Strawberries Romanoff

The strawberries are coming!  The strawberries are coming!!!  There are SO many awesome things about spring approaching, and this happens to be one of them!  I bet if you close your eyes and think about it, you can smell that magical sweet smell.  One of my favorite memories of strawberries is going to la Madeleine French bakery and cafe with my mom and having Strawberries Romanoff for dessert.  Mmmm.  

The story I've been told, it that this la Madeleine favorite can be traced back to a 1950s Hollywood restaurant called Romanoff's on Rodeo Drive.  Credit for the original recipe goes to a famous and influential French chef, Auguste Escoffier.  Lord have mercy, this stuff is AMAZING!  You probably have the ingredients at your house already, and this is absolutely perfect for a special brunch parfait, light dinner dessert, etc.  

Print this Recipe

Ingredients:  (4 servings)

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp brandy (or cognac)
• substitute high quality vanilla if you prefer to not use alcohol
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 4 cups fresh strawberries

You can make this sauce in about 5 minutes! 

Step-by-Step:

Mix sour cream, brown sugar, and brandy.

1/2 cup sour cream

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp brandy (or cognac)

In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until it starts to thicken.  Then add sugar and whip until thick.

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

3 Tbsp sugar

 Fold cream into the sour cream mixture and blend well.

Serve with fresh strawberries.  We also garnished with a sprig of mint and a little orange zest; however this is quite optional.

Written Method:

• Mix sour cream, brown sugar, and brandy.
• In a separate bowl, whip the heavy cream until it starts to thicken.  Then add sugar and whip until thick.
• Fold cream into the sour cream mixture and blend well.
• Serve with fresh strawberries.  We also garnished with a sprig of mint and a little orange zest; however this is quite optional.

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Grilled Strawberry Shortcake Kabobs

Okay, so I'm not sure where these lovely little gems have been all my life!  But really?  Strawberry shortcake on a stick?  Face it, we all enjoy eating food off of a stick.  I'm not sure exactly what the fascination is... but think about how many marshmallows and hot dogs have been roasted over a bonfire all these years. 

Although we are still able to buy them, the actual season for strawberries has pretty much past.  That means that the ones in the supermarket are not quite as sweet as they once were in late spring and early summer.  But the juices from these hot grilled ones is pretty much amazing.  And the angel food cake gets this... um... sort of crunchy crusty thing happening that is pretty appealing to me as well.  

I'm not suggesting that there is anything wrong with the traditional strawberry shortcake recipe!  But if you are putting some things out on the grill (or inside on the grill pan), I'm just saying that this is a fun one to try!  I guess I like it when I encounter things that are traditional, but with a cool twist.  

Then you get to DIP it!  That's another kid favorite thing... something to dip.  We whipped up a batch of lemon scented sweetened whipped cream.   Don't you know a kid (maybe even a big person) who would enjoy eating this cool dessert?  Even if its a dinner party out on the back deck... these will steal the show!

Click for Printable Recipe
Ingredients: (4 skewers)

• 1/2 pound angel food cake 
• you won't need it all
• 12 strawberries 
• 1/4 cup strawberry preserves
• 2 Tbsp melted butter
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 Tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp good quality vanilla
• zest of 1 lemon

Step-by-Step:
These can be made ahead of time and grilled just before dessert.
1. dip    2.  strawberries   3.  cake   4.  grill and serve!

1.  Let's make the whipped cream dip -
Mix together the heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar.  Beat until soft/medium peaks form.  Caution - don't let it go too long or it will turn into butter.

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tsp vanilla (I used clear Mexican vanilla)

Get it a bit thick first...

Then add the powdered sugar.

3 Tbsp powdered sugar

You can see the soft peaks in the bottom.  

Make sure you have someone to test it out for you.  Then add the zest of about a half of a lemon to the top, and refrigerate the cream until you are ready to serve.

This is probably more whipped cream dip than you will need, but I'm sure you'll put it to good use.  Hello pancakes.. here I come.

2.  Prepare the strawberries - 

Remove the hulls.  You can do this with a paring knife the traditional way, or you can even use a regular straw.  Push the straw up through the bottom of the strawberry.  Once it comes out of the top, the hull magically just sort of pops out.  It's pretty fun, actually.

12 strawberries

The hulls.  Pretty cool, huh?

Melt some strawberry preserves in a small bowl.  I just microwaved it for 30 seconds.  You want it liquified.

1/4 cup strawberry preserves

Dip the strawberries into the melted strawberry preserves.  Use a fork to get them out and "drain" them as you go.

3.  Prepare the angel food cubes.

Cut your angel food cake into cubes. You want them to be roughly the same size as the strawberries, and the same size as each other.  If some are really large and some small, the smaller ones won't touch the grill.  Size and uniformity does matter in this one.

We need 8, equivalent sized cubes of cake

Now just put them together.  I am using these double skewers. If you are using singles, use two at a time.  Hold them slightly apart while threading the food onto them.  This will keep the fruit and cake from swiveling around.

4.  Grill and serve - 

When you are ready to grill them, brush the cake with melted butter on each side.  The butter will help to prevent the cake from sticking, and it will also help form that lovely crust.

2 Tbsp melted butter

Grill the kabobs on a medium grill or grill pan about 4 minutes per side.  You should see some really nice grill marks on the cake.  The berries will also get a slight char on them.  

Serve hot with the lemon scented whipped cream dip.

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Coconut Lime Chicken

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Written Method:

These can be made ahead of time and grilled just before dessert.
1. dip    2.  strawberries   3.  cake   4.  grill and serve!

1.  Let's make the whipped cream sauce -

Mix together the heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar.  Beat until soft/medium peaks form.  Caution - don't let it go too long or it will turn into butter. Get it a bit thick first... Then add the powdered sugar. You can see the soft peaks in the bottom.  Then add the zest of about a half of a lemon to the top, and refrigerate the cream until you are ready to serve.  This is probably more whipped cream dip than you will need, but I'm sure you'll put it to good use.

2.  Prepare the strawberries - 

Remove the hulls.  You can do this with a paring knife, or with a regular straw.  Push the straw up through the bottom of the strawberry.  Once it comes out of the top, the hull magically just sort of pops out.  It's pretty fun, actually.  You need 12 strawberries.

Melt some strawberry preserves in a small bowl.  I just microwaved it for 30 seconds.  You want it liquified.   Dip the strawberries into the melted strawberry preserves.  Use a fork to get them out and "drain" them as you go.

3.  Prepare the angel food cubes.

Cut your angel food cake into cubes. You want them to be roughly the same size as the strawberries, and the same size as each other.  If some are really large and some small, the smaller ones won't touch the grill.  Size and uniformity does matter in this one. You need 8 equivalent cubes of cake.

Now just put them together.  I am using these double skewers. If you are using singles, use two at a time.  Hold them slightly apart while threading the food onto them.  This will keep the fruit and cake from swiveling around.

4.  Grill and serve - 

When you are ready to grill them, brush the cake with melted butter on each side.  The butter will help to prevent the cake from sticking, and it will also help form that lovely crust.  Grill the kabobs on a medium grill or grill pan about 4 minutes per side.  You should see some really nice grill marks on the cake.  The berries will also get a slight char on them.  Serve hot with the lemon scented whipped cream dip.

 

Fruit Pizza

Yesterday, as we braved yet another afternoon of incessant rain, the troops were growing restless. One of the kids suggested we make a fruit pizza.  If you have ever eaten this treat, you know that the term "pizza" is a misnomer. This dessert consists of a sugar cookie "pizza crust," a sweetened cream cheese "pizza sauce," lots of beautiful fresh fruit, all topped off with a sweet glaze.

If you need a rainy day activity to do with your kiddos... Or perhaps you are a big "kid" with a sweet tooth, this is a fun and easy recipe that is just as delicious as it is pretty to serve!  For that matter, it would be great as individual cookies for a child's party or a shower.

Ingredients:

• 1 roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• 1 8 oz package of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup confectioners sugar
• Zest of one lemon
• Your choice of fresh seasonal fruit
• Strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, raspberries, blueberries
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 tsp corn starch
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

Step-by-Step:
Prepare sugar cookie "crust" as directed on package.  The parchment paper will keep it from sticking and make it easier to transfer off of the baking sheet to cool. Make sure you put a little flour on your hands as you press or roll out the cookie dough.

1 roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough

 Make the "pizza sauce" by mixing together the cream cheese, lemon zest, and powder sugar.

1 8 oz package of cream cheese

Zest of one lemon

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

Mix to blend, then refrigerate until cold and firmed up again.

To Prepare the Glaze.
Mix together the orange juice, granulated sugar, corn starch, and a little vanilla.

1/2 cup orange juice

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp corn starch

Just a bit of vanilla.  Maybe 1/8 to 1/4 tsp.  Sorry, I didn't measure.

Bring to a boil so thickener can work, then reduce heat and let the syrup reduce until thick and syrupy. :)

Assemble.
To the totally cool cookie "crust," add the cold sweetened cream cheese.

Arrange fruits as you desire.

Add the cooled glaze.

 Serve to little smiling faces!

I couldn't resist adding this photo.  My son saw me with the camera, so he grabbed my phone started taking photos with it.  They love getting in on "the action!"

So this masterpiece of color was created mostly by my kiddos!  Beautiful, isn't it?!

 You can see how lovely and shiny the glaze is on the fruit.

Okay, so it's not perfectly round.  Who cares?  What is important is the time we are spending together doing the activity, them learning about techniques and skills... and that it's yummy!

Enjoy!
Written Directions
Begin by making mixing together cream cheese, confectioners sugar, and lemon zest. I used a hand mixer for this. Put the mix in the refrigerator until needed.  Prepare the crust as indicated by package. For ease of cleanup and removal from pan, consider baking the cookie dough on parchment paper. While cookie is baking, make the glaze by bringing orange juice, sugar, vanilla, and corn starch to a boil, then allow to reduce until thickened and syrupy.  Cool in the refrigerator.  On a completely cool cookie crust, spread the cream cheese "sauce." Arrange fruit over the cream cheese. Brush cooled glaze over fruit.

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