All Things Strawberry
By Marci Lutsky
What are the top three things that you look forward to most in summer? For me it would probably be strawberries, blueberries and peaches. Yes, I eat strawberries and blueberries all year round, but nothing beats the taste of freshly picked, locally grown strawberries. Last week B&B Farms opened their strawberry fields for people to pick their own and I urge you to take advantage of this short window of opportunity.
Besides eating the rainbow (eating a variety of colors to ensure a good balance of nutrition), I also like to eat by seasons. What this means is that I look for foods that are in season when they taste the best. For strawberries, the time has arrived. B&B Farms is one of the only farms in this area where you can pick your own, a wonderful activity to do with kids or even without kids. It is so important for kids to understand where food comes from and gain an appreciation for how it’s grown.
If you have gone strawberry picking and left with more strawberries than you know what to do with, here is some inspiration. Pie is my most favorite way to use strawberries. Toss them with sugar, add to a homemade or store-bought crust and bake! If you want to get crazy and fancy, add some rhubarb and make a lattice topping. So maybe rhubarb and lattice are words that sound intimidating, there are plenty of other options for using your strawberry bounty. Add them to a smoothie with some frozen bananas, mango and vanilla yogurt. If your kids are addicted to ice pops like mine are, add strawberries to a blender along with milk and yogurt, freeze them in ice pop molds and you will have a healthy and delicious treat for any time of day (even breakfast!). If you are having company over and want to impress them, cheesecake filled strawberries is the way to go.
If you are thinking about heading over to B&B Farms, here is what you need to know. Their strawberries are at the peak of ripeness right now with about one to two more weeks left to pick your own. If you don’t have time to pick your own, you can stop by the farm and they will have containers of strawberries already picked for a small additional charge. Hours for pick your own are everyday from 9am to 5pm. You do not need to bring your own containers.
If you aren’t following B&B Farms on social media, pause in reading this article to follow them on Facebook and Instagram and then continue reading. You will be kept up to date about exciting events at the farm like kids cooking classes. B&B Farms is located at 250 S. Mannheim Avenue in Egg Harbor City and can be found on social media at https://www.facebook.com/bbfarmsnj/ and https://www.instagram.com/bbfarmsnj/. I’ll see you at the farm!
MAPLE CHEESECAKE STUFFED STRAWBERRIES
I have a confession that you might find completely ludicrous. Are you ready? Here it is…I’m not really a chocolate lover. There, I said it and you are still reading. Sure I like chocolate occasionally, but I do not crave it and it would definitely not be my first choice on a dessert menu. Given the choice of cheesecake, fruit crisp or chocolate cake, I almost always choose the fruit crisp. My second choice would be cheesecake. This recipe for maple cheesecake stuffed strawberries combines my love of fruit and cheesecake and is absolute perfection. Not only is it so quick to make, but no matter who I serve this to, adults and children love them. This has become my go-to treat when I’m invited to a gathering and if you make them once, they will become yours too.
We started making this recipe in our kids cooking classes last year and over time, the recipe has evolved. Where we once used powdered sugar, we now use maple syrup, giving it a more pure taste. This recipe is ideal in summer when strawberries are in season, but if you can get good strawberries at the grocery store in the winter, give it a try.
Start with a pound of fresh strawberries. Using a paring knife, cut off a small part of the bottom of the strawberry so that it sits flat and then cut off the top. Scoop out a small hole in the top of each strawberry. It might feel awkward when you do the first one, but you will quickly get the hang of it.
Next make the filling by combining softened cream cheese, maple syrup, milk and vanilla extract. I use reduced fat cream cheese and milk which work great. You can use a food processor, hand mixer or stand mixer for this.
Using a pastry bag or small plastic bag with a tip cut off, squeeze some of the cream cheese mixture into each strawberry. This is a very fun recipe to make with kids as they love this step.
To finish off the strawberries, sprinkle graham cracker crumbs on top or shaved chocolate. No matter how many I bring to a party, they are always gone within minutes so my word to the wise, make a lot! These are a perfect treat for Valentine’s Day or any day of the year!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. fresh strawberries, rinsed and patted dry
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1/4 cup shaved chocolate
Instructions
With a paring knife, cut off the strawberry stems. Cut around the inside of the strawberry, hollowing out slightly and creating a well for the cheesecake. (You can also do this with a small melon baller). Cut off a small portion of the pointy strawberry tip, so that each strawberry can stand. Place each on a large baking sheet.
In a medium bowl, with a standing or handheld electric mixer, beat cream cheese, syrup, milk, and vanilla until fluffy, about 2 minutes on medium speed. Place mixture in a pastry bag and pipe into each strawberry, adding a little extra to the top. You can also use a small sealable bag with a small tip cut off of a corner.
Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs and shaved chocolate on top of each stuffed strawberry.
