Fresh Strawberry Pie

Still working on these luscious fresh strawberries from Plant City. Here is a recipe and video that shows you how to make strawberry pie with cream cheese and cool whip filling. Enjoy!

Fresh Strawberry Pie

2 Cups strawberries
1 T apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
3 T corn starch
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 tub cool whip
1 pie crust

1. Bake the pie crust according to the directions.
2. Place 1 cup strawberries into a saucepan with 3/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer at medium heat.
3. Reduce heat as needed to maintain a simmer. Mash the berries while they cook. Simmer for 4 to 5 minutes.
4. Mix together 3/4 sugar and 3 T cornstarch. Add to the simmering strawberries and continue to cook until thickened.
   Remove from the heat.
5. Mix together the cream cheese with the vinegar or lemon juice.
   Spread the cream cheese into the pie crust. Line the outside of the cheese with sliced strawberries for decoration.
6. Top with the cooked strawberry filling mixture.
7. Refrigerate for several hours until cold and set.
   Top with cool whip, garnish with more strawberries, slice and enjoy.

Enjoying the Strawberry Harvest, Strawberry Bruchetta

Strawberries are in season, and I have been trying to find some new ways to enjoy the harvest. I was worried about the strawberries because the weather has not been favorable, but it seems the harvest is good. These luscious berries are just too good to ignore.

We usually go to a u-pick farm at least once during the season and then freeze a lot of berries for use year round.  All you have to do is remove the leaves and freeze the whole berries on a tray. Then put in freezer bags once they are frozen.

I am not sure where this recipe came from. It was sent to me, but I don’t have a name for the sender. So if anyone knows, clue me in.

The mascarpone cheese is a luxury at our house, but cream cheese will do as well. The secret is warming the berries just enough so that the flavors bloom and transform the juices to a rosy syrup.

Strawberry Bruchetta

• 4 thick slices whole-wheat bread
• 6 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 3 cups sliced or diced hulled strawberries
• 4 tablespoons mascarpone (Italian cream cheese)

1. Toast bread in a toaster.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over high heat. Add sugar,
lemon zest and lemon juice and cook, stirring, until the sugar
melts and the mixture begins to bubble, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Add strawberries and stir until juices begin to exude and the
berries are heated through, 30 seconds to 1 minute more.
3. Spread 1 tablespoon mascarpone on each piece of toast. Top
with the warm berries.

Strawberry Dumplings

These Strawberry Dumplings are a perfect old fashioned dessert for a romantic meal. The dumplings steam and absorb the flavors from the berries.

Serve these warm with vanilla ice cream for a luscious flavor combination.

Ingredients:

Dumplings

* 4 eggs
* 4 tablespoons melted butter
* 4 teaspoons baking powder
* 4 teaspoons sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 12 tablespoons flour

Berries

* 4 cups strawberries
* 2 cups sugar

Directions:

1. Combine the dumpling ingredients to make a stiff batter.
2. Mash the berries with sugar. Bring to a boil in a large pot with a tight lid.
3. Drop the dumpling batter by spoonfuls into hot liquid, reduce the heat and simmer, with the lid on, for 15 minutes. Don’t lift lid – don’t peek!
4. Remove dumplings carefully to dessert dishes and spoon berries over. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

How to Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries

How to Make Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Ingredients:

* 12 large strawberries
* 6 ounces package semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Rinse and thoroughly drain strawberries. Chill for 20 minutes. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Meanwhile, transfer chocolate chips to a zippered sandwich bag and place in a bowl of very hot water until chips have melted.

Dry bag carefully and set into a small bowl. Spread open top of bag. Hold leaves and stem and dip strawberries, one at a time, into chocolate to coat to within about 1/4-inch of leaves.

Allow any excess chocolate to drain back into bag, then place strawberry on baking sheet. Any remaining chocolate may be refrigerated in the same bag for another use.

For best appearance, set berries aside in a cool place until chocolate is firm and serve immediately. Refrigerate for longer storage, but this may cause condensation to form on chocolate.

Strawberry Cream Meringues

What can I say? Dessert is my favorite part of the meal. I especially enjoy light, sweet and luscious desserts like this one. It has been a while since I made this, but now I am craving it again. This is a real contender for Valentine’s day.

Make the meringues in a heart shape for a romantic dessert. (Mine shown are not.) The whipped cream and strawberries on a meringue shell is a light and luscious dessert that satisfies the sweet tooth with a minimum of sugar.

Don’t put the cream into the meringue shells until you are ready to serve these, the meringue will begin to melt from the moisture if they have to sit at all.

Valentine Meringue Hearts

Meringues:

3 Egg whites

1 teaspoon Vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon Cream of tartar

1 dash Salt

1 cup Sugar

Whipped Cream Topping

1 cup whipping cream

3 to 6 Tablespoons powdered sugar, to taste

1 pint Strawberries, sliced -reserve a few for garnish

Mint leaves for garnish- optional

Directions:

Cut a heart pattern from a 4-1/2 inch square of paper. Cover baking sheet with brown paper. (You can bake on the brown paper so make sure it is clean.) Grocery store bags without writing on them are okay. Draw 6 hearts on the brown paper using your pattern as a guide.

Beat egg whites with vanilla, cream of tartar and salt until frothy. Add sugar, a little at a time, and continue beating until stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Rub a bit between your fingers to feel that no sugar remains undissolved.

Spread meringue over the heart shapes, 1/4 inch thick. Make into the heart shape using a spoon to push and form into correct shape. Pipe rim 3/4 inch high with pastry tube or build a rim with a spoon.

Bake in preheated 275-degree oven for 1 hour. Turn off oven and let meringues dry in oven for 1 more hour. DO NOT open oven door during this time.

Store meringue shells in a dry place until ready to fill. Do not refrigerate.

Add the powdered sugar to the whipping cream and beat the cream until soft peaks form. Taste the cream for sweetness, you want a barely sweet whipped cream.

Mix in the strawberries, reserving a few for garnish.

Assemble:

When you are ready to serve, place a large scoop of the strawberry cream onto the meringue shell. Garnish with reserved strawberries and a little mint if desired.

More Valentines Day Recipes

Fresh Strawberries – Upside Down Strawberry Meringue Pie

Strawberry season is beginning here in Florida.  We had a bad cold snap, as did everyone, this year; but it seems that the majority of the strawberries managed ok. Soon you will see fresh Florida strawberries in your produce aisle. This recipe is an excellent light airy pie that uses those fresh strawberries to perfection.

This strawberry meringue pie is built with the meringue on the bottom and whipped cream on top, hence “upside-down”. The meringue and whipped cream together make this a light airy pie that is sumptuous in flavor and texture. This pie is best made with fresh strawberries, but frozen could be used with an alternate garnish.

Upside Down Strawberry Meringue Pie

• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 9-inch pie shell, baked
• 3 cups fresh strawberries, stems removed
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup water
• Red food coloring
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped

1. Beat the egg whites, vinegar and salt to form soft peaks.
2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
3. Slowly add 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla while beating. Beat to form stiff peaks.
4. Spread the meringue on the bottom and up the sides of the pie shell. Bake at 325 degrees for 12 minutes. Set aside to cool.
5. Mash and sieve 2 cups of strawberries.
6. In a saucepan, mix 1/3 cup of sugar and cornstarch. Add 1/2 cup of water and the sieved strawberries.
7. Cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil, approximately 2 minutes. Add a few drops of red food coloring.
8. Allow to cool slightly, then spread over the cooled meringue. Chill until set.
9. Top with whipped cream when ready to serve and garnish with the rest of the strawberries, sliced or fanned.