Recipe of the Day: Strawberry Biscuit Shortcake *National Strawberry Shortcake Day*

Actually, shortcake is a sweet biscuit, which is why biscuits are usually used. Here is a good place to check it out: Foodimentary. I love it!

Strawberry Biscuit Shortcake

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold butter
1 cup milk
2 pints strawberries, sliced
1 tablespoon orange juice
1-1/2 cups whipped topping

Directions
In a large bowl, combine flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually stir in milk until a soft dough forms.

Drop the dough by heaping tablespoonfuls into eight mounds on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 425° for 12-15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, place strawberries, orange juice and remaining sugar in a bowl; toss gently. Split shortcakes in half horizontally. Place bottom halves on serving plates; top with whipped topping and strawberries. Replace shortcake tops. Yield: 8 servings.

Recipe found here: Strawberry Biscuit Shortcake

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Recipe of the Day: Shortcut Strawberry-Vanilla Dessert

Shortcut Strawberry-Vanilla Dessert

Ingredients
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1-1/2 cups cold 2% milk
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
2 cups whipped topping, divided
1 loaf (10-3/4 ounces) frozen pound cake, thawed

Directions
In a small bowl, combine strawberries and sugar; let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in 1 cup whipped topping; set aside.

Cut cake into 14 slices. Layer seven cake slices with 2 tablespoons strawberries, 1/3 cup pudding mixture and another cake slice. Top with remaining strawberries and whipped topping. Yield: 7 servings.

Recipe found here: Shortcut Strawberry-Vanilla Dessert

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Recipe of the Day: Starbucks Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino *National Strawberries and Cream Day*

Starbucks Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Syrup
16 oz Strawberries, hulled
Sugar to taste

For the Frappucino
1 cup Whole Milk
3/4 cups softened Vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup Strawberry Syrup (either make your own or use store bought!)
5-6 Whole Strawberries, chopped finely
2-3 ice cubes
Whipped Cream (optional)

Directions

Make the Strawberry Syrup:
Note: You may also use store-bought syrup!

Chop the stem (hull) off the strawberries. You can then do a coarse chop or quarter the berries.

Place them in a colander and rinse them gently under cold water. You can wash them first and then chop if you like.

Drain the water well and place the berries in a saucepan. Cook them in medium heat. Give it a stir now and then. (After around 5 minutes you will find the berries releasing their juices.)

After around 15 minutes of cooking, add some sugar to taste.

Let cook for another 5 minutes and then wait until sauce has cooled.

Strain the sauce into another bowl pressing the fruit well to give more syrup.PS: Store remainder of strawberry syrup in an airtight container. You can use the fruit pulp in another recipe (pancakes, waffles, cakes, muffins etc)

Make the Frappuccino:
Add rest of the ingredients along with your strawberry syrup (other than the whipped cream and chopped strawberries) in a blender. Give it a whirl until blended.

Drop some of the chopped strawberries in a serving glass and pour the blended mixture into it.

Add some whipped cream on top if desired and serve chilled.

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Recipe of the Day: Strawberry Cream Cheese Cobbler

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cobbler

Ingredients
1 stick ( 1/2 cup) butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 quarts whole strawberries, capped and washed
4 ounces cream cheese, cut in small pieces

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and pour into a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together the egg, milk, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Pour directly over the butter in the baking dish, but do not stir.

Add the strawberries, arranging in a single layer as much as possible. Sprinkle cream cheese pieces over strawberries. Place in preheated oven and bake for 45 minutes, or until top is golden brown and edges are bubbling. (Crust rises up and around the fruit, but fruit will still peek out of top.)

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Recipe of the Day: No Bake Strawberry Icebox Cake

No Bake Strawberry Icebox Cake

Ingredients
3 lbs. fresh strawberries, sliced
2 (8 oz.) tubs fat-free whipped topping (or use regular or light)
1 (14.4 oz.) box graham crackers
1/4 cup milk chocolate chip morsels

Directions
1. Spread a small amount of whipped topping on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan. Place 5 graham cracker sheets down the middle and break 2 more sheets into crackers to fit down the sides. Lightly cover the top of the graham crackers with more whipped topping and then a layer of sliced strawberries. Repeat three times, until you have four layers of graham crackers (you may be a few crackers short on the top layer, but that’s ok). You’ll end with a layer of strawberries on top.

2. Place milk chocolate chip morsels in a plastic bag. Microwave in 10 second intervals until melted. Snip the end of the plastic bag and drizzle chocolate over top of cake.

3. Refrigerate covered for at least four hours, or until the crackers have softened completely. Cake will last well for two days. It will still be good on the third day, but the strawberries will start to get juicy and leak into the whipped topping. It will still taste good, but it won’t be as pretty.

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Recipe of the Day: Strawberry Daiquiri *National Daiquiri Day*

Strawberry Daiquiri

Ingredients
1/2 cup of your favorite rum
2 TB (tablespoons) sweetened lime juice (Rose’s® or any other brand)
2 TB (tablespoons) grenadine syrup (Rose’s® or any other brand)
1/2 cup confectioners’ (powdered) sugar
2 cups ice cubes or crushed ice
1/2 (16 ounce) package frozen strawberries, thawed
1 tablespoon whipped cream, divided (optional)

Recipe Directions
Place the rum, lime juice, grenadine, confectioners’ sugar, ice cubes, and strawberries into a blender. Cover, and puree until smooth.
Pour into glasses.

Top each with a dollop of whipped cream, if you wish.

Recipe found here: STRAWBERRY DAIQUIRI RECIPE

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Recipe of the Day: Strawberry Shortcake *National Strawberry Cake Day*

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds strawberries, stemmed and quartered
5 tablespoons sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
Whipped Cream, recipe follows

Directions
Mix strawberries with 3 tablespoons sugar and refrigerate while juices develop, at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Add heavy cream and mix until just combined. Place mixture in an ungreased 8-inch square pan and bake until golden, 18 to 20 minutes.

Remove shortcake from pan and place on a rack to cool slightly. Cut into 6 pieces and split each piece in half horizontally.

Spoon some of the strawberries with their juice onto each shortcake bottom. Top with a generous dollop of whipped cream and then the shortcake top. Spoon more strawberries over the top and serve.

Whipped Cream:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream, chilled
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
Using a mixer, beat the heavy cream, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest until soft peaks form, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes.

Recipe found here: Strawberry Shortcake

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Strawberries and Cream Cake

Strawberries and Cream Cake

Ingredients
2 3/4 cups cake flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups white sugar
1 (3 ounce) package strawberry flavored gelatin
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup strawberries, pureed

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups quartered strawberries

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 9 inch round cake pans.

In a large bowl, beat sugar, gelatin and butter until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Mix flour and baking powder, and beat alternately with the milk into the sugar mixture. Fold in 1 teaspoon vanilla and pureed strawberries. Divide equally into three 9 inch round cake pans.

Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pans, then remove from pans and cool completely.

To make the filling: Beat whipping cream, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla on high until stiff. Fill each layer with 1/3 of the whipped cream and 3/4 cup sliced strawberries.

To make the frosting: Beat the margarine, cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Spread over the sides of the cake, and pipe an edge of frosting around the top of the cake.

Spread remaining whipped cream on cake top. Top with quartered strawberries.

Recipe found here: Strawberries and Cream Cake

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Recipe of the Day: Strawberry Clouds *National Strawberries and Cream Day*

Ingredients
3 large egg whites, at room temperature 30 minutes
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 lb strawberries, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise (3 cups)
3/4 cup well-chilled heavy cream

Special equipment: parchment paper

Directions
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 190°F.

Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Reduce mixer speed to medium and add 3/4 cup sugar, a little at a time, beating, then continue to beat until whites hold stiff glossy peaks.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spoon a small dollop of meringue on each corner of parchment, then invert parchment to secure to baking sheet. Using a serving spoon, form meringue into 6 mounds about 2 inches apart on parchment. Using a soupspoon, lightly press down and swirl center of each meringue to spread out slightly, into a 3 1/2- to 4-inch round, and create a 1 1/2- to 2-inch-wide indentation in center.

Bake meringues until dry but still white, about 2 hours, then cool meringues in turned-off oven (with door closed) 1 hour. (Meringues will be crisp on outside and slightly soft in center.) Cool meringues completely on baking sheet on a rack.

While meringues cool, bring 5 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom to a boil in a small heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Pour cardamom syrup over strawberries in a heatproof bowl and stir gently to combine.

Just before serving, beat cream with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom in a clean bowl using clean beaters until it just holds stiff peaks.
Peel meringues from parchment and put on 6 plates, then spoon about 1/4 cup berries with syrup into each indentation. Spoon whipped cream over berries and top with another 1/4 cup berries with syrup. Serve strawberry clouds immediately.

Cooks’ note:
Meringues, without berries, syrup, or whipped cream, can be made up to 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at cool room temperature.

Recipe found here: Strawberry Clouds

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Recipe: Strawberry Parfaits *National California Strawberry Day*

Ingrediants
4 cups sliced strawberries, divided
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup fat-free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup amaretti cookie crumbs (about 8 cookies)
1/2 cup frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

Preparation

Place 2 cups of strawberry slices and granulated sugar in a blender or food processor, and process until smooth. Set strawberry puree aside.

Combine ricotta and next 4 ingredients (ricotta through vanilla) in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk. Spoon 2 tablespoons cookie crumbs into each of 4 parfait glasses. Top each portion with 2 tablespoons strawberry puree, 1/4 cup strawberry slices, and 3 tablespoons ricotta mixture; repeat the layers. Drizzle the remaining strawberry puree over each serving. Chill for 2 hours. Top each parfait with 2 tablespoons whipped topping and 1 1/2 teaspoons almonds.

Recipe found here: Strawberry Parfaits

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