A Life in Food by real-life Chef Cheryl Bennett
A watermelon smash made with fresh strawberries and watermelon juice is like summer in a glass. Similar to a spritzer, with the addition of vodka, plus the addition of fresh mint makes this a refreshing drink, perfect on a hot day.
If you make a purchase through one of the affiliate links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.
…Strawberry cream cheese cupcakes made from scratch with real strawberries and zero food coloring are perfect for Valentine’s Day, birthday parties and baby showers. Topped with strawberry cream cheese frosting, these fluffy pink cupcakes are packed with strawberry flavor.
These strawberry flavored cupcakes taste like real strawberries because they are made with real strawberries.
The light pink color comes from freeze-dried strawberries as well as fresh strawberries, not food coloring, so they are perfect for those looking for a strawberry cupcake from scratch with no artificial coloring or dye.
…It is officially summer and that means pitchers of lemonade and iced tea. Around here, we like to try different versions of both of these beverages and this strawberry limeade recipe has quickly become a favorite.
It is made with only four ingredients and it comes together in about 5 minutes, making it a perfect thirst-quencher when you want something quick and easy that tastes great.
If strawberry lemonade is more your thing, you’re in luck! Swap out the lime juice for lemon juice to make lemonade instead.
…
Strawberry Lemonade is a simple and refreshing summertime drink. Made from only strawberries, sugar, lemons and water, this drink has nothing artificial and it is so much better than store-bought.
This delicious mocktail also happens to be vegan, if that’s something that is important to you and personally, the fact that it only has 4 ingredients (one of them being water), is a big selling point. Listen, I like getting fancy as much as the next girl, but sometimes, I just want a pretty drink without a lot of fuss.
Post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of the links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.
…
No bake strawberry cheesecake bars swirled with fresh strawberry sauce are quick, easy and made from scratch. The filling has only 4 ingredients, it uses no gelatin and comes together in only a few minutes. The buttery crust is made from crushed wafer cookies mixed with a bit of butter and sugar.
The strawberry sauce tastes like fresh strawberry jam and is swirled through the cheesecake making a dessert that is as delicious as it is pretty. This no bake cheesecake recipe is a variation of my No Bake Blueberry Cheesecake Bars, so if you liked those, you’re going to love this no bake strawberry cheesecake.
Post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the link, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.
…
A wine spritzer is a summertime staple. Light and refreshing, this strawberry cherry wine spritzer is a tasty way to brighten up a bit of wine and club soda. Meet your new deliciously easy summer drink.
This is the time of year when we have backyard bbq’s, we host outdoor gatherings of all kinds and have summer parties just because we want to see our friends. Make a pitcher or two of these to serve at your next summer soirée.
This recipe is made with white wine, but you could easily swap it with rosé or vodka. Looking for a mocktail? I have a variation for an alcohol-free drink as well to make it kid-friendly.
Post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of the links, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.
…
Strawberry daiquiris are the quintessential summer cocktail. Fresh strawberries are in season, which makes them perfect for this drink. A splash of lime juice, a bit of simple syrup and some ice are added to a blender with ripe summer strawberries to make a delicious and refreshing beverage.
Post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through the link, I make a few pennies at no extra cost to you. Questions? Please see disclosure for info.
…
Strawberry cream cheese icing made with fresh strawberries is an intensely strawberry-flavored, fluffy icing. This icing is perfect for topping cupcakes, cookies, pound cakes or even muffins. Fresh strawberry purée is added to a cream cheese frosting base to create a soft icing. If you are looking for a frosting that you can pipe into tall swirls, try my strawberry cream cheese frosting.
…
Looking for a really good spritzer recipe? This strawberry spritzer is light and as far as spritzer recipes go, it’s pretty straightforward. These types of drinks are not heavy on the alcohol, which makes them ideal for warmer days.
Like a sangria, it is a great option when having a gathering. It is full of strawberry flavor and the lovely pink hue comes not only from the rosé wine, but also the berries themselves. This is the perfect summer sipper. Summer is a great time to make a variety of spritzer recipes because there is so much fruit in season. Quick and easy to make, this drink only has a handful of ingredients. So, make a pitcher and invite a few friends over!
This post contains affiliate links. For more information, please refer to my disclosure page.
…
I was spending my birthday weekend in the Clearwater area and it just so happened to coincide with the Strawberry Festival in Plant City. I was ecstatic because I happen to know that A LOT of strawberries come out of that area and are shipped all over the east coast.
When I was still cheffing in NYC, all of the strawberry flats were from Plant City so I knew there were good berries to be had. Slathered in sunscreen for a day of walking around in the blistering sunshine, we got in the car and drove an hour to have our fill of strawberry everything… or so we thought.
Perhaps it was my own fault, I envisioned strawberry pies, strawberry jams & jellies, strawberry malts, strawberry pastries, strawberries in every way imaginable and I was practically frothing at the mouth in anticipation. I was looking forward to the creativity of locals, presenting strawberries in ways I had never thought of, I was so ready to have my mind and taste buds blown! One would assume if it’s a “Strawberry Festival”, that’s exactly what you’d find, no? The short answer: no.
There were 2 places to get strawberry shortcake, each with a line at least 100 deep and a handful of other booths were strawberry items could be purchased. It was quite a let down, but there is a BIG silver lining!
Strawberry jam is excellent as is, but living in Florida, we have key limes at the market and also, make a pie made out of key limes, so I wanted to incorporate them in this jam. Strawberry key lime jam is sweet and bright with a bit of citrus.
Local farms were set up in tents, like a farmer’s market, along the streets leading into the festival. I scored an entire flat (that’s about 12 pounds) of the most gorgeous, bright ruby red strawberries you’ve ever laid your eyes on for… wait for it…. seven dollars! Seven. Dollars. I was over the moon! I happily lugged that box all the way back to the car. I also had a glazed doughnut roughly the size of a baby’s head fresh from the oil, so it wasn’t a total loss 😉
Would I go to that festival again? Probably not. Would I drive the hour to buy 12 pounds of perfect strawberries for $7.00? You bet.
Basic Strawberry Jam recipe, slightly tweaked with a South Florida flair I don't remember where I learned this trick, but a pat of butter help keep the foam to a minimum. If you are so inclined, drop a pat of butter into your strawberry mixture while it's cooking to keep the foam under control.
Strawberry Key Lime Jam
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Adapted from Ball Blue Book
