This is the time of year when strawberries are sweet, juicy and plentiful. It’s also the time when you can use some of the delicious fruit in the desserts you serve at your July 4th barbecues.
The Quick and Easy Strawberry Cobbler recipe is both delicious and quick to make, which is great when you’re busy preparing the rest of the meal. The fresh strawberry dessert is great with a big dollop of whipped topping or ice cream on top.
While the turnover recipe calls for strawberry jam, rather than fresh berries, it’s still a great dessert to serve strawberry fans. You can use homemade strawberry jam if you’re lucky enough to have some on hand, but you can use commercial strawberry jam, too. Either way, the turnovers are sure to please!
QUICK AND EASY STRAWBERRY COBBLER
1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup milk
Filling:
1 (1-pound) carton of fresh strawberries, cleaned and sliced
1/2 cup sugar
Melt 1 stick of butter in a 9-by-13-inch baking pan or dish. In a separate bowl, mix sugar, flour, baking powder and milk. Once blended, pour over melted butter. Do not mix it into the butter.
In another bowl, mix strawberries and sugar. Pour over the dough. Do not stir the ingredients together.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Spoon into individual bowls or dishes and top with a dollop of whipped topping or ice cream. Makes 8-10 servings.
Note: You can use 2 cups of blackberries in this recipe instead. Just increase the sugar with berries to 3/4 cup if they are tart.
STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE TURNOVERS
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sifted cake flour (or all-purpose, if you don’t have cake flour available)
1/8 teaspoon salt
Strawberry jam
Beat together butter and cream cheese. Add flour and salt and blend with pastry blender.
Chill dough, covered, for about an hour, to make it easy to handle. Roll out pastry 1/8-inch thick and cut into 3-inch squares.
Put 1 tablespoon or a little more if desired of strawberry jam on each square. Moisten edges and fold over diagonally to make triangle. Press edges together and prick top of each turnover with a fork.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until lightly browned.
OPTIONAL: You may mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with 3-4 teaspoons milk to drizzle over cooled turnovers.
Brotherton offers website readers one stellar recipe a week in the “My Leader Yummy” feature. Looking for a recipe you can’t find? Email me at kbrotherton42@gmail.com and I’ll see if I have it.
