~~berry goodness~~

Strawberry pickin time is here!!

We're fortunate to live very close to a great berry patch, where for years I've taken the girls out to pick berries. We usually come home with at least 3 gallons to make jam ( which makes cute little gifts) and load up the freezer for year round yummy berries to add to smoothies & salads.

These are all oldie pics taken pre-digital camera days but i love them anyways.

~Its best to pick berries first thing in the morning while the berries are cooler.

~Don't wash or remove the caps until you are ready to use them

~When freezing them whole, hull the strawberries and place on a cookie sheet. Once frozen you can transfer them in a freezer bag. Once they are frozen they shouldn't stick together.

~If you plan to freeze your sliced berries in cereals or desert toppings, add a tablespoon of sugar per cup of berries. Let stand for a few minutes until they become juicy, then freeze. If you plan to use the sliced berries in jam or other recipes later, do not add the sugar.

~Let your berries thaw in the frig. You may add frozen berries to recipes.

Strawberry- Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

2 cups hulled strawberries

6 tbl lemon juice

1/4 c sugar

1/4 c cider vinegar or balsamic vinegar

1/4 c olive oil

1/8 tsp poppy seeds

using food processor, puree berries until smooth. add lemon juice and sugar and process until well combined. with machine running gradually add vinegar and oil in a steady stream. process until blended. stir in poppy seeds.

this makes a wonderful vinaigrette thicker than most. serve on a salad of mixed greens with grilled chicken or steak. i love to add brown sugared almonds and blue cheese!