What to do with strawberries?

[msmama]

Just today I blended strawberries, raspberries and blueberries in a blender, strained, and froze in ice cube trays.

Instant fruity drinks. Put it soda water or, what I'm excited about, iced tea or lemonade!!

 

[Lumiere Lover]

This may sound crazy, but check your bread maker manual. My bread maker has a setting where I can make jam. I did this a couple of years ago with strawberries that we picked, and it turned out great. I would have never imagined a bread maker could make jam, but it did. I still boiled the jars, etc. However, I could only make one jar of jam at a time, and that make it a long process.

 

[branv]

We made strawberry wine after our overly enthusiastic trip to the pick-your-own place. Found easy recipe online. Won't know for about a year how well it turns out though It's sitting in the top of the hall closet as we speak. That being said, we did already have a food-grade bucket, jug, etc b/c DH makes his own beer. But it really didn't need all that much equipment.

I have also simply pureed extra strawberries and portioned it into freezer bags. You can use it later to add to recipes from smoothies and toppings to baked goods.

I also read a tip online about storing unwashed berries in the refrigerator inside glass jars with lids (like large canning jars, or like I had, large glass containers with rubber-lipped lids. Just a tight lid, no air-vacuum needed). Someone had said that's how their grandmother stored berries and they lasted much longer. I gave it a try and oh my goodness, they were right! Well over a week and we only had a couple of ones that had started to look soft. You do need to weed out the already bruised ones (or do like we did, picked them out and gave them their own jar). I enjoyed many days of strawberries and cream Just watch your fridge temp. I had one jar in the back that partially froze some of the berries.

 

[mrsklamc]

Freezer jam is really easy, but "real" jam isn't much harder. Just use the non-canning method, where you pour hot jam into the jars, quickly top them and invert. We love to sit in the living room at night and hear them "pop" as they seal. The "real" stuff is so much better than freezer jam.

You really only need canning jars, and maybe a funnel.

You just need a pan big enough to cook the jam in. Once it's done, just pour the jam into jars, seal, and set upside down on your counter (as Alexander also said). They will seal on their own. Turn them over after they cool (I usually wait overnight) and you are good to go!

I can't seem to find any instructions for this online....& I didn't see it on the pectin in the store either....maybe I will just give it a try.

 

[disluhypno]

Fruit salad sounds delicious right about now! Or maybe once it starts getting hotter. You can also blend a little in a pitcher of tea to give it a unique flavor. Smoothies are a really good option, and so are just eating them simply, with xylitol or coconut palm sugar to sweeten.

 

[WaltsMartini]

Strawberry orange muffins - I make mini ones and freeze three to a bag for a quick grab treat on the way out the door - they thaw by lunch.

I also LOVE strawberry fool - food and wine magazine's website has the recipe. It is AMAZING - ingredients are simple but holy heck is it delicious!

 

[sharon_wv]

I love strawberries on my Cheerios! I freeze them by washing and cutting them and then putting them on a cookie sheet covered with non-stick foil in one layer. I put the cookie sheet in the freezer so they all freeze separately. The I put them in a ziploc bag and you can just take out as many as you need. I love them frozen on my cereal -- makes the milk even colder or cools down oatmeal to just right. Yummy. I need to look for a pick your own place!

Edited to add --- how could I have forgotten chocolate covered strawberries. I use the packages of chocolates you can get in the deli. You throw it in the microwave to melt, dip the strawberries and let chocolate harden. Fabulous --- and only one weight watcher point each!!!

 

[Sadie22]

I did a lot of research on food safety last summer when I first bought a share in a CSA. I looked again for information about turning jars upside down. Hot water bath canning is the recommended way to be sure that the jelly or jam is safe and shelf-stable.

I made freezer strawberry jam with a sugar-substitute recipe. It was too sweet.

 

[3mickeymom]

My cousin makes Strawberry salsa that is delicious. There was a huge crowd gathered around a table at her last party and I wondered what they were all eating. By the time I got there the salsa was gone! I made sure I got a chance to try it at her next (smaller) gathering. It was delicious. I am hoping to pick some berries soon and make some. She either uses champagne vinegar or white balsamic vinegar. I don't have the actual recipe right now or I would post it. She just serves it up with chips. Yummy and different

 

[digitalsiren]

Slice them, put some sugar on top and then drizzle some balsamic vinegar over them. So good!

 

[reginaastralis]

I slice some and throw them, frozen, into my water. I love the idea of blending and freezing into ice cubes.

I bought some strawberries last night, and chocolate vodka. Going to soak them in the vodka for 24 hours, and then dip them in chocolate. Saw it on pinterest ... White chocolate dipped strawberries are a.maz.ing.

I never have enough to last for more than a day ... I live 15 minutes from Plant City, the "Strawberry Capital", and our season has passed, but you've gotten a lot of good ideas so far.

 

[dislaney]

Strawberry spinach salad. Yummy!

 

[2Tiggers]

You don't need too much "specialty" equipment to make strawberry jam - it's not as complicated as you think! I've made it before and had great success. I don't own a canner.

However, my favorite strawberry recipe is:

STRAWBERRY BREAD

1 – ½ C flour
½ tsp soda
½ tsp salt
1 C sugar
1 tsp orange extract
1-1/4 C strawberries (or 1 pkg frozen)
2 eggs
2/3 C melted butter
1/3 oz cream cheese
½ C chopped pecans
Baked in greased loaf pan at 350 about 60 minutes

I would love to make this recipe! Thanks for sharing! I have a question though. Do I need to cut up the strawberries or leave them whole?