Everything Strawberry

Summer evokes memories of Strawberry Shortcake. My Grandmother made the best homemade biscuits and smothered them with Strawberries mascerated in Sugar and topped with homemade Whipped Cream.

Here are some of my favorite recipes already posted on my blog.


I had to start with this one for all of my childhood friends from Waterford, Michigan.

Wow, what a flashback to the 60's. A reader on I Love Texas Recipes posted this original recipe. I grew up in Michigan. I lived in Drayton Plains and went to Waterford Kettering High School.

Detroit was known for cars and the famous Woodward Avenue. In 1967 I was a Junior in High School and I had a "hot" car. It was a 1967 Camaro and I cruised Telegraph Road with my friends every Friday night.

The Elias Brother's Big Boy in Pontiac was the hangout. We would start Cruising from The Big Boy on Telegraph Road in our Hot Cars and end up at the Big Boy for Burger's and Fries and Strawberry Pie. What an incredible memory. Thank you to the reader that posted this recipe.

Elias Brother's Big Boy, Strawberry Pie:


Crust:

1 1/2 C flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 TBS sugar
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 TBS whole milk

Mix together all ingredients in a pie pan, press out evenly and bake at 350 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes.

Filling:

1 quart of fresh Strawberries, clean and halved
3/4 C granulated sugar
1 C water
2 TBS light corn syrup
3 TBS corn starch

In a saucepan :
sugar
water
corn syrup
corn starch
Cook until thick

Add 3 - 4 drops of red food coloring and 4 TBS of Strawberry Jello.
Cool
Add Strawberries
Heap into pie shell
Chill completely

Serve with Whipped Cream!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!




The Classic All American Strawberry Shortcake:
Trisha Yearwood's Recipe.

A summer picnic at my grandmother's always included strawberry shortcake. The traditional shortcake is made with individual Bisquick Biscuits served with mashed strawberries, soaked in sugar and poured over the biscuit. It was then topped with a mound of whipped cream.

This was our traditional Strawberry Shortcake

The appealing part of Trisha's recipe is the biscuit made in a cake pan and then served sliced.
I look forward to making this for Easter.


4 C sifted flour
2 TBS baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 1/4 C sugar
2/3 C butter (11TBS), cold, cut into cubes
2 large eggs
1 C whole milk
2 TBS butter, melted
3 pints of fresh strawberries
1 C heavy cream, whipped


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease the bottom of 2- 9" round cake pans with butter or my Pan Release Mix (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour) mix together well and store refrigerated in a jar. I start with 1 C of each and I always have it available in the refrigerator in a canning jar. It's foolproof to release any of your cake recipes.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together:
flour
baking powder
salt and 1/2 C sugar.
Add cold butter and cut in with a pastry blender to a coarse crumble consistency.

In another large bowl, beat eggs.
Add milk until well combined.
Gradually stir in egg and milk mixture into the flour mixture.
Knead the dough for no more than a minute  (do not over work the dough) on a lightly floured surface.
Pat half of the dough into each cake pan.
Brush the tops with melted butter.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool in the pans for 5 minutes.
Turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Wash berries and remove the hulls.
Reserve a few to garnish the shortcake.
Cut the remaining berries in half and place them in a mixing bowl with the remaining 3/4 C of sugar. ( I mash the berries with a potato masher), it's what my grandmother did!
Set aside.
Let them sit for 30 minutes.
Place one of the cake layers on a serving platter

Spoon half of the berries with some juice over the first layer.
Place the second layer on top and add the remaining berries with juice over the top.
Slice the reserved berries in half.
Top the cake with the whipped cream and garnish with the halved berries.
Slice and serve.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



I was raised on Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!
My Grandmother made it, Aunt Faye made it , my mother made it, my wife makes it and I make it!
If you have never had it, It's National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day today, get baking!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie:


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Crust:
3 C flour
2 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
3/4 tsp salt
2/3 C cold vegetable shortening (Crisco), cubed.
1/2 C + 2 TBS  (1 1/4 sticks) chilled butter, cubed.
10 TBS ice water


Filling:
3 1/2 C of diced Rhubarb, 1/2" slices. About 1 1/2 pounds untrimmed.
3 1/2 C Fresh Strawberries
1/2 C brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/4 C cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg yolk, beaten and blended with 1 tsp water, for the glaze.


Crust Preparation:
In a Food Processor:
Flour
Sugar
Salt
Pulse to blend.
Pulse in Crisco and Butter until it resembles Coarse Meal.
Add enough ice cold water , 2TBS at a time to form a moist clumpy dough.
Remove, Form into a ball, cut in half and flatten each into a disk.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Bring to room temperature before rolling.


Filling Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl:
Add the first 7 ingredients.
Fold by hand to combine.

Pie Preparation:

Roll out 1 disk on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 13" circle.
Transfer to a 9" Pie Pan. Allow at least a 3/4" overhang.
Roll the second disk the same size.
Cut into 1/2" wide strips.

Pour filling into the crust.
Create a lattice top with the strips.
Tuck the ends of the lattice and crimp into the crust.
Brush the prepared glaze over the entire lattice crust.

Place on a baking sheet pan .
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 15 minutes.
Remove the pie to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Serve with Whipped Cream or Vanilla Ice Cream.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen


I'm reposting this recipe and making it original by using my own Pastry Cream filling.

Pastry Cream Filled Strawberries:

Fresh Strawberries, washed, hulled and dried with paper towels.
Cut an X in the top of each berry
Dry them again
Refrigerate them

Filling:
This is one of my Best of the Best recipes.

Pastry Cream:
Equal parts of Vanilla Ice Cream (softened) and Heavy Cream
I start with a pint of each (2 C)
Whip the Ice Cream and Heavy Cream in a Stand Mixer with a whisk attachment.
Add:
1 TBS Vanilla Extract
1 TBS Almond Extract
1 1/2 boxes of French Vanilla Pudding Mix ( the small boxes)
Continue to whisk well until everything is incorporated.
Refrigerate

Place the Pastry Cream in a Pastry Bag and pipe some of the cream into each Strawberry
Refrigerate them before serving.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!




We're all looking forward to warmer weather, spring and summer. I have great memories of summer growing up in Michigan. Some of my favorite memories include activities that involved food. Maybe that's part of why I've chosen to write a Food Blog.
Many of those memories started at my Grandmother's house and my Aunt Faye's farm.
Summer always included fruit in Michigan. I remember having Strawberry Shortcake at every summertime event at my grandmother's house. We had picnics in her backyard on rickety old wooden picnic tables. My fondest memories are of my grandmother's Potato Salad and Strawberry Shortcake.
I recently saw an episode of Trisha Yearwood and she made an interesting Strawberry Shortcake recipe. I had never seen the biscuit made in an 8" cake pan, but I'll make it this summer. My Grandmother's Strawberry Shortcake was always made with small individual home made biscuits, macerated strawberries and home made whipped cream. It was the classic strawberry shortcake.
I began researching variations of the iconic American summer dessert and came across a multitude of recipes for Strawberry Ice Box Cake. The recipe has been around for many years.
I looked at them all, I took something different from all of them and created this recipe. I look forward to spring and summer and making this dessert. I think it will be our Easter dessert.


Strawberry Ice Box Dessert:


1 pound of strawberries, stems trimmed. ( use a plastic straw to remove the stems. Push the stem out with the straw) I do this if I have a lot of strawberries to prepare.
1/4 C granulated sugar
1 (3.4 oz.) box of  Instant  Cheesecake Pudding Mix
2 C whole milk
1 pint of heavy cream
5 TBS of sifted confectioner's sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 C strawberry jam, slightly heated , just to melt and set aside.
24 graham crackers
1 C semi sweet chocolate chips


Thinly slice 3 of the strawberries and set aside.
Slice the remaining strawberries and put them in a bowl.
Sprinkle them with the granulated sugar.
Mix well and set aside until they soak up the sugar and release their juice.
Mash them with a potato masher, leaving some chunky pieces.

Make Pudding with the milk, according to package directions, refrigerate

In a chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment: beat heavy cream, confectioner's sugar and vanilla until a stiff texture is achieved. Watch it carefully, it can firm up quickly.
Reserve 2 TBS  and set aside.
Gently fold in the strawberry jam, by hand, into the bowl of whipped cream.
Refrigerate.
Once the pudding is thickened and set, gently fold in the  strawberry whipped cream, by hand.
 and set aside.

Spread a thin layer of the whipped cream  in a  9"X13" glass pan.
Cover the bottom with a single layer of graham crackers.
Cover the crackers with some whipped cream.
Top with a layer of the strawberries.
Repeat with whipped cream, crackers, whipped cream and strawberries.
Continue layering, ending with whipped cream.
Garnish the top with the 3 reserved sliced strawberries.

In a microwavable glass bowl or Pyrex measuring cup, melt the chocolate chips until smooth and cool slightly.
Mix in the reserved 2 TBS of strawberry whipped cream, until  completely incorporated.
Drizzle the chocolate over the entire cake with a fork.
Refrigerate the cake for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!




Cherry Clafoutis:

One of my favorite recipes , and a Best of the Best Recipe is my Blueberry, Blackberry Cornmeal Cake.
I wrote on the recipe that any Berry combination would work and that I use Cranberries for Thanksgiving.
Strawberries would also work in this recipe.
The recipe is on the Blog.

I also am a fan of the French, Cherries Clafoutis.
I have been researching Clafoutis Recipes and I also have my favorites.
I've also read that there are many people that expect a cake like texture when they first taste a Clafoutis, instead of the typical custard texture. I really don't mind the texture of the custard consistency.

I began experimenting with a cake like batter, less liquid, which gives the Clafoutis the same look, but a more dense, almost poundcake like texture.

So here is my Strawberry Clafoutis Cake:

1/2C Butter, softened
1/2 C sugar
1 egg
2 TBS Heavy Cream
1 tsp Almond extract
1 C all purpose Flour
3 C of halved Strawberries.

I the bowl of a stand mixer, on high,beat together the butter and sugar until very well combined and the sugar has had a chance to break down.

Reduce the speed to medium and add the Egg, Heavy Cream and Almond extract and continue mixing.
Gradually add the flour, just until well combined and the batter is moist.

Pout the batter into a 1 quart oval dish greased with Pan Release ( recipe is on the Blog under Tips, Hints and More!
Arrange the Strawberries on top and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


I posted a recipe earlier for Peach Pretzel Pie.
This one is probably more common than the Peach.

Strawberry Pretzel Pie:

2 C finely crushed Pretzels
3/4 C Butter, melted
1/4 C Brown Sugar
2 C sliced fresh Strawberries
1 - 14oz. can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 of an 8oz.  package of Cream Cheese. (use only 4 ounces), softened
4 TBS + 1tsp of Strawberry Jello
2 C Heavy Cream, divided
1/3 C Sugar

Mix together the Pretzels , Butter and Brown Sugar
Press into a 10" Pie Pan
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes
Remove and cool completely

Process the Strawberries in a food processor until finely chopped.

In a bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat:
Condensed Milk
Milk
Cream Cheese
Jello
Beat until smooth
You can also do this in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment

Add Berries and mix until well blended
Transfer to a large mixing bowl

Beat 3/4 C of the Heavy Cream to soft peak stage and fold into the Strawberry mixture.

Spoon into the crust and freeze for 8 - 12 hours

Beat remaining Heavy Cream ( 1/4 C ) in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment at high speed.
Gradually add 1/3 C Sugar ( do this process after the pie is completely frozen)

Top the frozen pie with the whipped cream and return to the freezer for another hour.

This recipe is from:
Mary Allen Perry
Southern Living
June 2012


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


This week I chose the muffin recipe in the Dallas Morning News. I'm actually a few days late posting this one. I hope to have another recipe on Wednesday.
My wife made these muffins today and we delivered some to two different families.

2 1/2 C flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 C + 6 tsp sugar, divided
1 C whole milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 C butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla
1 C fresh strawberries, quartered
1 C fresh blueberries
1 C fresh blackberries

preheat oven to 400 degrees

In a medium bowl:
flour
baking powder
salt
1/2 C sugar

In another bowl:
milk
eggs
butter
vanilla

Gently stir wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until mixed.
Fold berries into batter

Spoon batter into 24 paper lined cups in muffin tins.
Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of remaining sugar over the top of each muffin.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.
Muffins will not test done with a toothpick because of the fresh berries.
Allow them to cool 5 minutes before removing from the muffin tins.
Remove paper lined muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Yesterfood Fresh Strawberry Pie

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts
1 1/4 cups white sugar (less if berries are very sweet)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced
2 tablespoons butter cut into pieces
1/3 cup all-purpose flour 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place one crust in a nine inch pie pan. 
2. Mix together sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Mix lightly with the berries. Pour filling into pastry lined pan, and dot fruit with butter or margarine. Cover with top crust, and cut slits in the top. Seal and flute the edges.
3. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling.

Allrecipes.com

I reposted this recipe as soon as I read it on Yesterfood's Blog today. 
The thing that impressed me is the freshness and simplicity of the recipe.
Nothing fancy, nothing complicated!
I will absolutely make this pie.

Thank you for sharing!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!




Summer Fruit Salad:

• This is a simple recipe with a lot of flavor!
• A great Summer Salad.
• The addition of the Fruit Filling is the key ingredient that adds a great flavor.
• You can substitute any fruit pie filling according to your personal taste.
• Strawberry
• Cherry
• Blueberry
• Apple

• 2 C of Blueberries ( 1 pint)
• 1 lb Strawberries, hulled and halved
• 3 C of your favorite seedless Grapes
• 3 C Raspberries
• 1 21-ounce can of Peach Pie Filling ( any flavor of Pie Filling)

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!





Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble:


I grew up in Michigan where Rhubarb was plentiful. I love it in any recipe.
I previously posted a recipe for Rhubarb Mousse.
My Aunt and Grandmother always made Rhubarb Sauce when it was in season.
I just saw Rhubarb at a local Market here in Texas.
I will make this recipe soon.



1C sugar
3 TBS flour
3 C sliced Strawberries
3 C diced Rhubarb
Mix together in a large bowl
Pour into a 10" cast iron skillet

In another bowl, mix together with a pastry blender:
1 1/2 C flour
1 C brown sugar
1 C (2sticks) butter
1 C rolled oats
Crumble this mixture on top of the fruit.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!




Almond, Strawberry, Banana Shake:

2 C frozen strawberries
2 bananas
1 1/2 C Silk Almond Milk
1 C orange juice
2 TBS honey

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!