Tag: Strawberries

Homemade Cheesecake Ice Cream

Today I am sharing a super versatile recipe for Cheesecake Ice Cream that is a result of, well, me having way too much cream cheese on hand.

Homemade Cheesecake Ice Cream

Recently, some of my husband’s friends came to visit and brought us New York bagels (always a welcome gift in our house!), and a good 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese. Even after all the bagels were gone, we still had 12 oz of cream cheese left!

So what better way to use up all that extra cream cheese than with this recipe for Cheesecake Ice Cream?

You may recall that I made a cream cheese-based ice cream with my recipe for Irish Potato Candy Ice Cream, and I loved it so much, I knew I’d be making more cream cheese-based ice creams soon!

This recipe is very simple and works well on its own or as a base for some more creative Cheesecake Ice Cream recipes — strawberry, cherry, chocolate, whatever makes you happy!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 12 oz cream cheese
  • 1 lemon
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • crushed graham crackers, for serving
  • your favorite fruit, for serving

Continue reading Homemade Cheesecake Ice Cream

Homemade Strawberry Basil Ice Cream

I’m back with yet another new ice cream recipe that I’ve been dreaming about for months: Strawberry Basil Ice Cream.

As the weather gets warmer, the in season produce just gets better, which means a bunch of new inspiration for ice cream flavors. We are entering the beginning of strawberry season now, so I was excited to make this Strawberry Basil Ice Cream!

This recipe for Strawberry Basil Ice Cream steeps fresh basil in the cream and sugar base, which adds a subtle basil flavor under the more prominent strawberry flavor. If you want a more prominent basil flavor, you can absolutely mix in some freshly chopped basil when churning your ice cream!

Ingredients (makes 1 quart):

  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 lb strawberries, hulls removed

Continue reading Homemade Strawberry Basil Ice Cream

Green Juice

Note: I was sent a Hurom H320 Slow Juicer in order to write this post including a recipe for Green Juice. Opinions are mine alone.

This summer, I have really been enjoying having a CSA share again. However, no matter how hard I try, it is still difficult to use up all of those beautiful fruits and vegetables!

When Hurom contacted me about trying one of their Slow Juicers, I felt like the timing was perfect! What a great way for me to utilize these ingredients more, like in this recipe for Green Juice!

My husband has been making himself “green drinks” for years now in a blender (paid link) but I have trouble getting over the super pulpy texture of it. So Hurom’s H320 Slow Juicer (paid link) called out to me immediately. Not only is the juicer quite the visual stunner (shown in color “Kale”), but it also has two different strainers, one which yields an ultra-low pulp juice.

Despite the name, slow juicers are still pretty darn quick. Hurom’s patented Slow Squeeze Technology uses an auger to squeeze out juice (similar to how you would hand-squeeze an orange). This natural motion minimizes damage to ingredients, keeping their natural taste and nutrition intact.

Photo courtesy of Hurom

I am still learning the ins and outs of juicing and how to create the perfect balance of tasty and nutrient-rich juices, but I figured I’d take inspiration from my husband’s green drinks for my first try to make this Green Juice.

This recipe for Green Juice uses quite the colorful group of fruits and veggies, but the color of the kale and spinach wins out in the end, providing that nice green color to the drink.

Ingredients (makes ~16 oz juice; multiply as needed):

  • 1 orange, skin removed and quartered
  • 1/2 cup strawberries, hulled and halved
  • 3 carrots
  • 1 banana, skin removed
  • 1 apple
  • 4 cups spinach or kale (I used a mix of both)

Continue reading Green Juice

Strawberry Shortcake Whoopie Pies

This recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Whoopie Pies was a result of my desire to bring a different dessert to a gathering with some of my college friends. My friend who was hosting is a big fan of Strawberry Shortcake. That, plus my love for whoopie pies made Strawberry Shortcake Whoopie Pies a no brainer!

These Strawberry Shortcake Whoopie Pies are made of fresh whipped cream and sliced strawberries sandwiched between two vanilla cake-like cookies.

Ingredients:

Whoopie Pies:

  • 1 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 5 cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Whipped Cream:

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Other Ingredients:

  • 3 cups strawberries, sliced

Continue reading Strawberry Shortcake Whoopie Pies

White Peach Strawberry Salad

When I first started this blog, I was living in Old City and working in Center City Philadelphia, which meant I got to stop at Reading Terminal on my way home and get inspiration for my meals based on what looked the best that day. I stopped by the Historic Lewes Farmers Market recently looking for some inspiration while at the Delaware Beaches. While I was there, I was able to catch a demonstration by SoDel Concepts’ Pastry Chef Dru Tevis and Bennett Orchards’ Henry Bennett. I picked up some White Peaches from Bennett Orchards while I was there, which inspired me to make this perfectly summery White Peach Strawberry Salad!

This salad is very simple to make, and has less than 10 ingredients, but delivers a balanced mix of sweet, toasty, earthy, and acidic flavors, making for a truly memorable bite!

Ingredients:

Salad:

  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • 1 (5 oz) bag spring mix
  • 2 sliced white peaches or nectarines
  • 1 cup sliced strawberries
  • 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (if you don’t like blue cheese, you can substitute in feta)

Dressing:

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
  • pinch of salt and pepper

Continue reading White Peach Strawberry Salad

Strawberry Frose

Note: I was sent bottles of Fresh Vine Wine Rosé in order to make this post. Opinions are mine alone.

It is absolutely rosé season! And what is better than a refreshing, cold glass of rosé? An ice-cold glass of Strawberry Frose, of course!

This recipe is a simple way to upgrade your normal glass of rosé, making it perfect for warm summer nights spent with friends.

For this recipe, I am using Fresh Vine Wine Rosé. Produced and bottled in Napa, California, Fresh Vine Wine’s are premium, great tasting wines with careful attention to lower calorie, carb, and sugar content.

The Fresh Vine Wine Rosé is a blend of Pinot Grigio and Pinot Noir pressed then fermented and aged in stainless steel, with notes of nectarine, stone fruit, and melon with a bit of acidity, which will work perfectly with the balanced sweetness of strawberries!

Ingredients (makes 4 servings):

  • 1 (750 ml) bottle of Fresh Vine Wine Rosé
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
  • 1-2 tablespoons sugar, to taste
  • 1/4 cup vodka

Continue reading Strawberry Frose

Overnight Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding Jars

My husband really likes chia seeds. He will even just add them to water and have them that way. As (un)appealing as that sounds, I’ve been trying to incorporate them into some recipes that make the most of chia seeds while being a bit more… tasty, like this recipe for Overnight Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding Jars.

Chia seeds are pretty bland, so they are easy to add to recipes without impacting taste. When soaked in a liquid, they expand and thicken whatever liquid they are added into, making them perfect for pudding or jam.

This recipe for Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding is an easy make ahead recipe for breakfast on the go. My husband and I just grab one of these pre-made jars and bring with us to work to eat.

Note: this recipe makes 4 (16 oz) jars or 8 (8 oz) jars, depending on how large you want your servings

Ingredients:

  • 1 (32 oz) container Vanilla Greek Yogurt
  • 2 (14 oz) cans light coconut milk
  • 1 cup chia seeds
  • pinch of salt

Optional toppings:

  • granola
  • fresh fruit (I used blueberries and strawberries)
  • coconut flakes
  • sliced almonds

Continue reading Overnight Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding Jars

Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes with Strawberry Maple Syrup

Note: I was sent a Breakfast kit from Krusteaz in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.

For the last couple of years, I have had the opportunity to work with Krusteaz to bring attention to a fun way to switch up your dinner routine in February.

February is National Hot Breakfast Month, so to celebrate, Krusteaz encourages you to have breakfast for dinner once a week. As someone who never gets a hot breakfast on weekdays, I’m all for this idea, and have made a couple of yummy breakfast-for-dinner recipes in the past, including Cheesy Corn Pancakes and Frog in a Hole.

To help you celebrate National Hot Breakfast Month, Krusteaz is giving away a Breakfast Night Kit to one reader!

The kit includes:

  • two boxes of the following breakfast mixes: Buttermilk Pancake Mix, Belgian Waffle Mix, Blueberry Pancake Mix, Wild Blueberry Muffin Mix, and Cinnamon Swirl Crumb Cake and Muffin Mix
  • Kitchen items including a whisk, a tote bag, and pancake batter pen
  • A selfie stick, to help capture the fun!

Further details will be after the recipe.

This year, I decided to have a sweeter breakfast for dinner option, in honor of upcoming Valentine’s Day: Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes with Strawberry Maple Syrup.

This recipe uses Krusteaz Buttermilk Pancake mix with a few additions to make Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes. I served them with a simple Strawberry Maple Syrup to top them off!

Ingredients (makes 6 4-inch pancakes):

Strawberry-maple syrup:

  • 3/4 cup chopped strawberries
  • 3/4 cup maple syrup

Continue reading Peanut Butter Banana Pancakes with Strawberry Maple Syrup

Very Berry Pie

Note: I was sent a Glass 9″ Pie Plate, a Steel Pie Server, a Double Pastry Wheel, and a 1″ Pastry Brush from OXO. All opinions are alone.
This time of year get’s crazy busy doesn’t it?  I feel like December always flies by! Before you know it, the holidays are here. And prepping for them can be tough; it’s difficult to figure out what can be made ahead of time without sacrificing quality.
This Very Berry pie recipe is here to save the day! It can be prepared ahead of time and frozen.
I call this a Very Berry Pie, because it has 5 (!) different types of berries in it: Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Strawberries and Cranberries. It uses frozen berries to make prepping even easier.
 
When ready to bake, thaw in your fridge overnight and then bake. Simple right?
Making it even more simple is the use of an OXO Glass 9″ Pie Plate. All OXO Glass Bakeware is made of thermal shock resistant borosilicate glass, so you don’t need to bring it to room temperature before adding it to your oven! (The other glass baking dishes are perfect for pre-made sides for your holiday dinners as well!)
Source: OXO.com

 

OXO has many other tools that help make preparing for the holidays even easier. You’ll see quite a few of them pop up throughout this post.
Ingredients:
For the pie crust:
  • 1 1/3 cups cold butter
  • 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup ice-cold water
  • Note: You can also buy pre-made pie crusts. I won’t tell.
For the pie filling:
  • 2 (16 oz) bags frozen mixed berries (mine had blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries)
  • 1 (16 oz) bag frozen cranberries
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top of the pie
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 egg white

Continue reading Very Berry Pie

Homemade Fresh Salsas and Keeping #NaturallyClean with Clorox Green Works

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.
#NaturallyClean #CollectiveBias

 

Having a blog means that I tend to do a lot of cooking for larger groups. I usually show up to any gathering with at least one appetizer or snack for a crowd. Cooking for groups can be a bit of a challenge in my small apartment, so it’s crucial that I can reuse kitchen tools while making different parts of a recipe!

 

Clorox Green Works has a great new product, Pump ‘N Clean, now available in Target. Green Works Pump ‘N Clean can be found in the green section of the cleaning aisle, with the rest of the Clorox Green Works line.

The whole Clorox Green Works line cleans thoroughly and powerfully without using harsh chemicals or leaving any residue. The line includes wipes, dish soaps, detergents, and cleaners that are made with plant- and mineral-based cleaning ingredients. The products are not tested on animals and use environmentally sustainable packaging whenever possible.

From June 14-July 11, you can use the Target Cartwheel app to save 10% on all Green Works products.

 

The Pump ‘N Clean product is both a time saver and a way to keep your kitchen clean and safe. It’s food-safe, so you can use it to clean your knives and cutting boards in between cutting veggies and fruits! (Green Works Pump ‘N Clean is not to be used to clean up after raw meat or raw fish.) To use, just place a dish towel or sponge on top of the Pump ‘N Clean and press down to dispense the liquid. Use the dish towel/sponge to clean your knifes, counters, stove top, whatever needs cleaning! It’s easy to clean are you are cooking, which is a huge time saver!

I wanted to make two different salsas for a friend’s party, a traditional fresh salsa, and a fruit salsa. The traditional salsa is made of fresh tomatoes, red onion, and jalapeno, while the fruit salsa is filled with berries, pineapple, oranges and kiwifruit.  Obviously, mixing the flavors of these two would ruin them both, so it was important that I was able to quickly clean both my knife and my cutting board!

Ingredients:

Fresh Salsa:

  • 3 plum tomatoes, chopped and seeded
  • 1 red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Fruit Salsa:

  •  1/2 cup strawberries, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup blueberries, halved
  • 1/4 cup raspberries, quartered
  • 1 medium orange, peeled and chopped
  • 3 medium kiwifruit, peeled and chopped
  • 1  (8 oz) can unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained
  • the juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Continue reading Homemade Fresh Salsas and Keeping #NaturallyClean with Clorox Green Works

Tortilla Crusted Fish with Strawberry Avocado Salsa #strawberrymonth

May is National Strawberry Month! I have many a strawberry-filled recipe on my blog (like this recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes) but most are desserts. Strawberries are considerably more versatile than I give them credit for and can be used in all sorts of recipes from breakfast, to drinks, to dinner. Driscoll’s recently contacted me to highlight National Strawberry Month so I decided to make a more savory recipe this time around!

 

 

The sweet strawberries in this recipe help offset the spiciness of the jalapeno and work really well with the creaminess of the avocado to bring a super balanced salsa.

 

 

This recipe for Tortilla Crusted Fish with Strawberry Avocado Salsa is adapted from two separate recipes; a blue tortilla crusted fish recipe from Food Network, and a Strawberry Avocado Salsa recipe from Cooking Light.

 

Ingredients:
Fish:
  • the juice of 1 lime
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 12 ounces corn tortilla chips
  • 4 mahi mahi fillets (about 6 ounces each), or any other white fish you prefer
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Salsa:

  • 1 cup finely chopped strawberries
  • 1/2 an avocado, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
  • zest of one lime
  • juice of 2 limes
  • 2 teaspoons finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper

 

Continue reading Tortilla Crusted Fish with Strawberry Avocado Salsa #strawberrymonth

Blue Rose Cocktail

I have never been one to shy away from sharing all of the awesomeness that the Philadelphia area has to offer. I am pretty darn proud of my city, especially when it comes to our rocking food and beverage scene. So it should come as no surprise that my gin of choice is always Bluecoat Gin.

Why yes, Bluecoat IS made in Philadelphia!  What sets Bluecoat’s flavor apart from others is their use of organic juniper berries, which give off a more spicy, earthy tone versus pine-tree flavors found in regular juniper berries. Bluecoat is finished off with a premium blend of organic American citrus peels and spices which adds a nice citrusy finish to the spirit.

Bluecoat must have known my affinity for them, because I was asked to develop a Valentine’s Day themed cocktail using this yummy gin. Because Valentine’s Day is all about the love, I threw in a bunch of my favorite cocktail ingredients to make the “perfect” cocktail for me! (Here’s hoping you agree)

 

This recipe for a Blue Rose Cocktail starts with a strawberry mint simple syrup, adds in some sparking wine, and finishes off with some pomegranate juice.

My fiance (and considerably more creative half) dubbed this a “Blue Rose Cocktail” — Bluecoat Gin + rose coloring from the simple syrup and pomegranate juice.

 

Ingredients (makes 4):

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped strawberries (~2 strawberries)
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint sprigs
  • 4 oz Bluecoat Gin, divided
  • 12 oz dry sparkling wine, divided
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate juice, divided

Continue reading Blue Rose Cocktail

Grilled Hazelnut Strawberry Shortcake Bites #SLSweetTreats

I love pound cake.  I mean, honestly, who doesn’t? It’s so stinking delicious! So I’m excited to be doing another post with Sara Lee Desserts! (You can check out my last post with Sara Lee here — Mini Berry Trifles with Lemon Whipped Cream)

This time around, I wanted to try out grilling the pound cake. I’ve seen a few recipes using grilled pound cake and I was intrigued. (Like this recipe for Mini Grilled Strawberry Shortcake Skewers or this one for Grilled Pound Cake with Berries and Whipped Cream).

Strawberries are in season so a Strawberry Shortcake recipe was in order… but I upped the flavor by adding Nutella Whipped Cream.  Oh yes.

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 family sized Sara Lee Pound Cake
  • 1 16 oz pack of strawberries
  • 1/2 cup nutella
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • cooking spray

 

 #spon: I’m required to disclose a relationship between our site and Sara Lee. This could include the Sara Lee providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

Continue reading Grilled Hazelnut Strawberry Shortcake Bites #SLSweetTreats

Mini Berry Trifles

I’m so ready for spring. I am trying to will the warmer weather to be here ASAP by making a bunch of spring-themed posts. Sara Lee must have read my mind because they contacted me about using their yummy pound cake in a recipe — what better way to show off Sara Lee Pound Cake than with a trifle?

These mini berry trifles use fresh berries, pound cake, and fresh whipped cream with lemon curd, making a yummy and bright spring dessert. I made them in mini trifle bowls but you can adapt this recipe to go in a traditional trifle bowl.

Ingredients (makes 4 mini trifles):

  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 jar ( roughly 11 oz) lemon curd
  • 1 Sara Lee pound cake, defrosted
  • strawberry jam
  • 1 pint blueberries
  • 1 pint raspberries
  • 2 strawberries, halved

 

 #spon: I’m required to disclose a relationship between our site and Sara Lee. This could include the Sara Lee providing us w/content, product, access or other forms of payment.

Continue reading Mini Berry Trifles

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

I’m so ready for spring. I’m sick of the cold and wind, although we didn’t have any snow this year. So I am going to force spring upon you in the hope of it pushing the warmer months up a little bit. When I think of spring, I always think of Strawberries. And what better way to show off strawberries than in Strawberry Shortcake, or more specifically, in Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes? I decided to make them in cupcake form because, well, I like cupcakes. I used a Martha Stewart recipe for angel food cake to make the cupcake, filled the inside of the cupcake with a strawberry-sugar mixture, and topped it off with a strawberry whipped cream icing. These are pretty delicious if I do say so myself! Ingredients: Angel Food Cake Cupcakes:

  • 1 cup cake flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 12 large egg whites, room temperature
  • 4 teaspoons lemon juice and zest from 1 lemon, divided
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Strawberry filling:

  • 3/4 container of strawberries, hulled and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons sugar

Strawberry whipped cream:

  • 1 8-oz container cream cheese
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • lemon zest from lemon used in angel food cake
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 4-5 strawberries, stems removed and finely chopped

Continue reading Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

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