Fruit Dip

Strawberry Recipe #4 

(well not really a strawberry recipe but delicious with strawberries)

This is the simplest but and most delicious fruit dip!  It goes amazing with any kind of fruit.  I especially like this dip with cut up apples.  But of course amazing with Strawberries too!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cream cheese ( any kind, whipped, lite etc)

1/3 cup plain greek yogurt

1/3 cup brown sugar

Preparation:

In a medium bowl combine all ingredients and blend well with a hand mixer.  I like to use my whisk attachment on my hand beater to whip it up nice and light and fluffy.  Pour into a bowl and enjoy immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Strawberry Salsa

Strawberry recipe #3

This is the perfect summertime recipe and a great way to use up all those strawberries.  The most perfect combination of all things delicious!  Serve with cinnamon chips.  You can make your own or buy the store bought kind both will be delicious with this salsa.

Ingredients:

Salsa

2 lbs of fresh strawberries, diced

Zest from 1 lime

1 Tablespoon of mint, chopped

1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons strawberry jam

1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

Cinnamon Tortilla Chips

6 small flour tortillas cut into 1/8ths

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

2 Teaspoons ground cinnamon

A little canola oil

Preparation:

For salsa combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss to combine.  I found it was easy to mix the jam in when it was warmed first in the microwave to make it a bit looser.

For cinnamon chips.  In a small bowl mix together sugar and cinnamon, set aside.  Next, using a pizza wheel or a sharp knife cut tortillas into 1/8ths.  Lay all the tortilla triangles on a piece of parchment paper and brush with oil.  Sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar and bake in a 350 F degree oven until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes.

Strawberry Hand Pies

Here's Strawberry recipe #2.  My kids are obsessed with Empanadas both sweet and savory so I was excited to make this Hand Pie recipe!  This sweet version is perfect and easy to make.  Another great dough that you can fill with any filling you like.  We also made chocolate hazelnut hand pies too with the left over dough.  YUM!

Ingredients:

Dough:

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup all purpose flour

Filling:

1 cup chopped strawberries

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Zest of half a lemon

2 Tbsp cornstarch

Finishing:

1 egg, beaten for egg wash

Preparation:

Cream butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy.  Add in flour and mix just until dough comes together.  Place dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30-60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Place parchment paper on a pan and set aside.  On a floured or powdered sugared surface, knead the dough a couple of times until it is a nice round ball. Then, roll dough into a circle with a rolling pin, about 1/4" thick.  Cut circles using a large round cookie cutter about 2 1/2 to 3".  Place each circle on the parchment paper prepared pan.  You will need to re-roll the dough a few times until it's all used up.  You may want to refrigerate in between if it gets too soft.

In a small bowl, gently combine chopped strawberries, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and cornstarch.

Fill each pie round with 1 tablespoon of filling, don't over stuff.  Take one side of the dough and pull it over the filling. Use a fork to crimp the edges together and poke an air hole at the top of each pie.  Brush each pie with eggwash. Sprinkle with white sugar (optional). Bake for 30-35 minutes or until pie is golden brown.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Bread

I have a lot of Strawberry recipes heading your way!  I bought a huge 5lb container of strawberries and they were not as good as they looked for just eating by themselves but perfect to bake with!  Here is the first of many Strawberry recipes!  This Strawberry Cream Cheese bread is amazing.   It a very light but moist texture and it isn't overly sweet!  You can add really any berry that you like but I love it with strawberries.   Very easy to make all in one bowl!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup buttermilk ( I used 2 teaspoons of lemon juice and 1/2 cup of lowfat milk - combine and let stand for a few minutes)
1 1/2 cups strawberries, diced

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan.  Cream together butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and combine well.  Mix in one at a time baking powder, baking soda and salt. Next add flour one cup at a time until batter if fully mixed and smooth.  Last add in the buttermilk and stir until combined.  Carefully fold in strawberries.  Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes.  The inside should be set (not jiggly) and the top golden brown.