Thank You, Teachers!

Maddie

It’s every kid’s favorite time of year: school is almost out for the summer! I love those final Layered Treats weeks of school because they are jam-packed with fun activities while our course load lightens as the academic year comes to an end. There are dances, including every GIRL’S favorite… the prom! Then there are graduation parties, open houses and one special day that I love: teacher appreciation day. Call me a teacher’s pet, but I like to make my teachers a treat at the end of the year to thank them for their guidance.

This year I decided to make my teachers layered strawberry treats. My mom helped me pick out delicious California Giant strawberries, fresh whipped cream and graham crackers for this recipe. It’s really simple, so kids of any age can make them for their teachers! Check out the recipe below.

Ingredients

Strawberry layers
9 graham crackers
1 32 oz pack of organic Giant berries
2 cups heavy whipping cream
¼ powder sugar
1 pack of instant vanilla pudding
12 clear plastic cups

Directions

Take the graham crackers and place them in a Zip loc bag. Using a back of a spoon or a rolling pin and pound the crackers until crumb size
Whip the heavy whipping cream with a whisk while adding the powder sugar to taste. Continue to whisk until you reach hard peaks.
In another bowl make the pudding according to directions
Clean your strawberries with tops on. Then cut top off and cut strawberries in 1/4 .
Place a spoonful of the crushed graham crackers in the bottom of cup.
Spoon a spoonful of the instant pudding on top of graham crackers.
Place another spoonful of the crushed graham crackers on top of pudding.
Spoon a spoonful of the whipping cream on top of graham crackers.
Layer the strawberries on top of the whipped cream.
Repeat numbers 5-9 ending with whipped cream and strawberries on top.

You can also use this recipe Teacher Appreciation Treat with different ingredients, like fresh raspberries, yogurt, granola or cookie crumbs. It’s fun to experiment and make it your own! These gifts were a hit with my teachers, and my friends were jealous I didn’t make them some. I decided to help my mom make a lot of this recipe for my graduation party so we can all share. Now, MAY you enjoy the start to summer, and make sure to thank your teachers for a great year! Have you ever made your teachers a special gift? Tell us about it below, on Facebook or Twitter!

Mom-Approved French Toast

Cindy Jewell

As a mother, I taught my kids that a little milk makes for the best French toast. And for Mother’s Day breakfast yesterday, my hubby treated me to a new take on French toast. Recently food blogger Coryanne Ettiene introduced us to a great recipe tip: baking your French toast. That’s right; this warm and juicy French toast recipe is oven-baked with berries on top. And the best thing about it all, it’s fast and simple – perfect for busy moms!

Watch the video from iFood.TV below to see Coryanne demonstrate how to make this healthier French toast recipe using a muffin tray. The berries are placed in the center of each piece of bread, so when this treat comes out of the oven the warm berries soak into the bread and then burst with sweetness in your mouth. It’s a little addicting! Watch the video below to learn how you can make this in your own kitchen.

What cooking and recipe tips did your mother teach you when you were growing up?

Breakfast Smoothie Meets Guilt-Free Dessert

Cindy Jewell

Attention my fellow parents and grandparents! Summertime is finally here, and we need to keep those kiddos cool on those sunshine-filled days. When my grandkids are over on the weekends, I like to make recipes that are easy on me and fun for them so that I can devote more energy to playing! But most importantly, I want to prepare their food with fresh and healthy ingredients.

I love this Strawberry and Blueberry breakfast Berry Smoothie from iFood.tv this very reason. I make berry smoothies for myself, but am often left with more than I can enjoy at once. Below, Coryanne Ettiene demonstrates how to combine fresh berries and other fruit into a refreshing smoothie that can later be frozen into fruity popsicles and saved for your kids or grandkids! Try serving this guilt-free dessert to your family and watch it become an instant summery favorite.

What kinds of snacks do your kids or grandkids enjoy on a hot summer day?

Escape to the French Countryside

Cindy Jewell

Bonjour berry lovers! As we quickly approach the halfway mark of the 2013 year, I find myself longing for a holiday to relax and recharge. I will admit that living in gorgeous and fertile Northern California can be like a 365-day a year vacation, but a change of scenery never hurts! But when the peak-of-season fresh berries here in Watsonville are busy blooming, I have to make due with a temporary escape.

This French strawberry cocktail from iFood.tv is exactly what I need during times like these to take me on a temporary adventure to the French countryside. The French are known for pairing sweet, seasonal strawberries with fruity red wines, and this recipe holds true to that tradition. Below, Coryanne Ettiene demonstrates how to make this French favorite that she says reminds her of long afternoons spent on holiday in France. Try this refreshing combo of pinot noir and strawberries this week to relax without the jetlag and travel hustle and bustle. Hopefully it will give you just the summer vacay lift you need… bon voyage!

What is your favorite way to create a “temporary escape” for yourself when you need to recharge? Tell us below, on Facebook or on Twitter!

Spring Berry Balsamic Pizza

Chef Julia

Summer is on its way and everywhere I go, it seems people are finally emerging from Strawberry Pizza winter hibernation. Flowers are blooming, our faces have more color, animals are active and the smells in the air are more heavenly! But even as we fire up the barbecue and get into grilling at this time of year, I still miss the winter is all the baking and wonderful smells in the house. Warm breads, muffins and desserts fill my house over the holidays, so naturally I have to buy a TON of flour to make all of this happen.

As I was going through my kitchen doing a little spring cleaning, I discovered I had several ingredients on hand to make springtime strawberry pizza. I figured this was an appropriate way to use some of the flour in the pantry from previous baking sprees, so I fashioned a fresh pizza dough. With my additional ingredients, I made a yummy strawberry balsamic brie and goat cheese pizza that my family scarfed down with no hesitation. Check out the recipe below!

Strawberry Balsamic Pizza

Dough Ingredients

3 ½ cups flour
1 ¼ teaspoon yeast
1 ¼ cup warm water
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Honey
1 tablespoon Olive oil

Dough Directions

Add the flour, and salt to a mixing bowl
In the warm water spoon the yeast, honey and olive oil and stir. Wait a couple of minutes to see if there are bubble which means your yeast is active
Once you see bubbles, about 5 minutes, pour the liquid in to the dry ingredients and knead together in the mixing bowl on low speed for 5 minutes.
Keeping the dough in the bowl, cover it with a damp cloth and allow to rise for 1 hour
Once risen place dough on a floured work surface and shape your pizza
Then place on a baking sheet and while rising once again for 30 minutes add your topping and bake at 400 f for 20 minutes

Topping Ingredients

1 cup fresh cleaned and sliced strawberries
¼ cup toasted pine nuts
¼ cup goat cheese
6 chunks of brie
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1 tablespoon balsamic
Dash salt
Dash pepper

Sprinkle the above ingredients on top of pizza dough.

Have you ever made pizza dough from scratch? Try experimenting with ingredients in your kitchen this weekend to see what masterpiece you can create! Share your ideas below, on Facebook and on Twitter.