strawberries

Pine Berry Appetizer

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food Plating: Pine Berry Appetizer! If you are a strawberry lover, think outside the box with a tropical twist this unique berry carries. The texture remains sweet and juicy, yet highlights subtle notes of pineapple, pear, and apricot. The creamy white flesh is an indication the berry is ripe enough to eat. I only mention that because on first glance you may suspect I am trying to encourage you to eat underripe strawberries. I think not. The “seeds”, so to speak, should appear red in color. For those who wonder, pine berries are the natural result of cross-pollination. This often does make them a little more expensive than regular strawberries. For special occasions, they are perfect! 

PINE BERRY APPETIZER

Ingredients: 

8 ounces Florida pine berries, washed, patted dry, and cut in half

4 ounces goat cheese, room temperature

2 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon Tupelo honey

1 pinch sea salt (optional)

Fresh thyme, for garnish

Rosemary Sesame Flatbread Crackers, for serving

Instructions: 

In a mixing bowl, combine goat cheese, cream cheese, and Tupelo honey. Blend until thoroughly mixed and the consistency of whipped cream. Taste before adding a pinch of sea salt. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. To assemble the pine berry appetizer, slather a dollop of whipped cheese onto a rosemary sesame flatbread cracker. Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme. Serve immediately. 

Vanilla Frosting-Dipped Fruit & Cookies

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Home Cooking: Vanilla Frosting-Dipped Fruit and Cookies!  Sometimes providing a last minute dessert is easier than you think. The trick is making others believe you spent hours creating such a masterpiece. Choose your favorite fruit, cookies, and frosting. (Now some may really need to cut corners and buy the ready-made frosting as well. I’ll pretend that doesn’t happen so I can share my easy buttercream frosting recipe with you today.)

VANILLA FROSTING-DIPPED FRUIT & COOKIES

Ingredients:

1 pound strawberries, whole with stems

1 package Strawberry Macaroons

2 ounces white nonpareils

12 bamboo skewers

Frosting Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1-2 tablespoons milk, warmed

Instructions:

Cream butter and sugar on low speed with hand mixer. Gradually add extracts. Blend until smooth. Add enough milk to keep it creamy, but not runny. Spoon a portion into a small microwave-safe dish and warm frosting 10 seconds in the microwave. While the frosting is warm, dip a piece of fruit or a cookie into the bowl. Using a swirling motion, rotate each piece to cover. Immediate dip into the nonpareils to coat. Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Repeat until all desired pieces are covered. Refrigerate for half an hour or until firm. 

Pina Colada Pie

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Simple Sensations: Pina Colada Pie! Sometimes it’s necessary to serve your guests a dessert low in sugar. This one is perfect because it boasts tropical flavor with enough fruity sweetness to satisfy that sugar craving which follows at the end of a meal. Please note you may substitute a sugar-free graham cracker crust for the homemade cookie crust. 

PINA COLADA PIE

Ingredients for Homemade Cookie Crust:

2 cups Macadamia Nut Shortbread Cookies, crushed

1/4 cup butter, melted

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Mix crushed shortbread cookies and melted butter. Press crumb mixture into a pie plate sprayed with nonstick oil. Bake 10 minutes. Cool before filling. 

Ingredients for Filling:

2 8-ounce blocks of Neufchâtel cheese

1 small box Sugar Free/Fat Free Lemon Jello

1 small box Sugar Free/Fat Free Vanilla Instant Pudding 

4-ounce of Lite Cool Whip

1 8-ounce can crushed Pineapple in Natural Juices, do not drain

1 teaspoon Coconut flavor

Instructions:

Soften Neufchâtel cheese and add other ingredients. Stir until well blended. Pour into pie crust and chill for several hours or overnight. 

*Garnish: Toast 1/2 cup flake coconut in 350° oven for 4 minutes. Watch! Set aside to cool. Fresh strawberries also make an appealing garnish. 

Fresh Fruit Salad

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen?  Fresh Fruit Salad!  Apples, Peaches, Strawberries, Rainer Cherries.  The health benefits are invaluable since most fruits are naturally low in fat, sodium, and calories. Munch on them together for an enticing sweet-tart explosion of delicate flavor.  Partner the golden yellow-colored and red-blushed fruit for a distinctive taste experience with a smooth creamy yogurt dip. In a hurry?  Grab a piece of fruit on-the-go and eat with an individually wrapped portion of string cheese. 

FRESH FRUIT SALAD

2 cups fresh strawberries

2 cups fresh Rainier Cherries

2 Gala apples

2 Georgia Peaches

In a large salad bowl, combine halved strawberries with tops removed, pitted cherries with stems removed, cored apple slices, and cut-up pieces of peach, pit removed.  

DIP

1 cup Greek Yogurt

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

In a small bowl, combine Greek yogurt, lemon juice, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.  Stir until blended. Serve over fruit in parfait glasses or enjoy as a finger food. 

Fire-Roasted Strawberries

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Uplifting Aromas: Fire-Roasted Strawberries! Try something different with those exceptionally large strawberries you couldn’t resist buying (or picking). You want to choose berries which are firm to the touch, have an appealing aroma, are bright red in color, and taste naturally sweet. Some may elect to use stainless steel skewers to keep the fruit from tipping over or simply to have the appearance of charred grill marks. Kabobs have a charming finish as well. They’re all Strawberrylicious! 

FIRE-ROASTED STRAWBERRIES 

Ingredients:

1 quart fresh strawberries, washed whole

1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

2 tablespoons lemon olive oil

1 tablespoon natural honey

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

Preheat a gas grill to 300°. Grease a grill pan with unsalted butter. Set aside. Arrange strawberries in a single layer of a baking dish. Whisk together lemon olive oil, natural honey, and balsamic vinegar. Brush onto strawberries, turning to coat. Transfer the strawberries to the prepared grill pan. Place the pan over the direct heat; close lid, and cook 5 minutes. Turn and repeat until the strawberries are bubbly and beginning to slump. Remove from grill and transfer strawberries to a serving platter. 

Yogurt Berry Freeze

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Fabulous Fixings: Yogurt Berry Freeze! Be innovative with this do-it-yourself homemade frozen yogurt dessert. It’s so unbelievably easy, you may find yourself experimenting with different depths of flavor throughout the year. Substitute your fruit of choice or go chocolaty with brownie pieces and mini morsels. Maybe you prefer a vanilla base with sprinkles. I bet you can come up with some ideas of your own. You can thank me later. 

YOGURT BERRY FREEZE

Ingredients:

3 cups Greek yogurt

1 cup frozen strawberries, thawed

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon corn syrup

Fresh peppermint leaves, for garnish

Instructions:

In a large bowl, combine Greek yogurt, thawed strawberries, powdered sugar, and corn syrup. Transfer mixture into a one-gallon ziplock freezer bag, squeezing out the air. Place flat in freezer. Every hour, remove the bag from the freezer and press down to break up icy bits. Repeat until mixture is frozen. Use a rolling pin, if necessary. When the contents are completely frozen, use an ice cream scoop to form balls of frozen yogurt. Serve in dessert dishes. Garnish with peppermint leaves. 

Strawberry Basil Spread

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Fabulous Fixings: Strawberry Basil Spread! Is it a dessert….or an appetizer?!?!  Strawberries are such a versatile fruit. They may often be added to a garden salad featured on restaurant menus or as a topping on waffles, pancakes, and ice cream. Everyone seems to find favor in their sweet and tangy flavor. After all, strawberries are candy-like, naturally juicy, and sometimes creamy…..especially when slathered onto a cracker topped with Neufchâtel cheese. You seriously cannot go wrong with this tantalizing recipe. Plus, it looks good enough to eat. Wouldn’t you agree?

STRAWBERRY BASIL SPREAD

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries 

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

8-ounce block Neufchâtel cheese

1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

Fresh strawberries, for garnish

Instructions:

Place the frozen strawberries, sugar, and balsamic vinegar in a mixing bowl. Allow the strawberries to thaw for 30 minutes. Mash the ingredients together using a fork. Leave small chunks for texture. Place the block of Neufchâtel cheese on a serving platter. Slowly spoon the strawberry sauce over the block of cheese. Chop fresh strawberries; arrange over top and around sides where the sauce has spilled over. Sprinkle with thinly sliced basil leaves. Serve with sea salt pita crackers. 

Rise & Shine Breakfast

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Graze or Gobble: Rise & Shine Breakfast! It’s no surprise America has turned to breakfast as the nutritional meal of the day. Especially with the rising cost of food. Eggs provide enough vitamins to justify a well-balanced diet. What I’ve noticed more than anything, is the fact that I feel fuller throughout the day and less apt to snack. I’m told it’s the power of protein, and I believe it. 

RISE & SHINE BREAKFAST 

Ingredients:

4 eggs

1-2 tablespoons butter

2 slices honey wheat toast

2 slices, applewood smoked bacon, baked until crispy 

Fresh Strawberries 

Instructions:

Warm butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Crack each egg into a small bowl; this will eliminate bits of shell from being poured into the skillet. Pour the eggs over the melted butter. After one minute, the outer edges of the white appear opaque. For sunny-side up eggs, do not flip. Cover the skillet with a lid  and lower the heat for 4 minutes. The steam will gently cook the top of the egg, leaving the yolks runny. Sprinkle with seasoning or herbs. Serve with toast points, bacon, and fresh fruit as desired. 

Nutella Strawberry Dip

Eating My Way Through the Holidays! Sweet Celebrations: Nutella Strawberry Dip! Here’s a match made in Heaven for chocolate-lovers and strawberries. Try it at home and then think about something new for the next social gathering where you’re asked to bring something yummy to share. It’s so Strawberrylicious, my first word of advice is…double the recipe. You’ll have the ingredients on hand, so go for it. It’s easy to make, kid-friendly, healthy, and sweet. Next stop: Holiday Party, Book Club, Girls Night Out, Birthday Celebration, Family Gathering, Block Party. The list goes on and on and on.

NUTELLA STRAWBERRY DIP

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Nutella Hazelnut Spread

1/3 cup powdered sugar

8 ounces Neufchâtel cheese, softened

1 cup Cool Whip, regular or light

1 cup mini chocolate chips, for garnish

Fresh Strawberries, sliced in half

Instructions:

Combine Nutella, powdered sugar, and Neufchâtel cheese in a bowl. Using a hand mixer, mix on Low until smooth. Fold in Cool Whip topping. Blend well. Pour into covered bowl. Kept refrigerated until ready to serve. Arrange sliced strawberries on a platter. Pour dip into a serving bowl. Garnish with mini chocolate chips.