Strawberries in Meyer Lemon Syrup

Hello hello! It's been sometime since my last post, but that doesn't mean I haven't been keeping busy. I finished my last semester at junior college, went to the Haute Wheels Food Truck Festival. I know this post is a little late, but bear with me!

While at the store picking up a few things for dinner, as always, I find something I need that isn't on my list. Strawberries right now are just beautiful and I couldn't pass them up. I’ve always been a big fan of strawberries, and I can say without shame that possibly my favorite way to eat them is still dipped in chocolate. However I can never just eat one or two of them. So to keep things “healthy and light” I opted for this recipe I found on Cooking Light’s website. It was so simple yet so refreshing and perfect for the time that I had. It was a great way to finish off a heavy dinner, and convenient to boot. (Of course this would also be lovely as a midday refresher on a hot summer day – maybe throw in blueberries and add lemon zest?)  

The directions are simple and there isn’t much more to it than what you see – no surprises 
here. I loved how the strawberries, which were naturally sweet, were tamed by the lemon juice. I was afraid that the extra sugar would make this far too sweet, but was pleased to find that not true. If you aren’t a fan of lemon, than I would reduce the lemon juice to 2tbs. Also I used Meyer Lemons as the recipe calls for. If you are using regular lemons, I would suggest starting out with 2tbs, tasting, then adding more as desired. For the topping, I whipped 1/4c of heavy cream with a splash of almond extract to cut the milky taste. If using a hand mixer, I always freeze the bowl and beaters 15 minutes before I need them. I found this helps the cream to form and keep its peaks.

Enjoy!


"Strawberries are the angels of the earth, innocent and sweet with green leafy wings reaching heavenward." ~Terri Guillemets

Strawberries in Meyer Lemon Syrup

Ingredients

4 cups quartered small strawberries

1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup whipping cream

Directions

1. Place berries, juice, and sugar in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill 20 minutes.

2. Place cream in a medium bowl; stir constantly with a whisk until soft peaks form. Serve whipped cream with berry mixture.

Colors are the Smiles of Nature

This is going to be a short post, but long enough so that I can tell you how amazing this salsa is. I mean, can we just take a minute to talk about the color? I absolutely love bright colors. Especially colors that remind me of summer - they have a way of making me smile. I'm a big color/texture person. If it's off, I'm not happy. I love the contrast in color between the cilantro, mango, and kiwis. The festive colors makes me wish summer was here already. Let's move on to the texture for a minute. The mango is really the main "body" in this dish. The kiwi has such a light texture, emphasizing the texture of the mango. If you're not a fan of cilantro, you can substitute flat leaf parsley or fresh mint. I encourage you to make this salsa yourself and have fun with it. It's very versatile and is sure to please.


I first made this salsa over two years ago. It was served with a honey-glazed pork loin, served over rice pilaf. Hello! Match made in heaven. I was hooked, and ended up making it 3 times that week. It normally doesn't last through the rest of the day around my house, but for a normal portion size, it should serve 4-6. It can be served with pork, tilapia, shrimp, and salmon. My favorite pairing still is with a simple pork. This last time that I made it, we paired the salsa with a center cut pork chop, served with rice pilaf, Parmesan crusted roasted zucchini and squash, and fresh baby bell peppers. Delish! Try it out and see how you like to serve it.

Mango-Kiwi Salsa


Ingredients:
2 ripe mango, chopped
4 ripe kiwi, chopped
Generous handful of cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste




Directions:
Combine mango, kiwi, and cilantro in bowl. Whisk together olive oil, salt and pepper, and add to fruit. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. 
This dish is even better if you refrigerate it overnight, but if you can't wait that long, then have it.