1. Do not hull or wash your fresh strawberries until shortly before serving them.
2. For best flavor, serve strawberries at room temperature.
3. To preserve freshness for about a week, refrigerate strawberries on a lower refrigerator shelf, covered lightly with a paper towel.

Strawberries will get soft after being frozen, but they retain all their flavor and nutrition. There are three main ways to freeze strawberries.  Choose your method based on how you think your family will use them in the winter. 

1.Flash Freezing: For smoothies, ice ring garnishes for punch, fruit salads or fruit cups, rinse, stem and let your strawberries dry.  Spread them out on a cookie sheet and freeze.  When frozen, pack them into freezer bags, removing as much air as possible from the bag.

2. Blended: For making jam later in the winter, or for pre-blended smoothie mix, rinse and stem strawberries, then lightly pulse them in a blender or a food processor. Measure 8 cups blended berries into gallon Ziploc bags.  Lay flat and freeze. Break off chunks or use entire bag later to make jam or smoothies.

3. Sliced: For ice cream or yogurt topping, a side dish at dinner, or for use in a muffin  recipe, rinse, stem, and slice your strawberries, sprinkle them lightly with sugar, and pack gently into quart Zip-lock bags. 

Jam Today! With Pomona’s Universal Pectin®   sold by Brouwer Berries!

• Pomona’s sugar free, preservative free, low-methoxyl citrus pectin is specially formulated for making low sugar jam & jelly.
• Sweeten jam & jelly to your taste with low amounts of any sweetener: sugar, honey, agave, maple syrup, frozen juice concentrate, stevia, xylitol, Sucanat, concentrated fruit sweetener, or Splenda and other artificial sweeteners.
• Each 1 oz box makes 2 to 4 batches (about 5 – 8 oz jars per batch). Keeps indefinitely.
• Vegan. Gluten
• Free. Non-GMO.

Sarah’s Reduced Sugar Strawberry   Preserves with Pomona’s Pectin

***Follow the directions in the Pomonas box, but use these ingredient quantities: (Yes! Sarah is sharing her recipe! It uses a bit more sugar than the box suggests.  This is because her children persist in leaving the jar on the counter instead of refrigerating it, and the extra sugar acts as an extra preservative.  Also, we like our sweets:)  It is still less sugar than Sure-Gel Light, though!)

8 cups blended  Brouwer strawberries; fresh or frozen

6 tsp calcium water

1 tsp butter to reduce foaming

6 cups sugar

6 tsp Pomona’s Universal Pectin

Triple Berry Kiwi Smoothie

By The Pretty Bee

“A simple berry and kiwi smoothie that’s packed with antioxidants and vitamin C.”

Dairy Free, Vegan,  Gluten Free.   Serves: 1

Ingredients (fresh or frozen):1 cup strawberries  

3/4 cup raspberries,                   1/2 cup blueberries  

2 kiwifruit, peeled and sliced

 1 cup orange juice

Method: Place the frozen berries in the blender and let them thaw for about ten minutes, or drop fresh fruit into blender.  Add kiwifruit and orange juice and blend on high until smooth.  Top with more kiwi or berries if desired.

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Power Smoothie

Submitted by Corinne Dahl, Willmar, MN

Preparations:  Pick Brouwer Berries and freeze them after hulling and washing. A strong blender is needed such as a Nutri Ninja with at least 900 watts of power. I grow kale and freeze it also.  

Ingredients:

1 cup milk (any kind)

1 scoop protein powder (optional)

6-8 frozen Brouwer strawberries

3/4 cup frozen wild blueberries

1 tablespoon ground flax seed

1 tablespoon hemp hearts

2 mejool dates or 1 banana

1 cup frozen kale or spinach

1/2 cup plain yogurt

Add to blender in this order. Pulse and blend until all ingredients are rotating as seen by funnel at the top. It will be a nice thick smoothie.

It serves two and has about 450 calories without the protein powder and 520 calories with the protein powder.

Strawberry Slab Pie

Submitted by Kelli Rath

“Here is a recipe for strawberry slab bars. I have made them numerous times with your berries. Amazing!”

Mile High Strawberry Dessert

Submitted by Denise Gulbranson of Prinsburg, MN

 “Favorite (one of our favorites) strawberry recipe!”

 Crust:                2 ½ c. crushed pretzels

                1/3 c. granulated sugar

                ¾ c. butter, melted

                Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine crushed pretzels, sugar and melted butter. Press into a lightly greased 9×13 pan. Bake for 8 minutes and remove from oven. Let cool completely.

Filling:      2 egg whites                    

              2 Tblsp lemon juice

                1 c PLUS 2 Tbl sugar      

  10 oz Brouwer strawberries (partly frozen)

                Put all filling ingredients in a large bowl. Beat with electric mixer for 15 minutes. The mixture will be stiff and fluffy. Fold in 8 oz Cool Whip. Spread over cooled crust and freeze.

Before serving, add dollop of Cool Whip and fresh strawberry on top. Very refreshing in the hot summer evening!

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Strawberry Truffle Brownies

Submitted by Judy Treptau of Willmar, MN

“Here’s my yummy recipe for Strawberry Truffle Brownies (made with delicious BROUWER berries)!!!!!”

1/2 c. butter

1 1/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

3/4 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 c. flour

In heavy saucepan, melt butter & chocolate chips over low heat.  Cool slightly.  In a large bowl, beat eggs & brown sugar.  Mix well.  Combine baking powder and flour – stir into chocolate mixture.  Spread in a greased 9-inch square baking pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or toothpick test works.  Cool.

OPTIONAL – if you don’t feel like baking brownies from scratch, just buy a brownie mix for a 9″ pan and prepare it according to directions.  Cool.

THEN MAKE FILLING:

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 – 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. Brouwer strawberry jam

Melt chocolate chips, cool.  In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy; add powdered sugar and jam.  Stir in melted chocolate, spread over cooled brownies.  

Chill and enjoy!!!!!!

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Schaum Torte

Submitted by Donna Luck of Willmar, MN

“Here is my favorite dessert recipe.”

6 egg whites

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 pt Brouwer strawberries

1/2 pint whipping cream

Place egg whites in large mixing bowl and let stand to room temperature.

Then beat till foamy, sprinkle cream of tartar and salt over whites and continue

beating. When frothy, beat in 2 Tbsp of sugar at a time till used.  Batter 

should be very stiff and hold firm peaks.  Put on brown paper covered cookie

sheet in 8 round circles, building each circle up on sides.

Bake in a slow oven, 275 degrees for 1 hour or till lightly browned and top is 

crusty  to the touch..  Cool and remove from paper.

Cover with fresh sliced Brouwer strawberries and top with whipped cream.

Delicious!

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Strawberry Nachos with Cinnamon Chips

Submitted by Melissa Versteeg of Prinsburg, MN “Delicious!”

Prep time 15 mins Cook time 4 mins Total time 19 mins

This easy Strawberry Nachos recipe with crispy cinnamon sugar tortilla chips, whipped cream, and juicy strawberries is the most delicious summer dessert!

Author: The Gunny Sack

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cinnamon
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 4 flour tortillas
• 1 cup whipped cream
• about one pint of strawberries
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Mix together ½ cup of sugar and the cinnamon. Set aside.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry flour tortillas on both sides until golden.
3. Place the fried tortillas on paper towels and sprinkle both sides with cinnamon sugar.
4. Cut the tortillas into triangles. Chop a couple of triangles into small bits for garnish.
5. Set several small strawberries aside. Cut the rest of the strawberries into small pieces and place them in a bowl. You should have about 1 cup of strawberry pieces.
6. Sprinkle with two tablespoons of granulated sugar and stir. Allow the strawberries to sit for about 10 minutes and then stir again.
7. Keep the cinnamon chips, whipped cream, and strawberries separate until ready to serve.
8. Line a paper berry basketor paper food tray with waxed paper and then fill with cinnamon sugar tortilla chips. Top with whipped cream, sugared strawberry pieces. Sprinkle with cinnamon chip bits and place a few whole strawberries on the top.

My strawberry-rhubarb bar recipe:

Submitted by Bonnie Jaeger of Benson, MN

Filling: 1 1/2 cups rhubarb, cut into 1 inch pieces      :

1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced                              

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice                                    

1/2 cup granulated sugar                                                

2 tablespoons cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon salt

Crust:

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups oatmeal

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract  

3/4 cup butter, softened

Topping: 3/4 cup powdered sugar

              1/2 teaspoon vanilla

               1 tablespoon milk, or as needed

Preheat oven to 350

Filling: Place rhubarb, strawberries and lemon juice in2 quart saucepan, cover, cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, abut 8 minutes. Mix sugar and cornstarch in small bowl and stir into mixture. Cook and stir until comes to boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and add vanilla.

Crust: Mix flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, soda, and salt in bowl. Add butter, beat on low speed until crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups mixture. Press remaining mixture in bottom of a greased 9×13 pan. Spread rhubarb mixture over crust; sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Bake 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.

Topping: Stir powdered sugar, vanilla and milk in small bowl to a drizzle consistency. Drizzle over cooled bars. Cut and serve. Store in refrigerator. Makes 3 dozen bars.

             Strawberry Pizza

Submitted by Marilyn Freese of Murdock, MN       

  Crust:

     1 cup flour

     1/4 cup powdered sugar

     1/2 cup butter

  Filling:

     1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature

     1/2 tsp. vanilla

     1/2 cup granulated sugar

     1/4 tsp. fresh lemon juice

  Topping:

     1 cup fresh strawberries, mashed

     4 Tbsp. granulated sugar

     1 Tbsp. cornstarch

     10 – 12 strawberries, sliced

  Instructions: 

1. In a bowl combine flour, powdered sugar and butter. Form into a ball with hands and press

  or roll into a 14” circle on an ungreased cookie sheet or pizza pan.

2. Bake at 325 degrees F for 15 minutes. Cool.
3. In a bowl combine cream cheese, vanilla, granulated sugar and lemon juice. Spread on cooled crust.
4. In a saucepan over medium heat combine strawberries, granulated sugar and cornstarch. Stir

   and simmer until thick and glossy. Cool.

5. Spread on top of cooled filling.
6. Cut fresh strawberries into slices and place on top of glaze. Serve.

Cheese Cake Salad

Make a graham cracker crust, this works in almost any size pan – depends on how many layers you want to make and how thick you want it to be.  I’ve even skipped the crust and layered the fruit and cheese cake in a bowl.

Next:

Beat together: 1-8oz. pkg. of cream cheese, 1/3 c. sugar, and 1 tsp. vanilla.

add: 1-8 oz. carton sour cream

fold in:  1-8 oz. cool whip

Layer:

Graham cracker, Cheese Cake, Banana-thin slices,

Pineaple-crushed,  Cheesecake,  Strawberries-halfed

glaze on top is optional

Glaze:

1 T corn starch

dash of salt

1/3 c. Karo syrup

red food coloring