Strawberry picking

Pop Quiz:

What is one advantage of lots of spring rain in Minnesota?

An abundance of beautiful and flavorful strawberries!

The boys were a lot of help picking the best, biggest, red ones.

While it was a lot of fun picking the strawberries (and eating them along the way if you ask my 1-year-old), I think it is even more fun to prepare them in different ways so we can fully enjoy the strawberry.

YUM!

You can't find strawberries this perfect in the grocery store!

Perfect!

I usually like to involve the boys in any way I can when I bake or cook in the kitchen, and I figured chocolate-covered strawberries would be an easy way to involve them. (Well, actually only my 4-year-old was interested on this day).

Let's make them even cuter!

Let's see... what else can we do with strawberries?...

Strawberry Shortcake!

I've used this recipe a few times, it is amazing! It's from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food: Great Food Fast. I've adapted it just a bit.

2-1/2 Cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for dusting

1/3 Cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/3 Cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 Cup milk, plus more for brushing on shortcakes before baking

sweetened strawberries (1-1/2 lb. strawberries, cut up and mixed with 1/4 C sugar - let sit)

whipped cream

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. In a food processor, combine the flour, butter, 1/3 C sugar, baking powder, and salt; process until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the milk; pulse just until moistened, 4 or 5 times. Do not overprocess.

2. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface; with floured hands, gently pat the dough into a 4-by-8-inch rectangle. (This is a great time to allow assistance by little hands learning to use a ruler/tape measure!)

3. Dust a large knife with flour; cut the dough into 8 squares. Transfer to a baking sheet; brush each cake with milk or cream, then sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon sugar. Bake until golden, 25-30 minutes; cool on the baking sheet. To serve, split the biscuits with a serrated knife; layer with the berries and whipped cream.

Enjoy your strawberries! Stay tuned for blueberries next month...