I thought it was a little early this year, but any time is the right time for my very favorite fruit to make its way to the High Country. Red, juicy strawberries are available in abundance already, coming from parts “down east” — and they are so good!
According to the NC Strawberry Association, our state is a leading producer of strawberries, ranking third in the U.S. in production behind California and Florida.
Almost all of the strawberries produced in the state are sold for fresh markets right here in NC — direct to consumers as Pick-Your-Own, at farm stands, or to local supermarket chains.
Harvest season generally starts in the southeastern coastal area in early April, in the piedmont in mid- to late-April, and in the western part of the state in early May.
Depending on weather, most farms pick for five-eight weeks. Cool spring weather prolongs the season, while hot weather, especially in May, shuts it down.
Considered the main season, May is “Strawberry Month” in North Carolina. But, because they are already showing up, I’m ready to start promoting these luscious berries a few days early.
Enjoy!
Strawberry Earthquake Cake
1 box white cake mix and ingredients (water, oil, eggs)
1 cup strawberries, chopped
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup coconut flakes
½ cup white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13- inch baking dish.
Prepare cake mix according to package instructions. Fold in the strawberries. Pour batter into prepared baking dish.
In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drop mixture by the spoonful over cake batter.
Sprinkle coconut flakes and white chocolate chips over the top.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until cake is set and the edges are golden brown.
Allow cake to cool before serving. The top will have a beautiful cracked, earthquake effect with delicious pockets of cream cheese and strawberry.
Variation: Save some of the cream cheese/strawberry mixture, cut the cake in half (or make two), spread mixture on one cut half, add top layer and decorate with whipped topping, more cut strawberries and a sprinkle of coconut, if desired.
Homemade Strawberry Cheesecake Rolls
½ cup lukewarm water
2 tsps. instant yeast
1/3 cup sugar
½ cup of milk
1/3 cup melted butter
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
4 ½ cups all-purpose flour
FILLING:
8 oz. cream cheese, soft
¾ cup powder sugar
¾ cup strawberry jam
1 cup finely diced strawberries
Icing:
1/3 cup reserved cream cheese mixture
½ cup powdered sugar
1-2 tsp. milk
Dash of vanilla
Blend warm water, yeast and sugar in mixing bowl. Stir in milk, melted butter, salt, eggs and 1 cup flour. Beat until smooth. Add flour to make dough. Knead until smooth; let rest for 5 minutes while you prepare the filling.
Beat cream cheese until soft and fluffy. Add ¾ cup powdered sugar; beat until smooth. Reserve about 1/3 cup of topping. In another small bowl, combine jam and diced strawberries.
Roll dough out on a greased counter into a rectangle, about 10×15-inches. Spread cream cheese mixture, then berries. Roll up into a log and pinch edge to seal.
Cut log into 12 slices and place in a greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator.
Add ½ cup powdered sugar, milk and vanilla to reserved cream cheese mixture. Beat until smooth, adding enough milk to make a thin glaze. Place frosting in a ziplock bag in the fridge.
Chill rolls in refrigerator overnight.
Remove rolls and bag of frosting from refrigerator. Transfer rolls to a warm place; let rise until doubled (about an hour).
Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes, or until set in middle. You may need to cover them foil to prevent browning too quickly.
Cut a corner in the Ziplock bag and glaze rolls while still warm.
Strawberry Pretzel Dessert
2 ½ cups mini pretzel
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 pkg. (8 oz. each.) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream
1 cup whipped cream
2 cups water
6 oz. strawberry Jell-O
2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Fill a gallon plastic bag with pretzels and crush with a rolling pin. Mix in a bowl with butter. Place mixture in the base of a 9-inch springform pan to create crust. Smooth out with the back of a big spoon.
Bake for 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
Place cream cheese in a large bowl; mix with an electric mixer until smooth. Add in powder sugar, vanilla and sour cream. Mix well, scraping sides of bowl with spatula.
Add in whipped cream until thick and smooth.
Pour mixture over crust; spread with spatula to cover crust and create a flat even top. Transfer to refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes.
In medium saucepan over high heat, boil water; add Jell-O and stir for 3 minutes, or until gelatin has dissolved. Remove from heat.
Let gelatin mixture cool; add in strawberries and stir to combine.
Remove pan from refrigerator and cover with strawberry mixture. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
French Toast Berry Roll-Ups
8 slices white sandwich bread
Diced strawberries
2 eggs
3 Tbsp. milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 heaping tsp. ground cinnamon
Butter, for greasing the pan
Note: Strawberries may be substituted for or added to softened cream cheese or Nutella
Cut crust from each slice of bread and flatten it out with a rolling pin.
Place about 1-2 tsp. of strawberries — or your chosen filling — in a strip one inch from one end of the bread. Roll bread up tightly and repeat with remaining pieces of bread.
In a shallow bowl, whisk eggs and milk until well combined.
In a separate shallow bowl, mix sugar with cinnamon.
Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt a Tbsp. of butter.
Dip each bread “roll” in egg mixture, coating well; place them in the pan, seam-side down. Cook in batches until golden brown, turning them to cook and brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Add butter to pan as needed.
Add cooked rolls immediately from the pan to the cinnamon sugar and roll until completely covered. Serve as is or with syrup for dipping.
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