs.  Pack this mixture in the bottom of a  9"x 13" baking dish! If you spray the dish lightly with nonstick spray, this will be easier to cut out when it's ready to serve!   Place in the refrigerator to chill while you start mixing the other ingredients! 

Place the cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.  Mix 1/2 cup of whipped topping in until smooth.  Drop this mixture by large spoonsful onto the graham cracker crust and then spread to make a smooth layer.  

Cap and slice the strawberries, except for 6 of the nicest berries.  Leave 6 berries for the garnish on top!  Place the sliced berries evenly over the cream cheese layer.

In  a large mixing bowl combine the pudding mixes, 2 cups cold milk and the can of sweetened condensed milk.  Beat with an electric mixer until it  starts to thicken up.  This usually thicken's up fine without chilling it, but if it's not getting thick, pop it in the fridge for about 15 minutes.  

Just don't let it get too thick to spread.  I usually just let it sit thicken on the counter and spread it from there.  Spread it evenly over the strawberry layer! 

Spread the rest of the whipped topping evenly over the top!  

Slice the six strawberries you set aside vertically in half.  Place a half on each serving.  I find that three across and 4 down is just right!  Then each serving has a strawberry on top!!!  Sprinkle the top evenly with the chopped nuts. 

 If you or your guests don't eat nuts, just skip them.  As an alternative, you can crush an extra 1/2 cup of graham cracker crumbs and sprinkle them over the top for garnish.  I just like nuts myself so this is how I do it!  

This is best if you chill it for at least 2-3 hours and even better if you chill it overnight!  This is one of those desserts that actually improves the next day! 

Slice in squares and serve!!!  

My husband definitely gave this one the two thumbs up!!!  

Strawberry Fruit Pizza!

Not long ago I worked in long term care for a couple of years.  Each month we would have a big birthday party celebration to honor all of the residents who had birthdays that month.  My mother and my Aunt Mary, were so kind to bake and donate all sorts of sweets...cakes, cookies, cupcakes and this fruit pizza, to serve at these parties. 

Needless to say, the residents looked forward to these days and didn't fuss over their lunches too much on that day, because they were saving room for their sweet treats.  Anyone who has ever worked with the elderly knows if they won't eat anything else, you can usually get them to eat something sweet. 

The staff looked forward to it about as much as they did also.  I have had several staff members say to me lately that they are dying for a piece of my mama's fruit pizza.  So I am posting this recipe for them! 

Here is what you'll need:

1 roll refrigerated sugar cookies
1 8oz cream cheese (softened)
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 cup refrigerated whipped topping
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
1 (15 oz.) can crushed pineapple, undrained
1 (3 oz.) pkg. instant vanilla pudding
3-4 bananas
approximately 4 cups large strawberries, sliced
1 pkg. strawberry glaze

Leave the roll of cookies out of the refrigerator to soften a bit.  Spray a pizza pan with baking spray, then pat the roll of cookie dough on the pan to the edges.  Bake as directed on the package minus just a few minutes of cooking time...just until the cookies are starting to brown.  Remove from oven and cool completely. 

With an electric mixer beat the cream cheese and confectioners sugar together, beat in the whipped topping, then add the vanilla and mix.  Spread this mixture over the cookie crust to the edges.

Next mix the pineapple (don't drain) with the instant pudding until well blended then spread over the cream cheese layer.  Slice the bananas and place in a single layer over the pineapple.  If you are making this ahead of time, you might want to squirt some lemon juice over the bananas to keep them from turning dark.  If you are serving  within a few hours, this isn't really necessary though.

Slice strawberries in half and arrange over the bananas with the large ones in the center and fanning out to the smaller ones on the outer edges.   Cut the end off of the strawberry glaze just enough to drizzles it over the whole thing starting in the middle and working your way out to the edges.  If you have a squeeze bottle, you can put the glaze in it and use it to squirt it on the pizza. Works beautifully!

Voila...strawberry fruit pizza! 

Strawberries and Cream Butter Cake!

This recipe is one I found in the Pillsbury 45th Annual Bake-Off Contest publication.  My husband loves strawberries and this is the time of year they are best, so I wanted to make him a really good strawberry dessert.  

 To be honest you can put fresh strawberries and whipped cream on those little round cakes you buy at the store (the ones they keep next to the strawberries) and he is happy as a clam.   However, I didn't think that was blog worthy...lol.  

This cake is best served warm from the oven, either by itself or with fresh strawberries, that have been sliced and macerated, which just means sweetened and refrigerated for a couple of hours to release their juices.  I just use plain ole sugar.  I see recipes for honey and liqueurs and such though. I still use plain ole sugar.

 If I got all fancy with it, my husband would say 'What's wrong with the strawberries?'   Some things need to be left alone...lol.  Add a  dollop of whipped cream and it is wonderful!   You can serve it as a coffee cake or breakfast/ brunch cake by itself and it is also really good.

Ingredients:

1 roll refrigerated sugar cookies

1 cup softened butter (2 sticks)

3/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

3 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1/3 cup strawberry jam (or jelly)

fresh strawberries and whipped cream for topping

Here is what you need:

Roll of sugar cookies, can of sweetened condensed milk, eggs, strawberry jam (or jelly), flour, butter, sugar, and fresh strawberries and whipped cream for topping.

 

Leave the roll of cookie dough out on the counter for about 30 minutes to soften.  Spray a 9"x13" baking pan well with baking spray.  Press the cookies in the bottom of the pan.

Beat together the softened butter and the sugar until it is whipped and light.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat. Using the low speed of your mixer, add in 1/3 flour, 1/3 condensed milk alternating and ending with flour.   Pour the batter over the cookie layer.

Drop the strawberry jam by teaspoonfuls over the batter and then drag a knife through it lightly to swirl.  You want it to stay on top so be gentle.  Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 to 50 minutes.  At 45 minutes test it with a toothpick inserted in the center, it should come out clean. All ovens vary and this is a dense cake so it could take the center a few extra minutes.

 

 

Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake!

So they had the most gorgeous strawberries at the grocery the other day.  I am not even a huge strawberry eater, but you could literally smell the sweet strawberry fragrance when you walked in the door.  I knew my husband, who as  I have told you before, is the biggest strawberry lover I know, would really enjoy them. 

I take them home and my brain starts mulling over what I could do with these strawberries and I make the mistake of talking about it out loud, to the strawberry connoisseur.  I asked him, "How does a strawberry cheesecake with a crust of crushed Oreos, topped with sweetened strawberries sound?"   or "What about a strawberry cobbler topped with vanilla bean ice cream?"  He looks at me and what does he say?  "Why can't we just have strawberry shortcake...you know like ...wait for it... like Mama used to make?" 

Now don't get me wrong, I loved my mother-in-law dearly, God rest her soul, and I still miss her even though she passed over twenty years ago, but is this what you say to a woman who is trying to not only write a food blog that gets people interested, but is trying to be creative? 

 My husband did make a good point though, sometimes just the old fashioned things we always ate and that our mothers or grandmothers made are the best.  So I went to work on an old fashioned strawberry shortcake. 

 Here is what you will need for this cake:

1 quart strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup water

Cake ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 cup real butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

whipped cream for topping each piece

Wash the strawberries, hull and slice them.  Cover  with 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water.  Mix together until the sugar dissolves.  It's best to do this a few hours before serving because the berries will release their natural juices as they sit in the refrigerator.

The cake is basically the recipe for a Kentucky Butter cake minus the sauce.  If you have never had a Kentucky butter cake with the sauce...oh my goodness. I will do a post on that one in the next week or so.  Preheat the oven at 350 degrees. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Cream the butter and sugar together and the add in the eggs and mix.  Add in the buttermilk and vanilla and then begin to mix in the flour mixture just until it is all incorporated.  Don't over mix it.  Pour into a 9"x13" pan that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray or buttered and floured.  Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.  Check it at 35 and if a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, it's done.   I cut this recipe in half and made a smaller cake just for us and it worked fine. You can adjust it to your family size.

Place a square of the butter cake in a dish, cover with the strawberries and drizzle some of the juices over the cake, and put a big dollop of whipped cream on top and you have   "Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake"!