THE ELECTRIC KITCHEN
NEWHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
It's the perfect time of year to buy strawberries by the basketful.
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Summertime brings out best in berries
Nowadays you can find strawberries in the market almost year round, but late spring and early summer are when strawberries tend to be at their best.
Strawberry basics
Here's a guideline to help determine the amount of fresh strawberries you'll need for recipes:
» 1 pint equals 16 to 20 medium berries or 12 to 14 large berries. Or think of it as 2 cups whole berries or 1-3/4 cups sliced berries
» 1 pound strawberries equals about 4 cups whole berries or 3-1/2 cups sliced berries
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When shopping for strawberries, choose berries with a bright red color and fresh green caps. Strawberries don't continue to ripen after they're picked, so avoid berries that are partly white and unripe.
Strawberries are fragile, so don't wash the berries or remove the caps until you are ready to eat them, and be sure to use them soon after you purchase them.
Here are a few simple and yummy recipes to help you make the most of these seasonal, luscious berries.
Strawberry Jello Cream Shortcake
» Crust:
1-1/3 cups flour
1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup butter
» Second layer:
1 loaf pound cake (such as Sara Lee's)
» Third layer:
2 small boxes (4-serving size each) instant vanilla pudding and pie filling
3 cups milk
» Topping:
1 large box (8-serving size) strawberry gelatin
1 cup hot water
1 cup cold water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 pound fresh strawberries, sliced
1 (8-ounce) container frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
To make crust: In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour and sugar. Cut butter into flour. Press evenly into a 13-by-9-inch pan. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden brown; cool.
Thinly slice pound cake and layer over crust.
To make third layer: Combine pudding mix and milk; stir until thick. Spread pudding evenly over cake.
To make topping: Dissolve strawberry gelatin in hot water. Add cold water and unflavored gelatin. Refrigerate until slightly thickened.
Pour over pudding layer; top with strawberries. Before serving, cover with whipped topping. Serves 20.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 330 calories, 17 g total fat, 11 g saturated fat, 60 g cholesterol, 330 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 28 g sugar, 5 g protein.
Easy Strawberry Shortcake
3/4 cup butter
4 cups reduced-fat pancake and baking mix (such as Bisquick Heart Smart)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
16 ounces reduced-fat sour cream
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 pounds fresh strawberries, sliced
1/2 cup sugar
2 (8-ounce) containers frozen reduced-fat whipped topping (such as Lite Cool Whip)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) of the butter and pour in 13-by-9-inch pan. Melt remaining butter and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together baking mix, sugar and baking soda. Add sour cream and eggs, mix well. Spoon batter over melted butter in baking pan. Pour remaining melted butter over batter. Bake 15 minutes or until done; cool and cut into squares.
Sprinkle sugar over strawberries; let sit at least 10 minutes.
To serve, top each biscuit with strawberries and whipped topping. Serves 12.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 500 calories, 22 g total fat, 15 g saturated fat, 80 g cholesterol, 650 mg sodium, 65 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 33 g sugar, 7 g protein.
Super Easy Strawberries and Cream
1 pound fresh strawberries, sliced
1 can (14-ounce size) sweetened condensed milk
Fresh mint leaves for garnish
Place strawberries in six dessert dishes. Drizzle each serving with about 1-1/2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, garnish with mint leaves. Serves 6.
Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 250 calories, 5 g total fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 15 g cholesterol, 80 mg sodium, 44 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 42 g sugar, 6 g protein.
Hawaiian Electric Co. presents this weekly collection of recipes as a public service. Many are drawn from HECO's database of recipes, accessible online at
www.heco.com.