Katy Lifestyles and Homes magazine May 2009: National Strawberry Month

strawberry brunch strata

4 or 5 slices soft buttermilk or country-style bread, divided

1 cup part skim ricotta cheese

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 packages (6 ounces each or about 3 cups) Driscoll’s strawberries

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

2 cups 2% milk

5 large eggs

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sliced almonds

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter or coat with cooking spray a 9x9-inch or 2-quart baking dish.

2. Arrange 2 or 3 slices of bread on the bottom of prepared dish, cutting slices to fill any holes.

3. Mix ricotta and cinnamon; spoon in dollops over the bread.

4. Place half the berries and mint over bread and ricotta. Place another layer of bread on top and press down gently. Add remaining berries and mint.

5. Whisk milk, eggs, orange juice, sugar and salt; pour evenly over layered ingredients. Let stand at least 15 minutes, or cover and refrigerate up to overnight.

6. Sprinkle almonds on top.

7. Bake 40 to 45 minutes until puffy and golden brown. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 servings.

It’s time once again to celebrate all things strawberry during the month of May. As the first fruit to ripen in the spring, this berry is not only great tasting, but is jam-packed with great nutrition. A single serving of eight strawberries has only 55 calories and more vitamin C than an orange. Strawberries also have no cholesterol or saturated fats, and research suggests that they may help reduce the risk of heart disease, certain kinds of cancer and improve memory. Loaded with nutritional vitamins and antioxidants, strawberries are one of the most health-conscious berries around.

Beyond the striking color and flavor, a one-cup serving of strawberrries provides 93 percent of your daily allowance of vitamin C, 16 percent of your daily supply of fiber and 20 percent of your daily supply of folic acid.

Don’t miss out on the great selection of strawberries that are available. Now may be the perfect time to load the kids in the car for a visit to a local farmers market or a pick your own berries patch.

Selection, Storage and Handling

•Look for strawberries that are plump, bright red in color and have fresh green caps.

•Keep them cool. To maintain flavor, store strawberries loosely covered and unwashed in the refrigerator. Rinse with cool water just before serving.

Fun Facts

•Strawberries were originally called strewberries because of the way the berries seem to be just strewn about the leaves of the plant.

•Strawberries are grown in every state in the United States and every province of Canada.

•The strawberry is the only fruit with the seeds (on average, 200) on the outside of the fruit.

•If you line up all the strawberries grown in California in one straight line, they would wrap around the entire Earth 15 times.

•One acre of land grows about 50,000 pounds of strawberries.

Use this month as an opportunity to ejnoy the plentiful supply of delicious berries by incorporating them into more recipes.

strawberry caprese pasta salad

Serves 4-6

2 cups Driscoll’s strawberries, rinsed and quartered

8 ounces of pasta shells, cooked

8 ounces of small mozzarella balls

¼ cup slivered fresh basil

¼ cup slivered red onion

¼ cup prepared balsamic vinaigrette

Rinse cooked pasta with cool water and drain. Drain mozzarella balls. In large bowl combine pasta, cheese, strawberries, basil and red onion. Toss gently with balsamic vinaigrette until well coated. Can be prepared ahead; dress just before serving.

tropical strawberry

smoothie

Courtesy of California Strawberry Commission

1 1/2 cups strawberries, stemmed

1/2 cup fresh, frozen or canned pineapple chunks

1 container (8 ounces) lowfat piña colada yogurt

1/2 cup orange juice

1 1/2 cups ice cubes

In container of blender, combine all ingredients except ice cubes; blend until smooth. Gradually add ice cubes with motor running; blend until smooth.