Poco-Cocoa

It’s almost time for strawberries! Last night at our family gathering Mom Esquivel made a strawberry dessert that was super-wow, and it reminded me that we haven’t been strawberry picking in a couple of years (which is why my hair is miraculously different in the above picture–wasn’t it pretty two years ago?).

We like to visit Sweet Berry Farm in Marble Falls for warm, ripe, off-the-vine berries. The berries should be ready for picking by the end of March (just in time for my birthday!), and I can’t wait. Last time we visited, we made spinach-strawberry salads, strawberry popsicles, strawberry smoothies, strawberry waffles, strawberries with balsamic vinegar with creme anglaise…you can never have too many sweet berries.

Hopefully the strawberries in grocery stores will be of better quality within the coming weeks, and you can try out a few strawberry recipes of your own. If we make it to the farm this year, I’ll post more pictures. Until then, here’s an idea to start your strawberry adventures.

Strawberry Pops

• 1 1/2 pints strawberries, rinsed and hulled
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup water

Pulse strawberries, sugar, and water in a food processor until pureed, with some chunks of berries remaining. Pour half of mixture into a bowl. Pulse remainder until smooth. Stir puree into mixture in bowl. Pour into 3-ounce popsicle molds or plastic cups, insert sticks or wooden spoons, and freeze until solid, at least 8 hours.

Makes 8 popsicles.

Source: Everyday Food, May/June 2003

I found this recipe in an old Cooking Light magazine, and it’s one of Justin’s favorites. All of the ingredients are usually just sitting in my kitchen, except for the butterscotch morsels, which last a long time anyway since you only need 1/2 cup of them. It’s an easy, non-chocolate dessert for you strange people out there who don’t like chocolate. Heck, I’ll even eat a few of these. Or most of them. Whatever.

Butterscotch Bars

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup butterscotch morsels

Preheat oven to 350.

Beat sugars and butter at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add egg whites and vanilla; beat well. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl; stir well with a whisk. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat at low speed just until blended.

Spread batter evenly into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with morsels. Bake for 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Makes 16 bars.

Source: Cooking Light, January 2000