It’s Berry Picking Time!

 Springtime is berry-picking time. Strawberries, blueberries, and various other kinds of berries will soon be popping out. There is no better way to spend time with your family then picking your own strawberries, blueberries or raspberries. As soon as those first strawberries arrive grab your mom and dad, a bucket or pail, and head for the fields. The best part is, they only weigh your bucket going in, not you, so you can eat as many as you like.

 If there are no pick-your-own farms where you live fresh berries from the market will do. You can even use frozen ones in a pinch. Now on to the delicious recipes I have for you this month. Remember to read the recipe through before starting and then neatly make a copy for your recipe box.

Strawberry Delight

You will need:

•   1 angel food cake – sliced
•   8 ounces (oz.) light cream cheese – room temperature
•   2 teaspoons (tsps) sugar
•   8 ounces Cool Whip ® -- thawed
•  1 package (pkg) strawberry pie glaze – you can find this by the strawberries in your market
• 1 quart (qt.) fresh strawberries – sliced

Lay the slices of angel food cake into 10-inch x 17-inch pan. This means that the pan is 10 inches wide and 17 inches long.  Beat with a wire whisk the cream cheese, sugar, and Cool Whip until well blended.  Spread over top cake layer.  Combine the sliced strawberries and pie glaze. Pour on top of the cream cheese mixture.  Add spoonfuls of Cool Whip on top for decoration.

Serves 12

Creamy Berry Burritos

You will need:

• 1 cup cold milk
• 1 small box instant vanilla pudding
• 1 – 8 ounce Cool whip, thawed
• 1 pint (pt.)  strawberries, chopped or same amount of blueberries or raspberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon (TBSP) cinnamon
• 10 flour tortillas (small – med)
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine

Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 30 second and check, heat for another 30 seconds if necessary. Set aside.
Pour milk into mixing bowl. Add pudding mix. Whisk until well blended. Let stand for 5 minutes. Fold in 2 cups cool whip. Stir in the berries. Keep a few back to decorate the burritos.
Mix the sugar and cinnamon together. Brush both sides of tortillas with butter.
Sprinkle one side with sugar mixture. Bake tortillas on ungreased cookie sheet at 350* for 5 to 7 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes.

 Put a spoonful of the pudding mixture into center of the cooled tortilla. Roll up. Top with extra berries and whipped topping.

Makes 10 servings

Blueberry Surprise
You will need:

·        2 cups blueberries

·        1/3 cup Sugar

·        1 can crushed pineapple, do not drain

·        1 box white cake mix

·        1/2 cup chopped walnuts

·         3/4 cup butter -- melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the blueberries, sugar, pineapple and walnuts in a 9-inch x 13-inch pan. Sprinkle the cake mix on top. Carefully sprinkle the butter on top. Bake for 50 – 60 minutes.

Raspberry – Strawberry Smoothie

You will need:

·        3/4 cup Fresh raspberries

·        ¾ cup fresh strawberries

·        1 1/4 cup white grape juice

·        1 1/2 cup raspberry or strawberry sherbet

·        10 Ice cubes

In a blender combine berries and grape juice put the lid on and process until smooth, about a minute or two. Add sherbet and blend again. If two thick add a bit more grape juice or water to thin it out. Add ice cubes; blend until frothy

Makes about 4 cups

Easy Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

You will need:

·        2 large chocolate bars

·        12 large fresh strawberries, stems on

·        wax paper

Leave the stems on the berries. This way you can hold them by the stems when dipping.  Wash and dry the strawberries. Break chocolate into small pieces and place in microwave safe bowl. Heat in microwave oven on high for 30 seconds. Check chocolate and heat another 15 – 30 seconds if needed. Holding by stems, dip each strawberry. Place on wax paper to cool.
A blender that works very well when working with kids is the Oster In2uitive Blender. It has recipes built right in and settings for drinks such as smoothies at the touch of a button. No more trying to figure out how long to blend something. The machine does the work for you. You can read more about it at www.childrensrecipes.com