Enjoy a berry sweet indulgence

photo by stu spivack

Strawberries are the first fruits of the season to enjoy. With their short storage life, you’ll need to freeze, dehydrate or use them up quickly before they mold. The fruit of choice for smoothies, they are delicious in salads, baked goods, jams and desserts.
Here are four strawberry-dessert recipes to enjoy this season.

Berry Crisp

4 teaspoons flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 cups fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup cold butter

In a large bowl, combine the 4 teaspoons of flour and the granulated sugar. Add berries and lemon juice; toss gently to combine. Spread berry mixture evenly in a lightly greased 2-quart square baking dish; set aside. For topping, combine brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, oats and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping evenly over berries.
Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 375 F oven for 30 minutes or until topping is golden and edges are bubbly. Serve warm. — Jessica, Washington

Strawberry Salsa

1/3 cup apricot or peach jam
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 quart strawberries, stemmed and chopped

In a medium bowl, whisk jam, water and cinnamon; add strawberries. Toss gently to combine. Serve this over pancakes, waffles, French toast, hot cereal, yogurt or ice cream.

Strawberry Nachos

3 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup Amaretto
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
6 small flour tortillas
2 tablespoons melted butter or butter-flavored cooking spray
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons shaved chocolate

In a medium bowl, combine strawberries, 1/3 cup sugar and Amaretto; stir. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, whipped topping, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon; stir well. Cover and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 400 F. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush or spray one side of the tortillas with melted butter or spray with cooking spray. Cut each tortilla into six to eight wedges, and arrange on two non-greased baking sheets. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon evenly over tortilla wedges. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until crisp. Remove from oven and cool. Drain strawberries. Place tortilla wedges on a serving plate or individual dessert plates. Top each tortilla wedge with strawberries and sour-cream mixture. Sprinkle toasted almonds and shaved chocolate evenly over nachos. — Brenda, Missouri

Stuffed Strawberry Rosebuds

12 large, fresh strawberries
3-ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon sour cream

Remove stems from strawberries, and slice across so they’re flat and can stand upright. Place berries on cutting board, pointed end facing up. With a sharp knife, carefully slice each berry in half vertically to within a 1/4 inch of base. Cut each half into three wedges to form six petals. Don’t slice through the bottom. Pull petals apart slightly. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and sour cream; beat until light and fluffy. Place into plastic baggie. Snip a corner off the bag, and fill strawberries with cream-cheese mixture. — Charlene, Canada