It’s strawberry season! The strawberry season here in Ohio is starting to wind down, but you’ll continue to find good deals on strawberries at farmer’s markets and local groceries for several more weeks. If you’re looking for a way to use up all those yummy fresh strawberries, check out some of the ideas below.

1. Strawberry and blueberry cupcake flag
2. Strawberry pie
3. Quinoa Berry Salad
4. Chocolate Strawberry Trifle

5. Strawberry Ladybug Flower Cupcakes
6. Strawberry Blueberry Yogurt Parfait
7. Strawberry Shortcake
8. Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

Fresh strawberries are sooo yummy! Especially when you add them to one of the dessert ideas above! They’ll be perfect to take to a last minute backyard barbecue, or Fourth of July celebration.

One of my favorite healthy summer snacks is a fruit and yogurt parfait. Just like the one you can get at the fast food restaurant (only healthier).

Fruit and yogurt parfaits are super simple to make, and they look elegant enough for a summer brunch. Make them by layering fruit and yogurt into a parfait, or wine glass. Top the parfait off with a few more pieces of fruit and a sprinkle of granola cereal.

My favorite ingredients this time of year are strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries, with organic vanilla yogurt. Chocolate yogurt is yummy too, with the berries.

If it’s not berry season, you could also use bananas, peach slices, or blackberries with your favorite flavor of yogurt. They’re also very yummy in the fall with apple slices, and vanilla yogurt topped with walnuts. You can make individual servings, or layer several layers in a trifle bowl for a summer dessert. Serve the granola on the side, and let your guests create their own.

I decorate cakes and cupcakes on a regular basis. Whenever I have cake scraps leftover, I usually throw them in a container and store them in the freezer to use later. Sometimes I end up using them in other cakes, sometimes I end up throwing them out after a few weeks.

This time of the year I like to pull them out to make a quick and easy strawberry dessert. I used some of the chocolate cake pieces to make mini trifles, because I love chocolate and strawberries together (can you say heaven).

I have some mini trifle bowls, so I actually made 3 mini trifles, instead of one large trifle. You could layer this in a large trifle bowl if you have one, and take it to a summer party, or layer it in wine, or dessert glasses to serve at a sit down dinner.

Even if you have to bake the cake, this is still a super easy, refreshing summer dessert.

Chocolate Strawberry Trifle

Ingredients:

chocolate cake pieces

chocolate syrup

strawberries

fresh whipped cream

I layered in chocolate cake, chocolate syrup, strawberries, then whipped cream. Then I repeated all the layers again.

It’s a delicious way to get your chocolate fix for the day!

I love homemade strawberry pie, it definitely tops my list of favorite foods! Especially this time of year, when strawberry season is in full swing, and the berries are plump, juicy, and loaded with flavor.

This strawberry pie recipe has a super easy crust that a friend gave me many years ago. The crust is super rich and flaky. I guarantee you’ll love it from the first bite to the last.

Easy Homemade Strawberry Pie

The Filling:

1 quart of fresh berries, sliced

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

Stir 1/2 cup of powdered sugar into 3 cups of sliced berries. Let the mixture stand in the refrigerator for two hours. Blent the remaining cup of berries with 1/4 cup of water, 1 1/2 tablespoons of cornstarch, and 1/2 cup of sugar.

Cook and stir the mixture in a saucepan until the mixture is clear and thickened. Fill a 9″ baked pie crust with whole berries; pour cooled sauce over them. Cool thoroughly and serve with whipped topping.

The Crust:

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup oil

1 teaspoons of salt

2 tablespoons of sugar

2 tablespoons of milk

Mix the ingredients together and pat into a 9″ pie pan. Bake at 400` for 10 minutes, then pour in the filling mixture and chill.

I’m soooo ready for strawberry season!

The other day I shared my favorite recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp. I’m on a strawberry kick lately, they’ve been tasting so good already, and the strawberries in my garden aren’t even ripe yet!

Today I want to share one of my favorite recipes for strawberry shortcake. This is a quick and easy recipe you can bake in a 9×9 baking dish. Then top the shortcake warm out of the oven with fresh strawberries, and a little strawberry sauce. Top it all with fresh whip topping and you’ll have one of the best summer desserts ever!

Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 c sugar
2 c flour
1/2 c milk
1 tbs butter
1 tsp baking powder
1tsp vanilla

Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Preheat your oven to 350` while you are mixing the ingredients. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cake is a light golden brown on top. Top with fresh strawberries, and whipped cream.

I have a wonderful recipe for strawberry pie. I’ll just have to make one in the next week or two so I can come back and share a photo and the recipe!

I’m way behind on my food links this weekend, but I have a couple good food and recipe links for you to check out. I guess it’s better late than never so here goes!

Ironstone – Dinnerware with Memories
Mary Emma, at Country Kitchen, relates the memories connected with the ironstone platters her mother used for serving family meals. You, too, can write down your family memories associated with dinnerware past and present.

Looks like Playing with Polymer Clay to Eileen
Eileen challenges you to watch this great YouTube video by “fondant artist”, Robin Hassett, and tell her if it doesn’t look like playing with clay to you. Food can be art too!

Real Food Fast!
Once you’ve tried risotto, it’s hard to go back to plain rice!

Reuben Casserole
A new twist on an old favorite.

10 Fabulous Summer Dessert Ideas to put some fun in your backyard barbecue, or cookout desserts.

10 Dessert Ideas For Strawberry Season~ Strawberry season is here! What’s your favorite way to eat strawberries?