I am a Honey Bee

All about my adventures with cooking, crafts, and travel

strawberries

Thirsty Thursday: Red, White, and Blue Sangria

red white and blue sangria

I can’t wait for Memorial Day.

Summer is my favorite time of year and Memorial Day weekend is the unoffical kickoff to summer. It’s going to be gloomy in Boston this weekend but I don’t care!  We are grilling no matter what!!! I just love this weekend and what it represents so I was excited when Amanda picked Memorial Day for our Thirsty Thursday theme this week.

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I know everyone thinks of flags for the Fourth of July but I think of the Red, White, and Blue just as much now. So that is why I made a Red, White, and Blue Sangria. Sure, sure the pineapple is actually yellow but let’s play along and say it represents the white. It’s a great summery drink to enjoy now or for the Fourth of July 🙂

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Amanda made Sarasota Lemonade. It’s perfectly refreshing and a great drink to cool off with while taking in some sun this summer! Sounds so good that I might have to sneak some to the beach… shh don’t tell!! 🙂

Red, White, and Blue Sangria

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 bottle dry white wine, such as a Sauvignon Blanc
  • 1/2 cup triple sec
  • 3/4 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1 1/2 cups hulled and sliced fresh strawberries
  • 1 pineapple chunks
  • 2 cups Sprite

Process

  1. Combine all of the ingredients, except the Sprite, in a large punch bowl or pitcher and stir well. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours.
  2. Serve well-chilled with a good scoop of fruit floating in each drink.

Inspired by Recipe Girl

Fresh Berry White Chocolate Streusel Bars- SRC

Fresh Berry White Chocolate Streusel Bars

I made these Fresh Berry White Chocolate Streusel Bars for Memorial Day weekend. We munched on these while we watched the Coke 600 NASCAR race. It made the race even better. How can you not love a sweet treat and hot guys!?! ha 🙂

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Well, these were a fantastic pick for this month’s Secret Recipe Club. Huge hit. It made the house smell great while baking so that we agonized waiting the hour for them to cool before cutting. I’m just so glad that this month I had Avril’s blog Baking and Creating with Avril and we picked these bars.

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The bars are super simple to make and are bursting with fresh berry flavor. I used strawberries and blueberries but feel free to add some raspberries in there as well. We loved that so much at we felt that the white chocolate is not even needed. It’s great but if you don’t have it on hand (I don’t normally), don’t stress out. These will kick butt with the buttery crust, fresh fruit and crumbly topping.

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I found it a bit easier to gently cut the bars when they were still warm so that it made cutting through them when they cooled easier. Like scoring something before you cut it- that’s my 7 yrs of maki. As well, made for thing a bit easier when cutting through the chocolate so it wouldn’t make a mess breaking the drizzle up.

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I swear you won’t be able to eat just one of these. So fantastic!

Fresh Berry White Chocolate Streusel Bars

Makes 24 bars

Ingredients

  • 2 cups oats
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup COLD butter, cut into small pieces
  • 8 ounces strawberry jam
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 2 cups fresh berries (chop or slice strawberries if you use them)
  • 3 ounces white chocolate chips

Process

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Set aside at 15×10 jellyroll pan (rimmed baking sheet.
  2. In a large bowl whisk together oats, flour, both sugars, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add in COLD butter that has been cut into small pieces.  Combine the butter into the dry ingredients either with your hands or a pastry cutter until butter is well incorporated as little crumbles.  Remove 1 cup of the mixture, set aside. Evenly press the remaining mixture into a jellyroll pan. 
  3. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until it is firm to the touch, but not browned.
  4. Warm the jam in microwave for 30 seconds.  Add in lemon zest to combine. Spread the warm jam over the crust.
  5. Evenly sprinkle the berries over the jam layer and then sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture.
  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until topping is a light brown. Remove from oven and let cool 1 hour before cutting. Once cut pour the melted chocolate over the bars in the pan.

Slightly Adapted from: Baking and Creative with Avril

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Secret Recipe Club



Check out my previous Secret Recipe Club Posts

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Thirsty Thursday: Strawberry Fizz

strawberry fizz

It’s spring so it should be warm, right? Well, here in spring in Boston is confused. It has been all over the place with day time temps in the high 50’s and then right back down to the low 30’s with even colder wind chills. It’s a never ending roller coaster. I’d like it to just settle out but it’s New England … who am I kidding!?!?

I’d like it to get warm ASAP so we can continue to work in our little yard in back. Price kicked some major as back there this past weekend attacking a very invasive weed we have and I’d like to keep things going on the clean up and set up work. I just can’t wait to get some flowers and plants! I am looking forward to getting another blueberry bush this year and trying out some strawberry plants for the first time. Thinking all about these berries has resulted in me making this whole month’s Thirsty Thursday posts all about berries. First up… strawberries!

I was trying to come up with a drink that uses strawberries and that would be great to enjoy while gardening. I love Strawberry Daiquiri but they are not really great for sipping while pulling weeds. They are better suited for lazy beach days. I wanted something that would be really refreshing. Well, when I saw this Strawberry Fizz when I was browsing around Pinterest and I was smitten. check the site… get it? okay, good. 

This is so refreshing that I just loved it so much. I love mojitos so it reminded me of a jazzed up mojito. Except virgin. Well you can fix that situation yourself with some vodka or light rum. Spiked or not you’ll be reaching for Strawberry Fizz.

Strawberry Fizz

Makes 4 drinks

Ingredients

  • 1 liter sparkling seltzer water
  • 1 pint strawberries, sliced
  • 16 mint leaves
  • 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges
  • 1 cup simple syrup

Process

  1. Put 1/4 cup of simple syrup in each glass and 4 mint leaves, muddle the leaves. 
  2. Add 1/4 of the strawberries to each glass and muddle as well.
  3. Squeeze the juice of 2 lemon wedges and then toss the lemon into the glass as well.
  4. Add ice and about 8 ounces of seltzer to each glass. Stir and enjoy!

Adapted from Smitten Foodie

Strawberry Almond Stuffed French Toast

One of my favorite things is when I discover a new to me blog and I did that recently when I came across Alice’s Savory Sweet Life. Once I stumbled over there I was hooked. I spent a solid hour flipping around the recipes. And then I bought her cookbook. I could not wait to try something so I picked something that jumped out to me which was Alice’s  Strawberry Almond Stuffed French Toast. How could I pass that up?!?!

 

 

It is no secret that I prefer a savory breakfast/brunch more than a sweet one. But… when I have something sweet I go all out. Syrup is my downfall at breakfast. I love it all over pancakes, french toast, and oatmeal so it is no surprise that when I saw this recipe I just knew I would have to make it. It reminded me of a stuffed french toast I had at Stephanie’s  On Newbury when I first moved up to Boston. Nice reminder what a great brunch I had years and years ago when the city was so new to me.

 

 

I made some changes to the original recipe based upon what I had on hand and my on preferences. I swapped out the sour cream for greek yogurt, upped the amount of almond extract, and used a mixture of egg whites and whole eggs instead of using just whole eggs. Also, I mixed the strawberries right into the cream so it would be a consistent flavor and texture throughout the piece of french toast.

This stuffed French toast is so amazing. It is soft, fluffy, sweet, and so delightful. It is very easy to prepare and will satisfy everyone! Now don’t fret if you don’t have a crowd to serve if you are craving it. I individulally wrapped slices of cooked french toast and then froze them. Since then, I have brought slices out to enjoy at a later day and I have just had to let them thaw and have them warmed them in a skillet or toaster oven. yum!!

 

 

Strawberry Almond Stuffed French Toast

*Serves 6-8*

Ingredients

  • 6 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 6 oz greek yogurt
  • 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 tablespoon almond extract
  • 8 oz chopped strawberries
  • 2 eggs, 3 egg whites
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 loaf Italian Bread
  • Garnish – 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar and 1/3 cup slivered almonds

Process

  1. Using an electric hand or stand mixer, combine the cream cheese, yogurt, confectioner’s sugar, and almond extract until light and creamy. Fold the strawberries into the mixture. Transfer the cream mixture to a bowl or to a large piping bag.
  2. In a shallow bowl, like a casserole dish, beat the eggs, milk and almond extract together.
  3. Slice the bread into 1″ thick slices. Lay each piece down on a cutting board. While holding each piece down, create a pocket in the slices of bread by almost cutting it in half. (Placing your hand on top of the piece of bread will help keep the bread in place and help you monitor creating a pocket.)
  4. Spoon or pipe out 2 generous tablespoons of the filling inside the pocket of each slice. Gently close each slice of bread to help the filling stay inside.
  5. Over  medium high heat, heat a non-stick skillet to prepare it for the french toast. Immediately prior to putting pieces on the skillet, spray the pan with non-stick cooking spray or put a pat of butter on it.
  6. Once the pan is heated up, dip slices of bread in the egg mixture to coat both sides. Cook each side of the stuffed french toast is golden brown. Repeat this process until all slices are cooked.
  7. To garnish the dish, dust with confectioner’s sugar and slivered almonds or spoon any left over strawberries cream mixture on top of each slice. Serve with maple syrup, if desired.

Biscoff Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

This has to be a yummiest and easiest dessert that you can whip up for Valentine’s Day. Perfect for a last minute idea for any occasion really. In total this took me 20 minutes to do and I’m sure someone could do it even faster. I love fast desserts. Mainly because I don’t want anything to take too long and because I would rather eat chips so why would I want to spend a ton of time on something sweet. Whip up a batch up these Biscoff Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries and I swear you will enjoy them. I would not steer you wrong!

 

 

Plus stuffed strawberries are so much better than chocolate covered strawberries for Valentine’s Day. When you get a massive chocolate covered strawberry you have to take at least 2 bites of it and when you do the chocolate cracks and falls off. You instantly rush your hand to your mouth to catch those bits so they don’t fall on your new outfit, all the while looking ridiculous= not sexy.

 

 

Ever since I made my Biscoff Muddy Buddies, I have been thinking of making another treat using Biscoff. I love cheesecake stuffed strawberries, so I figured the next best thing would be to add Biscoff spread to the cheesecake mixture. But I knew I could not just leave it there… Oh no, I had to use Biscoff Cookies as well! I ended up processing the cookies to create crumbs that I could dip the strawberries into. I love the aroma of the cookies as I processed them. Oh killer. It was well worth a wait to get the crumbs on there since these suckers were so good.

Biscoff Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

*Serves 4*

Ingredients

  • 1 lb of large strawberries
  • 4 oz of cream cheese
  • 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
  • 1/4 cup Biscoff Spread
  • 4 Biscoff Cookies

Process

  1. Cut the top off of each strawberry. Using a paring knife, gently hallow out the center of the strawberry by carefully inserting the knife 1/8″ of an inch from the edge of the strawberry. The point of the knife needs to be angled towards the center of the strawberry. Carefully work the knife around the entire strawberry completing the circular cut. As you remove the knife, gently apply pressure to the pull the core of the strawberry out. Repeat this process until you have cored all the strawberries.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, and Biscoff spread until it have a smooth, consistently mixed cheesecake mixture. Put the mixture into a sandwich bag, massage it to a corner of the bag, twist the extra bag in your hand, and then cut a small portion of the tip off the bag.
  3. In a food processor, blend the Biscoff cookies until a fine crumb as been achieved. Put the crumbs in a small bowl for dipping.
  4. To fill the strawberries, insert the tip of the filled bag info the hallow core of the strawberry. Squeeze the bag to force some of the mixture out. As the strawberry begins to fill, slowly pull the bag out of the strawberry allowing more to fill the berry. Fill the berry until some of the cheesecake mixture is out of the strawberry.
  5. Once the strawberries have been filled, gently dip the filled portion into the cookies crumbs.

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Thanks for visiting. Please leave me a comment to provide some feedback. I appreciate all the comments I receive. 

Very Berry Sangria

Price and I recently had a party at our place for my birthday. It was centered around a Mexican theme so I’ll be posting a few recipes from that that works well for a fiesta or just a great gathering. Enjoy!

I love sangria so much because it works well year round and with so many different add in’s. You can do citrus, stone fruit, or berries, or an combination in between. I really prefer wine sangria but I have been enjoying red sangria more and more. Most of all I love to serve sangria when people are over. It works well for a crowd since you start with inexpensive wine, add fun fruit to it and it really transforms into a great drink.

 

This red sangria is packed with fruity flavor. All of the different types of berries add so much sweet, bright flavor.  Each of the 4 different types of berries provides a different flavor to the sangria. Then when you add the tequila you get a bit of a kick to it in the end. The seltzer adds a nice bubble to the the whole thing to finish it off.

 

Very Berry Sangria

Serves 12-16 people

Ingredients

  • 4 bottles of red wine
  • 1 pound of strawberries
  • 1 dry pint of blueberries
  • 1 dry pint of blackberries
  • 1 dry pint of raspberries
  • 1/4 cup agave, depending on the wine
  • 3 cups of tequila
  • 1 liter of seltzer, or ginger-ale

Process

  1. Divide the 4 bottles of wine into 2-3 pitchers, depending on the size of pitcher. Fill the pitcher about half way full.
  2. Wash all the fruit. Discard an bruised fruit.
  3. Slice the strawberries.
  4. Add all the fruit to the wine, divide evenly.
  5. Add the agave and tequila. Gently mix the wine to incorporate.
  6. Let chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
  7. Right before serving add the seltzer to the pitchers.