Strawberry Soup

Before I get to this Strawberry Soup, let me just say I love strawberries. One of the best things about Summer is strawberries. So...I really love strawberries.

When we lived in Ohio this time of year would be about the time that we would be berry pickin' at our favorite local farm. Strawberry picking at that farm is one of my favorite family memories. We would eat as we pick, which was allowed. We would load up crates, baskets, and flats with bright red, delicious strawberries. We would then roll them all out of the berry fields on the most quaint green wagon.

We would take the berries home, eat some more, and then make lots and lots of freezer jam.

We may not be able to pick berries anymore (no sweet little strawberry farm by us now), but we still manage to find buy ourselves lot and lots of strawberries. I still make lots of freezer jam. I mean seriously, how can I live without freezer jam? Nobody can. It is the best stuff ever, especially slathered on a just out of the oven warm slice of of homemade bread.

Strawberry freezer jam holds a special place in my heart.

Now so does this Strawberry Soup. Don't be confused by the word soup. This is not a warm bowl of pureed strawberries. This Strawberry Soup is more like a creamier version of a smoothie.

Oh. My. Heavens.

This pretty much made my day. I had myself three bowls in one day. Don't worry I saved some for all the boys in the house. Everyone else thought it was quite spectacular too.

This soup is the perfect addition to a Summer meal. Heck it is perfect for anytime.

I highly encourage you all to give it a try. I am fairly positive you won't be too sad about it. So after you pick your berries or buy your berries or grow your berries, put some aside for a delightful bowl of this Strawberry Soup and be prepared to eat several bowlfuls.


Strawberry Soup

4-5 cups of fresh strawberries, cleaned and hulled
1 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream

Blend all of the ingredients in a blender until smooth. Chill for an hour before serving. Garnish with fresh strawberries.

Happy berry picking and berry eating. Happy Summer!

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Thank You Strawberry Shortcake Kit: Thirty Handmade Days

Everyone loves strawberry shortcake. So when someone does something extra special for you and makes you feel oh-so-loved a great way to say thank you to that person for being Berry Sweet is to give them some strawberry shortcake.

Or all the fixing's to make some strawberry shortcake.

Today I am over at Thirty Handmade Days sharing the printable tag for this Thank You Strawberry Shortcake Kit.

Make sure you head on over and say hi. Leave a comment. Pin it. Share it. Download the printable and make someone's day with a Strawberry Shortcake Thank You.

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Strawberry Lemonade Cookies

Oh guys, we are pretty much in the season of lemons. Eek. I am so excited. I have shared my 2014 lemon excitement already when I shared a recipe for Lemon Cheesecake Pie a few weeks ago.

Now with the sun shinning, the freshly mowed grass smell, later days, and school almost out for the Summer bring on the lemons. Bring it.

Just after my love of all things lemon, is my love of all thing Strawberry Lemonade. How can a person not love something that combines strawberries and lemons?!
 
So I kind of had to make up a cookie recipe for Strawberry Lemonade Cookies. Then I kind of had to eat half a dozen cookies.

They were that yummy.

Pretty and yummy.
 

These cookies make me happy. They are perfectly chewy with the right hints of strawberry and lemon. They are Summer in cookie form.

In fact, when I baked these up the Little Men were playing outside in the sunshine. Birds were chirping. Lawn mowers were running. My yard was full of bicycles, balls, and shoes. There was laughter and shouting.

The sounds of summer.

When the boys were done playing, the cookies were waiting for them.  They happily devoured these Strawberry Lemonade Cookies. They were a hit.

Give a try.

Strawberry Lemonade Cookies
makes about 2 dozen
 
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 3.4oz strawberry Jello pudding mix, dry
zest of one lemon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Add in the eggs and the vanilla. Then mix in the lemon juice.

In another smaller bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and strawberry pudding mix. Add in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until well incorporated. Then add in the lemon zest.

Using a cookie scoop, drop scoops about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool on a cookie rack.

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A Pinteresting Wednesday: Canned Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate

Welcome back A Pinteresting Wednesday. It is good to see you after a sporadic Summer.

A few months ago, Hubby excitedly declared that he had just ordered me 32 pounds of strawberries. At the time we ordered all these luscious strawberries, we just planned on making lots and lots of jam.

Before the berries came, I came across a recipe for Canned Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate from Free Time Frolics. 

The heavens opened and angels sang and I knew what some of those 32 pounds of strawberries were going to go towards. 'Cause I love myself some strawberry lemonade. Yes, I do.

Hubby loves it too.

Our Little Men love it.

Well, heck, who doesn't love it?

You might also know that I am kind of addicted to canning.

So the fact that it was not just Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate, but that it was also canned so I can have it whenever my little heart desires pretty much sealed the deal that I would have to make it.

I mean for reals. Canned Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate.

Oh yes, you will be mine.

This was so stinkin' easy to make. SO EASY.

After it is all canned and you decided you want a nice glass of strawberry lemonade, well you just add water, maybe some fresh cut up strawberries, and a slice of lemon to make it fancy (fanciness not required to make it taste yummy, by the way).

Yuuuuuum. YUHHHHMMMM. Summer in a glass.

Summer is almost over, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy and savor every last sip of it. Plus, since I have this canned concentrate all made up, I can have a little reminder of Summer anytime I want...

...well until I run out of concentrate, but I shan't think of that now.

You won't regret giving this a try. Like I said earlier it is easy and the result is delicious.

Canned Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate

Each recipe cans 3 quart jars. 

5 cups fresh lemon juice (approximately 30 lemons)
6 cups sugar
6 cups hulled strawberries
wide mouth jars

In a blender or food processor, puree the strawberries. In a large pot, mix the sugar and lemon juice. Then stir in the pureed strawberries. Heat the mixture over medium heat. Heat until a candy thermometer reads 190 degrees, stirring frequently.

While the strawberry mixture is heating, clean the jars, heat the lids and rings (I do this by keeping them in a pot of simmering water), and fill the water bath canner with water.

Once the mixture is at the right temperature, funnel the mixture into the clean jars. Wipe off the mouth of the jar and then place the lid and ring tightly on each jar.

Place them in the water bath canner and cover. Bring the water to a boil and let them boil for 15 minutes.

 Remove the jars and set out on a the counter and listen for the sealing "pop".

Store until ready to use.

When ready to make lemonade, add 1 1/2 quarts to 2 quarts of water to 1 quart of concentrate.

Another Pinterest Success.

Thanks for reading! Have a grand day.