Secret Fruit Salad Recipe

Secret Fruit Salad Recipe

2 tablespoons dry instant vanilla pudding mix
1 pound of strawberries, quartered
1/2 pint blueberries
1/2 pint raspberries
1/2 pineapple, cubed
1 bunch grapes

Sprinkle fruit pudding powder and stir. Serve immediately or allow to sit overnight.

Strawberry Salad with Haloumi

Strawberry Salad with Haloumi

300g strawberries, hulled and cut in half or quartered
balsamic vinegar
juice of 1/2 a lemon
extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
250g halloumi cheese, cut into 8 slices
a small handful of mint leaves
a handful of mixed salad leaves

In a bowl, drizzle the strawberries with a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, a squeeze of lemon juice and a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and pan fry the halloumi slices on both sides until golden brown (about 1-2 minutes per side should do).

Combine the salad leaves and the mint with the balsamic strawberries and toss well to combine. Place the halloumi slices on plates, top with some salad and strawberries and drizzle with the remaining dressing.

Summer Dessert Pizza Recipe

Summer Dessert Pizza Recipe

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• GLAZE:
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• TOPPING:
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup whipped topping
• 1 firm banana, sliced
• 1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 can (8 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
• 2 kiwifruit, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup fresh blueberries

Directions

• In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and beat well. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Press dough into a greased 12-in. x 14-in. pizza pan. Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• For glaze, combine sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan. Stir in the water and orange juice until smooth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• For topping, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Add whipped topping; mix well. Spread over crust. Arrange fruit on top. Brush glaze over fruit. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 12-16 servings.

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Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

12 ounces strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces (2 cups)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 cup heavy cream
Coarse sugar, for sprinkling over the cookies

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, stir together the strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and remaining sugar. Rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips until moist and fragrant.

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the zest/sugar mixture and whisk to combine. Using a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture until you have coarse crumbs. Add the cream to the bowl and stir until the dough starts to come together, then gently fold in the strawberry mixture.

Use a small cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) to drop dough onto the prepared baking sheet, evenly spaced apart. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown. Transfer the pans to wire racks and let the cookies cool. The cookies are best the day they're made, but can be kept in an airtight container for 1 day.

Makes 3 dozen cookies.

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Fruit and Cream Mini-Tarts

Fruit and Cream Mini-Tarts

Ingredients

• Tart Crust:
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup superfine sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), chilled
• 1 egg yolk, broken with a fork
• Cream Filling:
• 2-3/4 cups milk (I use 2-1/2 cups nonfat milk + 1/4 cup whipping cream but any type will work)
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Crust:

1. Combine flour, sugar and salt in food processor. Cut butter into 8 slices and add to flour, pulsing several times until mixture resembles oatmeal. Add egg yolk. (Go ahead and add the egg white if you want a sturdier but not quite as tender crust.)Pulse until all ingredients are moistened but not yet a solid ball. (See note below if mixture seems too dry.) Lightly press into a ball, cover and chill 30 minutes.
2. Pull off small amount of dough and press into molds with fingers being careful to keep thickness consistent. Use a knife to trim off any extra at the top. Freeze for at least 30 minutes.
3. Place frozen tart shells on cookie sheet and cook at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Watch carefully as the time can vary according to the thickness of the crust.

Cream Filling:

1. Add milk, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg yolks, (in that order) to blender. Blend 5 seconds and pour into 2-quart glass microwave-safe bowl. Microwave 6 minutes on HIGH, whisking until smooth after 3 minutes, then every minute thereafter.
2. Add butter and vanilla and whisk until smooth.

Assembly:

1. Fill each baked tart shell with cream filling. Top with fruit of your choice. Melt 1/4 cup currant jelly and use a brush to dab some shininess on each piece of fruit. It’s OK if some drips onto the cream.

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Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Ingredients:
-1 lb large strawberries
-8 oz. cream cheese, softened (can use 1/3 less fat)
-3-4 tbsp powdered sugar (4 tbsp for a sweeter filling)
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-graham cracker crumbs

Directions:
1. Rinse strawberries and cut around the top of the strawberry. Remove the top and clean out with a paring knife, if necessary (some may already be hollow inside). Prep all strawberries and set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Add cream cheese mix to a piping bag or ziploc with the corner snipped off. Fill strawberries with cheesecake mixture. Once strawberries are filled, dip the top in graham cracker crumbs. If not serving immediately, refrigerate until serving.

Strawberry Shortcake Popsicles

Strawberry Shortcake Popsicles

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup pureed strawberries
• ½ cup crushed vanilla Oreos
• 2 cups vanilla yogurt

Instructions:

1. Puree strawberries. Place Oreos in a food processor and pulse until cookies become fine crumbs. Alternatively, place Oreos in a Ziploc and using a rolling pin to crush cookies. Add crushed Oreos to the yogurt and mix until combined.

Assembly:

1. To assemble as the seen in the picture, layer the yogurt portion first and let freeze for 30 minutes before adding the strawberry layer, let this second layer freeze for 30 minutes and then add the last yogurt layer. For a quick assembly, pour each layer on top of one another without any freeze time in between and then use a skewer or fork and gently swirl for a swirled Popsicle look.

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Peach & Berry Salad

Peach & Berry Salad

Ingredients 

3 Fresh Peaches

2 1/2 Pints Blackberries

1 Pint Strawberries Hulled and Sliced

1/4 Cup Honey

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cardamom

Directions

Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add peaches and blanche for 30 seconds. Drain and transfer to a medium bowl. Cover with cold water and cool. Drain, peel, and slice. In a medium bowl, combine the peaches,blackberries, strawberries, honey, and cardamom. Toss together and refrigerate. 

Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing

Fruit Salad with Honey-Lime Dressing - Easy

1 pt. container strawberries
1 pt. container blueberries
1  bunch (about 1 1/2 lbs.) seedless grapes (green, red or a mixture of both)
1/4 cup honey
juice from 2 limes (about 2-3 tablespoons)

Rinse strawberries, blueberries and grapes.  

Gently pat dry the fruit.  Hull strawberries, then cut each in half; if large, cut into quarters.

Remove stems from blueberries, if any.

Remove grapes from stems.

Gently combine  all three in a large bowl or aluminum tray.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together honey and lime juice.  Pour over fruit.  

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4th Of July Must

4th of July Strawberries

Strawberries, washed and dried
White chocolate
Blue sugar, edible glitter, or sprinkles (blue sugar is shown in the picture)

Place blue sugar in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave on 50% power for two minutes.  Stir until the bowl is no longer warm.  Then microwave for 30 second intervals at 50% power, stirring after each, until the chocolate is completely melted. Dip the lower two thirds of the strawberries in the melted white chocolate.  Then, dip the lower third of the strawberries in the blue sugar or spoon it onto the strawberry.  Place on wax paper or Silpat until completely cool.

Baked Oatmeal with Strawberries, Banana, and Chocolate

Baked Oatmeal with Strawberries, Banana, and Chocolate

Ingredients

• 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces, chopped
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 cups milk
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ripe banana, peeled, 1/2-inch slices

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and generously spray the inside of a 10-1/2 by 7 inch baking dish with cooking spray and place on a baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the oats, sugar, baking powder, orange zest, Chinese five spice, salt, half the walnuts, half the strawberries and half the chocolate. (Save the other half of strawberries, walnuts and chocolate for the top of the oatmeal). In another large bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, butter and vanilla extract.
3. Add the oat mixture to prepared baking dish. Arrange the remaining strawberries, walnuts and chocolate on top. Add the banana slices to the top then pour the milk mixture over everything. Gently shimmy/shake the baking dish to help the milk mixture go throughout the oats.
4. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is nicely golden brown and the milk mixture has set. For an extra tasty top, sprinkle a tablespoon or so of extra brown sugar on top then place back in the oven under the broiler and broil for 20-30 seconds. Serve warm with an extra sprinkle of sugar or drizzle of maple syrup.