We confess—we just can't get enough of strawberries! Sure, they taste amazing on their own, but since we know we'll be eating this sweet fruit all summer long, we felt it was high time to get more creative about how we'll be achieving pure berry bliss from here on out. Here are 12 simple tricks that will give this summer favorite a serious upgrade:
1. Use a straw to quickly remove stems.
While we love sinking our teeth into a juicy strawberry, pulling the stem off always seems to get in the way of fully enjoying the fruit. But thanks to blogger Amy's smart trick, you can remove strawberry stems in seconds using just a straw. Just poke at the bottom tip, pushing the straw through your fruit until the stem pops right up. This trick is also a great (and safe!) way for kids to help out in the kitchen.
Learn more at New Nostalgia.
2. Make strawberry bowls that can be filled with creamy goodness.
Use a melon baller to scoop out the inside of a strawberry and you'll be left with a little edible bowl. Blogger Joanne chose to stuff hers with cheesecake filling, but we also think chocolate mousse—as seen on the blog A Beautiful Mess—sounds like a delicious option.
Get the recipe pictured above at Fifteen Spatulas.
Get the recipe pictured above at A Beautiful Mess.
3. Use an egg slicer to easily cut strawberries into slices.
First, remove the stems from your strawberries. Than place them on an egg slicer with the top down. The device will cut your berries into thin slices, perfect for snacking.
4. For a summer-ready adult beverage, infuse the flavor of strawberries into alcohol.
Put strawberries, basil, and vodka into a Mason jar. Let it sit until all the color from the strawberries transfers into the vodka, turning it a deep pink hue.
Get the recipe at Foodie with Family.
5. Make heart-shaped strawberries.
It doesn't have to be Valentine's Day to make heart-shaped food! Start off by cutting strawberries in half. Turn them upside down and insert a toothpick through each half to hold them together, arranged in the shape of a heart. Make your fruit extra pretty (and tasty!) by covering them in melted chocolate. Remove the toothpick once the chocolate hardens.
Get the recipe at Made From Pinterest.
6. Turn up the heat and roast your strawberries.
Did you know that strawberries taste amazing when roasted? Roast them at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes. The berries will caramelize, developing an even more intense sweetness, and releasing juicy syrup.
7. Add pretty strawberry roses to fruit salad.
This simple recipe only looks complicated. The secret to this surprisingly easy trick is slicing downwards with the edge of a knife to create petals.
8. Use strawberries to make edible shot glasses.
These strawberry mojito "shotsicles" let you eat your shot glass in refreshing popsicle form. Use berries to make strawberry mojitos, that can then be frozen in special glass-shaped molds.
Get the recipe at Tablespoon.
9. Fry your strawberries to make fritters.
Fried strawberries? Yes, please! The fried shell will give your fritters a doughnut-like crunch while the strawberry center will be fully of juicy goodness.
Get the recipe at Crumb.
10. Turn strawberries into Jell-O shots.
If you need more convincing that strawberries make the perfect cup-like base, check out these strawberry margarita Jell-O shots. We think this recipe is exactly what your next summer party needs!
11. Freeze them to enjoy all year long.
We only have one complaint when it comes to strawberries—strawberry season is too short! But thanks to this genius trick, you can freeze strawberries to preserve their freshness even when they aren't available at the farmers' market. First, wash and slice them. Then, add some sugar and mix with the berries until it dissolves. Freeze them in plastic bags or storage containers immediately. They should last for 8-12 months—just the right amount of time for strawberry season to come back around.
Learn more at Taste of Southern.
12. Grow strawberries in your own backyard.
Growing strawberries at home may seem like a challenge, but blogger Ananda of A Piece of Rainbow recently proved otherwise when she built a strawberry tower with a built-in water reservoir made out of recycled materials. The tower stacks five-gallon plastic nursery pots, with drain holes on the bottom and soil inside.
