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Berries!

Mama Mangia

Super Moderator
Berries! Those oh-so-delicious (and good for you) berries.

It's berry season - have you picked yours yet?

Blueberries, raspberries, black raspberries, blackberries, gooseberries, strawberries - and kind of berries - I love them all!

Have any favorite recipes to share with us??

Feel free to post!
 
RASPBERRY GRATIN

8 ounces raspberries

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream

4 tablespoons dark brown sugar



Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide raspberries into single layers in four individual, shallow, oven-proof baking dishes.



Gently spread 2 tablespoons sour cream over each portion of raspberries, completely covering them. Sprinkle dark brown sugar over sour cream, using 1 tablespoon for each dish.



Place dishes on a baking sheet. Bake in oven for 5 minutes. Serve immediately





Raspberry Glaze Pie

1 baked 9" pie cust
5 cups raspberries
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp raspberry jam
1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 3/4 c water
1 cup cold heavy (whipping) cream whipped to soft peaks with 1/2 tsp almond extract and 2 Tbsp confectioners sugar

Cook 1 cup of the raspberries, sugar, jam and cornstarch mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly to dissolve the jam and sugar.

Bring to a boil, cooking just until the glaze thickens and becomes clear.

Strain into a bowl and coot to room temperature, about 1 hour.

Discard the seeds and any fruit in the strainer. Be careful to mix the berries gently with the glaze so as not to crush them.

Put remaining berries in large bowl and gently mix in the cooled glaze to coat the berries evenly.

Spoon the mixture into the baked crust.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Serve cold on day prepared.

Can be served with whipped cream.
 
4 Layer Strawberry-Banana Dessert


Heat oven to 350°. Lightly butter 9x13 inch baking dish.

First Layer:
1-1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup butter, room temp.
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour until small bean
size crumbs; stir in chopped nuts. Pour into prepared dish pressing
down with fingertips. Bake for 20 min. Cool completely.

Second Layer:
8-oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup Cool Whip topping
Mix and spread on cooled crust. Chill.

Third Layer:
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
pinch of salt
1-1/2 cups 7-Up, Sprite, or seltzer
1/2 cup water
1(3-oz pkg.) strawberry-banana Jell-O
1-1/2 to 2 quarts sliced strawberries and bananas

Combine sugar, cornstarch, carbonated beverage, salt, and water together in sauce pan and cook until thickened. While still hot, add dry Jell-O into mixture. ALLOW TO COOL COMPLETELY. Add strawberries and bananas. Mix. Pour over cream cheese layer. Chill until firm. Top with Cool Whip and chopped pecans and/or slivers of chocolate.
 
Berry Smoothie

1 cup Berries
1 cup Milk
1 tablespoon Honey

Place all ingredients in a blender - cover and blend on medium speed until well blended.



Wild Berry Smoothie

6 oz of Wild Blueberries ( Fresh or Frozen)
6 oz of Yogurt (Vanilla or Blueberry)
1 Tablespoon of Honey (if plain yogurt is used)
1/2 Cup Ice Cubes (3 Ice Cubes)

1. Blend well on high speed and serve Immediatley.
Serves 2 Enjoy
 
Thanks for the great recipes and ideas. Last week Maddy and I picked wild bluberries (huckleberries) and I made the Maine Blueberry Cake that was posted here. I love berries of all kinds, my favorite has to be Mulberries!
 
Two short mulberry stories, Cathy...

1.) when we were little we lived near a patch of woods that was comprised mainly mulberry trees, and all summer long we used to run like wild banshees in and amongst those trees staining our bare feet a deep fantastic PURPLE. Mom allowed it, though she cringed all June and July everytime she saw the bottoms of our feet. I remember at bath-time come August there'd be a night she'd start srubbing the tar out of our soles and it took weeks of rough scrubbing to get those stains off our feet and return them to their original bright pink. Always that first scrub-night in early August she forbid us to go barefoot anymore the rest of the summer- said she'd be danged if she was gonna have any kids of hers returning to school with feet that looked dirty and bruised!

2.) Near the end of 5th grade, Coach Peterson, who was the 6th grade science teacher came in to give we students a quick summer-time assignment that we'd be turning-in a couple of short weeks after we started in his class-room the following Fall. We were to collect and identify leaves from 100 different trees- tape and display them into an album and write the name of the tree across the bottom of each leaf's page- as well as exactly where we found each leaf. I loved that summer-long project, as I learned how to identify alomst any tree- and had never given that sort of thing much thought before then. Anyway, that was the first time I became aware that mulberry trees are one of those very rare trees that have TWO kinds of leaves and that each looks distinctly different. One leaf is round and pretty with a saw-toothed edge, the other is oddly shaped like a mittened-hand (or like Michigan!). Fun Fact!
 
Mama, I love berries of all kinds- but I beleive the BLUEBERRY is perhaps one of THE most underrated berries there is. I remember being SHOCKED to hear recently that the blueberry tops many folks' list of foods they dislike most. I just don't understand! Though I have to admit, I never felt the deep appreciation for them that I do now until I took part in that enjoyable berry-picking tradition all over Alaska. Wild berries of all sorts are quite bountiful up north and always after the first frost, blueberry pickers go wild because they taste sweeter after they've experienced one cold-snap.

One of my favorite meals ever is wild Alaskan salmon w/ wild blueberry salsa, sprinkled with toasted filberts, tomato-salad & steamed broccoli. Not only is this plate the most colorful ever- but it contains 5 of most doctors' top-ten healthiest foods: salmon, blueberries, nuts, broccoli and tomatoes! YUM!

My favorite simple ways to eat blueberries are: on cold cereal and oatmeal, scattered across a piece of peanut-butter toast, or on top of vanilla ice cream or vanilla pudding.

Lastly, STRAWBERRIES. Oddly, after eating and enjoying them my whole life, I am now sadly allergic to them! Can't even eat strawberry jam! I worked in a country club once and every summer buffet and brunch we had mountains of beautiful, huge, fresh stem-on strawberries displayed on the dessert table with crystal bowls of sour cream and brown sugar. Anyone who has never dipped a whole strawberry into sour cream then rolled it in soft brown sugar is denying themselves one of life's most incredible simple pleasures! Try it- I promise, you'll absolutely fall in love- mark my words!
 
Many years ago, when there were wolves in Wales and snakes in Ireland, we had a white mulbery tree in the backyard. I had never even heard of white mulberries before we'd moved there, and have never seen one since.

My folks insisted they were decorative only, and not edible (turns out they were wrong :(). So they just fell and rotted. Actually, they fermented.

Y'all ever seen a tipsey squirrel negotiating a telepone wire? Funniest thing you'll ever see in your life.
 
Banana Berry Bread Recipe

Cook Time: 50 min Prep Time: 20 min
Yield: 1 loaves

Ingredients:
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
3 or 4 mashed ripe bananas
1/4 cup water
1 2/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup mixed frozen berries

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar. Add eggs, bananas and water mix for 30 seconds. Combine dry ingredients and add to wet mix until blended. Fold in frozen berries. Pour mixture into a lightly greased loaf pan.
Bake until a knife inserted comes out clean, about 50 minutes, decrease by 10 minutes and 25 degrees for convection ovens. Cool in pan for about ten minutes.

Notes:
This bread also freezes well.
 
A blueberry cake with buttery cinnamon topping

Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 1 egg
* 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup milk
* 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, rinsed
* .
* Topping
* .
* 1/4 cup butter, room temperature
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation:
Cream 1/4 cup butter with 3/4 cup sugar; add egg and beat well. Into a medium bowl sift together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Add sifted dry ingredients to butter mixture alternately with 1/2 cup milk, beating until smooth. Fold in blueberries. Pour into a greased 9-inch square baking pan. For topping, combine topping ingredients and blend well to form crumbs.
Sprinkle topping crumbs over batter. Bake at 375° for 35 minutes.
 
BLUEBERRY PANCAKES!

Ingredients:

* 2 eggs, separated
* 1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
* 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 3/4 teasooon salt
* 1 cup milk
* 3 tablespoons butter, melted
* 1 cup fresh or frozen thawed blueberries, rinsed

Preparation:
In a small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff; set aside.
In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Beat egg yolks in a medium mixing bowl; add milk and melted butter. Stir egg mixture into dry ingredients; mix until batter is smooth and stir in blueberries. Fold in beaten egg whites. Bake on hot greased griddle.
Makes 12 pancakes.
 
A blueberry cheesecake with a fresh or frozen blueberry glaze.
Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Ingredients:

* 2 packages (16 ounces total) cream cheese, room temperature
* 2 cups cottage cheese
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
* 4 eggs, slightly beaten
* 6 tablespoons cornstarch
* 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
* 2 cups sour cream
* graham cracker crust, below
* blueberry glaze, below
 
Blueberry-Lemon Chess Squares

* 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, rinsed
* 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* zest of 1 lemon, divided
* 1 box yellow cake mix, butter or lemon
* 4 eggs, divided
* 1 stick butter or margarine, softened
* 2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1 (8 oz.) cream cheese

In a bowl, combine blueberries with sugar, lemon juice and half of the lemon zest. Set aside.

Mix cake mix with 1 egg, softened butter and the remaining lemon zest. Pat into a buttered and floured 13- x 9-inch baking pan.

In a mixing bowl with hand-held electric mixer, beat confectioners' sugar with cream cheese and remaining 3 eggs until smooth. Gently stir in blueberry mixture; pour over cake. Bake in a preheated 325° oven for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until browned. Let cool completely; chill and cut into squares.
Serve with fresh blueberries and a dusting of confectioners' sugar, if desired. Store in the refrigerator.



Cookies 'n Cream Chess Bars

These will be popular with the kids! For polka-dot chess squares, sprinkle with chocolate chips instead of cookie crumbs.

* 1 fudge or chocolate cake mix
* 4 eggs, divided
* 1 stick margarine or butter, melted
* 1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, room temperature
* 2 3/4 cups confectioners sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 8 to 12 Oreo cookies or a packet of Mini Oreos, coarsely crumbled

Mix cake mix with 1 egg and margarine; press into greased and floured 13- x 9-inch pan.

In a mixing bowl with an electric hand-held mixer, beat confectioners' sugar with cream cheese, vanilla and 3 eggs until smooth. Pour about 2/3 of the topping mixture onto the cake mixture; sprinkle with crumbled oreos (or chocolate chips) then pour remaining mixture evenly over crumbs. Bake in a preheated 325° oven for about 50 to 60 minutes, or until topping is lightly browned.
Cool thoroughly and cut into bars. Keep refrigerated.
 
Blackberry bars, made with fresh blackberry recipes, butter, brown sugar, sour cream, and spices.
Ingredients:

* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
* 1/4 cup butter
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1 egg, beaten
* 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 cup fresh blackberries
* powdered sugar, sifted

Preparation:
Combine flour and brown sugar; cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal. Press 1 1/3 cups of mixture in bottom of an ungreased 8-inch square pan.

Combine remaining crumb mixture, sour cream, egg, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla; blend well. Stir in blackberries. Spoon over crust, spreading evenly. Bake at 350° for 30 to 40 minutes. Cool; cut into 2 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch bars. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes about 12 bars
 
An easy strawberry trifle recipe, made with cream cheese, pound cake, and strawberries, along with liqueur and raspberry jelly.
Ingredients:

* 4 tablespoons sugar, divided
* 2 pints fresh strawberries, hulled, halved
* 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
* 2 cups whipping cream
* 1 pound cake, purchased
* 1/4 to 1/2 cup melted seedless raspberry jelly
* cream sherry or a strawberry liqueur, optional

Preparation:
Gently stir 2 tablespoons sugar into sliced berries; set aside. Beat the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar into cream cheese. Whip cream until stiff peaks form, then fold into the cream cheese mixture. Cut cake into slices about 1/3-inch thick. Arrange a layer of slices in the bottom of a glass bowl; sprinkle with a teaspoon of sherry and drizzle with melted jelly, then add a layer of strawberries and a layer of cream cheese mixture. Continue layering, ending with a layer of cream cheese mixture.
Garnish with a few whole or sliced berries.
 
Two Berry Crisp

Ingredients:

* 1 pint blueberries
* 1 pint strawberries, hulled, sliced
* 2 cups granola
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375°. Toss prepared berries in an 8-inch square glass baking dish.

Combine granola, oil, and honey in small bowl. Sprinkle over the berries. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes, until topping is browned.
Serve warm or at room temperature, with ice cream or whipped topping.
 
Spinach salad with strawberries and a red wine vinaigrette. Dressing may be prepared several hours before serving. Scroll down to see more spinach salad recipes.
Ingredients:

* 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
* 6 cups fresh spinach leaves, torn
* 2 cups fresh strawberries, rinsed, dried, hulled
* .
* Dressing
* 1/4 cup salad oil
* 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
* 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/8 teaspoon dry mustard

Preparation:
In a large bowl, toss spinach with sesame seeds. Prepare strawberries, cutting large ones in half. Add strawberries to salad. Cover and refrigerate.

Combine dressing ingredients in a screw-top jar or shaker; shake well then refrigerate to chill. Pour chilled dressing over strawberry and spinach salad mixture in bowl and toss gently to distribute well.
 
This fresh raspberry pie was shared by Suzy, the other ones I had saved on word documents :)

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:

* 1 Baked Pie Shell
* 6 cups of fresh Raspberries
* 3/4 cup of sugar
* 1/2 cup of cold water
* 3 tablespoons lemon juice
* 3 tablespoons cornstarch
* 2 cups of whipping cream whipped with 3 tablespoons of sugar

Preparation:
In medium saucepan, stir together 2 cups of berries, the sugar, cold water, juice, and cornstarch.
Cook and stir over med, heat. Cook til thick. Remove from heat. In this process I like to crush up the berries kind of into a sauce. If you want it sweeter, do it. Just remember that you are going to fold in more berries. Carefully fold in remaining berries. Spoon into cooled baked pie shell. Cover pie and refrigerator; chill for 2 hours. Serve with the sweetened whipped cream, a good size dollop.
Suzy's Note: This is really easy, not cheap but really pretty. I like to put a fresh mint leaf on each slice. Your family will be impressed to have such a nice fruit pie.
 
This is an easy no-bake raspberry cream cheese pie. A delicious summer pie.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:

* 1 package (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding mix, prepared
* 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
* 1/2 teaspoon almond flavoring
* 1 baked pie shell, 9-inch
* 1 package (4 serving size) raspberry flavored gelatin
* 1 cup boiling water
* 1 package frozen raspberries (10 ounces)
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preparation:
Prepare pudding mix according to directions on package. Blend in cream cheese with electric hand-held mixer. Add almond flavoring and stir until smooth. Pour into baked pie shell; refrigerate.

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Drain juice from thawed raspberries and add water to make 3/4 cup of liquid. Add to dissolved gelatin. Stir in sugar; chill mixture until slightly congealed. Fold in drained raspberries and nuts. Spread raspberry layer carefully over pudding and cream cheese layer in pie shell.
Chill raspberry pie until firm.
 
Apple Cranberry Pie Recipe with two crusts.
Ingredients:

* 1 cup chopped cranberries
* 1 1/2 cups chopped tart apples
* 1/4 cup crushed pineapple
* 1 cup sugar
* dash salt
* pastry for 2-crust pie

Preparation:
Combine cranberries, apples, pineapple, sugar, and salt; cover and let stand 2 hours. Pour into a 9-inch pastry-lined pie plate. Cover with top crust, seal, and crimp edges. Cut small vents in top of pie. BAke at 450° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° and bake 30 minutes longer, until nicely browned.
 
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