Strawberry Season is Here!

Here in northern Michigan the strawberries are ready for picking! They are so tasty and are so much better than the ones I have been buying at the grocery store. We used to go and pick enough to freeze for the winter but now just buy enough for a few shortcakes and other desserts such as the one I made today called "Berries On A Cloud".

Berries On A Cloud

One recipe White Chocolate Meringue Shells (recipe below)

6 ozs. reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup light dairy sour cream

2 Tbs. sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 of an 8oz. container frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed

1 oz. semisweet chocolate, cut up

1/2 tsp. shortening

3 to 4 cups hulled small strawberries

1/4 cup strawberry jelly

1 to 2 tsp. water

Prepare and bake meringue shells.

In mixing bowl beat together the cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla till smooth. Fold in thawed topping. Spread evenly in the meringue shells. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

In small heavy saucepan melt the semisweet chocolate with the shortening, cool. Drizzle over tops and sides of filled shells. Arrange berries, hulled end down, over cream cheese filling. In small pan, heat jelly just until melted. Add 1 to 2 tsps. water to thin. Drizzle over arranged berries. Makes 8 servings

Meringue Shells

Let 3 large eggs stand in mixing bowl for 30 minutes. Cover a baking sheet with plain brown paper or foil; draw eight 3-inch circles. Add 1/2 tsp. vanilla and 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar to egg whites. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed till soft peaks form (tips curl). Add 1 cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating on high speed till very stiff peaks form (tips stand straight up) and sugar is almost dissolved. Fold in 1 oz. of grated white chocolate (about 6 tbs.). Spread or pipe meringue over circles on baking sheet and shape into shells. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes. Turn oven off, let meringues dry in oven with door closed for at least an hour(do not open door). Peel off paper and store in airtight container.

I did it a little different from the recipe as I just mashed up a few berries to make them go a little farther. Some sliced ones on the edge would have been nice also, along with some fresh mint.

Let There Be White!

This is what happens if you don't watch your candles closely!!! LOL!

The chargers are "Country Crafts" in Florentine White by Pinzon. The dishes are from Roscher's "Juliet" collection.

I had two small vases of white flowers at each end of the table along with the center arrangement and made sure there wasn't anything near the candle flames. (or so I thought) I had went to check on my DH as he has been falling more lately, and when I returned to the dining room, the small arrangement that was on the left side of tall candle holder was blazing away! ( I wanted the table to "pop", but not quite that way!) My first response was to let out a scream...which I did....then quickly blew it out! What happened was the candle in the tall holder melted on the side and it dripped down on the other arrangement which must have started the fire. Funny, though, there was a couple of flower petals on the pillar candle....almost like the flower exploded and some landed up on the candle! Strange!!!! After I had time to settle down, I really got nervous thinking what might have been. The tablecloth could have caught on fire easily if any of the petals had dropped down!

It is kind of funny now, but certainly not at the time! Next time I will NOT leave the room! LOL!

Please visit Cusine Kathleen's blog for a link to all of the beautiful entries. You can find it here