Strawberry Recipes

Every year you know summer is here when you can find fresh, local strawberries at the farmer's market or grocery store. What can you do with strawberries? Try these strawberry recipes that will make the most of your fresh strawberries.

Three simple ingredients:  strawberries, sugar, lemon.

1)  Put equal parts of chopped strawberries and sugar in a stove top ready pot.  Squeeze lemon juice on top.  Let it sit overnight in the fridge.  (Lemon acts as the natural pectin).

2)  Boil strawberry mixture on the stove on medium heat for 30 - 40 minutes.  You want the strawberries to thicken and look more syrup like. 

3)  Pour into jam jars.  Let it sit overnight in the fridge.  Enjoy your homemade strawberry jam the next morning! 

This is easy enough to make after a long day's work and it's so rewarding to have homemade strawberry jam.  I'm also excited that it's gluten free and great to share with friends and family.  No strawberries need to go to waste anymore.  Just use this strawberry jam recipe!

Do you have a Sunday Pancake Day?  Then try this easy strawberry pancake recipe from AllRecipes.com.  It's again another great idea for those not so fresh strawberries that you don't want to waste.

Don't have eggs, no worries, you still can make pancakes!  I used this egg replacer and it worked beautifully!

Egg replacer:  2 tbsp water mixed with 1 tbsp of oil and 2 tspn of baking powder. Mix together well before adding.

That day I forgot the vanilla and it still tasted great!  Strawberry pancakes are light and fluffy.  The recipe is perfect for two. 

The Best of Bridges Cookbook is a classic that has lots of great tried and true recipes.  I find that the recipes are easy to follow and taste great!  You want to use fresh strawberries for this one!

Try the Strawberry and Spinach Salad Recipe.  When I tried it the first time, my friend prepackaged the poppy seeds and sesame seeds so I had enough for the dressing.  You may want to find a "mom" or "cook buddy" who already have these ingredients in their cupboards.  Great way to try it without having to buy a bag of seeds. 

Preparation Magic:  Since I was using fresh spinach (not bagged spinach), I pre-washed a bunch and sliced strawberries and put in a tupperware salad container so I could use for a few days.  Dress what you need and the rest can keep for a couple of days in the fridge.