Strawberry Season in full swing

Recently, Sydney and I went strawberry picking with some friends and we came home with 6 pounds of the most beautiful strawberries.  In years past we have always gone to Circle S Farms and have had a lot of fun with friends and come home with some decent berries.  This year we went to Mitchell's Berries in Plain City and I will tell you one thing...we will never go anywhere else.

Mitchell's Berries was amazing.  The fields were well tended and in beautiful order and the strawberries were the most beautiful.  I was having a hard time leaving with only 6 pounds.

When we got home I knew that I had to start preparing the berries and get to cooking.  I made several yummy dishes and have had lots of people asking for the recipes so here they are.

STRAWBERRY BBQ BACON BURGERS

This recipe was created by Jaeger Stoltz, of Seattle, Washington.  This recipe was a 2012 Finalist in the Sutter Homes Build A Better Burger contest.

It was amazing!!  I highly recommend pairing it with the Zinfandel wine like suggested.  It really enhance the meal.

Strawberry BBQ Sauce

• 1 pound fresh strawberries, sliced 
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon dark molasses
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Patties

• 2 1/4 pounds ground chuck (20% fat)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley
• 12 strips thick-cut smoked bacon

Strawberry Salad

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 4 cups mixed salad greens
• 1/2 cup chopped or torn fresh basil leaves
• Remaining sliced strawberries from making sauce
• 4 ounces gorgonzola or or other blue cheese, crumbled
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Pinch of salt
• Vegetable oil, for rubbing on the grill rack
• 6 thick slices Gruyere cheese
• 6 brioche hamburger buns, split

Directions

To make the sauce, place 2/3 of the strawberries in a blender; reserve the remaining berries for the salad. Add the tomato paste, mustard, vinegar, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes to the blender and pulse until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the mixture into a fire-proof saucepan and place on a gas grill over medium-high heat. Add the molasses and brown sugar and bring to a slow boil, stirring often, then remove from the heat, cover with foil, and keep warm.

To make the patties, combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl and mix together well while handling the meat as little as possible; this prevents it from becoming too dense. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form into patties leaving a slight indention in the center of patties; this allows the final product to be more equal in thickness when finished. Set aside until grilling.

Cook the bacon in a fire-proof skillet on the grill over medium-high heat until browned. Drain on paper towels to remove excess grease. Set aside.

To begin preparing the salad, combine the onion, vinegar, salt, and sugar in a small bowl and set aside at room temperature to quick-pickle the onions. Combine the greens, basil, and remaining strawberries in a bowl, cover, and refrigerate until assembling the burgers. Keep the crumbled cheese chilled until assembly.

Heat the grill to medium-high. When the grill is ready, with a paper or cloth towel, rub the grill rack with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.  Place the patties on the rack and cook until done to preference, 3 to 5 minutes. The top of the patty should look like it has cooked a little. Flip once and cook another 3 to 5 minutes. Do not push down on the patty because this will release the juices. Top each patty with the BBQ sauce then a slice of the Gruyere cheese, cover the grill, and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove the patties from the grill and place the buns, cut side down, on the outer edges of the rack to toast lightly.

To assemble the burgers, top each bun bottom with a patty and two strips of the bacon. Lightly drain the pickled onions, add to the mixed greens along with the crumbled cheese, and toss to combine. Drizzle the salad with the olive oil, sprinkle with the salt, and toss again lightly. Pile a handful of the salad on the top of each bacon-topped patty; if a few bits fall off, there is no problem—these are little treasures for later. Spread a little more BBQ sauce on the toasted sides of the bun tops and place on top of the salad.

Makes 6 burgers

Suggested Wine Pairing: Zinfandel

SKILLET STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

This recipe comes from Sandra Lee of The Food Network.

Ingredients

• 1 pound frozen unsweetened strawberries, quartered and thawed
• 3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 3 tablespoons orange-flavored liqueur (recommended: Grand Mariner)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 (16.3-ounce) can southern-style biscuits (recommended: Pillsbury Grands)
• 2 tablespoons butter or cooking spray

Directions

In a medium bowl, combined thawed strawberries, 1/2 cup of the sugar and orange liqueur. Let stand for 1 hour to allow flavors to blend, stirring occasionally.

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 sugar and the cinnamon. Remove biscuits from the can and separate. Roll each biscuit in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Coat a cast iron skillet with butter or cooking spray. Add strawberry-sugar mixture. Arrange biscuits over strawberries. Place skillet on grill. Cover grill and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until bubbly. Remove from grill; cool slightly.

STRAWBERRY BREAD

This recipe comes from the All Recipes website.

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh strawberries
• 3 1/8 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable oil
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans
• 
  
• Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter and flour two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans.
2. Slice strawberries, and place in medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle lightly with sugar, and set aside while preparing bread mixture.
3. Combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda in large bowl: mix well. Blend oil and eggs into strawberries. Add strawberry mixture to flour mixture, blending until dry ingredients are just moistened. Stir in pecans. Divide batter into pans.
4. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until tester inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Turn loaves out, and cool completely.

EASY STRAWBERRY FREEZER JAM

Ingredients

4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled

4 cups sugar

1-3/4 oz. pkg. unflavored powdered fuit pectin 

3/4 cup water

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 small lemon, thinly sliced

Directions

1.  In a large bowl crush berries with masher.  Stir in sugar.  Let stand 10 minutes; stirring occasionally.

2.  In small saucepan combine pectin and water.  Bring to boiling; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Pour into berry mixture.  Add lemon juice and stir 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth.  Stir in lemon slices.

3.  Ladle jam into clean half-pint jars or freezer containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.  Seal and label.  Let stand at room temperature 24 hours or until set.*  Refrigerate up to 3 weeks or freeze up to 1 year.  Makes about 5 half pints.

* Note:  freezer jam does not set as firmly as cooked jam.

STRAWBERRY JAM LEMON SQUARES

The recipe for Strawberry jam Lemon Squares is a cinch to make and will take its place among your favorite cookie recipes.

Now that you've mastered the art of making jam, it's time to take your skills to the next level.  

Ingredients

2 cups plus 3 Tbsp flour

1/3 cup confectioner's sugar, plus extra for dusting

1/4 tsp salt

2 sticks butter, cut into pieces

1-1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder

3 eggs

1/3 cup lemon juice

2 tsp grated lemon rind

3/4 cup strawberry jam

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350.  Grease and flour an 11x7 baking pan

Crust:  In a large bowl, stir together 2 cups of the flour, confectioner's sugar and salt.  Using a pastry blender of 2 knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles course crumbs.  Press the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes, or until firm.

Meanwhile, make the lemon topping.  In a medium bowl, stir together the granulated sugar, baking powder, and the remaining 3 Tbsp of flour.  Add the eggs, lemon juice and grated lemon rind.  Mix until well blended.

Remove the pan from the oven and spread the jam over the crust.  Spread the lemon topping over the jam and bake for another 25-30 minutes, or until the topping is set.

Let cool in the pan on a rack.  Dust the top lightly with confectioner's sugar before cutting into squares.

JENI'S SPLENDID ICE CREAM
ROASTED STRAWBERRY AND BUTTERMILK ICE CREAM


This recipe is from the great Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream Cookbook

• 1 pint strawberry
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup buttermilk

Directions:

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Hull strawberries and slice. Combine strawberries with sugar in an 8" square glass or ceramic baking dish, stirring gently to mix well. Roast for 8 minutes, or until just soft. Let cool slightly. Puree in a food processor with lemon juice. Measure 1/2 cup of the pureed berries; refrigerate the rest of the puree for another use.
2. 2
   Mix about 2 Tbls of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to make a smooth slurry. Whisk the cream cheese and salt in a medium bowl until smooth. Fill a large bowl with ice and water.
3. 3
   Combine the remaining milk, cream, sugar and corn syrup in a 4-quart saucepan, bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Bring the mixture back to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring with a heat-proof spatula, until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
4. 4
   Gradually whisk the hot milk mixture in to the cream cheese until smooth.Add the buttermilk and reserved strawberry puree and blend well. Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon Ziploc freezer bag and submerge the sealed bag in the ice bath. Let stand, adding more ice as necessary, until cold, about 30 minutes.
5. 5
   Pour the ice cream mixture into the frozen canister of electric ice cream freezer and run according to directions of ice cream maker. Pack the finished ice cream into a storage container, press a sheet of parchment directly against the surface, and seal with an airtight lid. Freeze in the coldest part of your freezer until firm, at least 4 hours. Makes about 1 quart.
6. 6
   Serve with refrigerated strawberry puree poured over the top.

I hope that you are able to make these wonderful recipes and that you and your family will enjoy them as much as we have.