Summer Time Chill

Picture this: A sunny spring day. Temperatures in the high 70's. Your kids are playing outside while you and other mommies and relaxing on the porch. Here's what you have in your hand....

Strawberry Sangria

9 - C fresh strawberries, trimmed and halved; separated

2/3 - C sugar

1/2 - C water

1 -750 ml bottle white winse, such as Sauvigon Blanc or Pino Grigio

2 C sparkling water, chilled

1 orange, sliced

In a large saucepan combine 8 C strawberries, sugar and water. Bring just to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat. Cover, cool to room temperature. Press mixture, a little at a time, through a sieve; discard solids. You should have about 3 C syrup. In a 2-quart container, stir together the syrup, wine, and remaining 1 C strawberries. Cover and chill up to 24 hours. Stir in sparkling water before serving. Decorate glass with orange slice or toss in glass.

Cute little side dishes: make a cone out of parchment paper. Tape the side. Fill with fresh blueberries.

Slice whatever fruit you like. For the dip: 1 container marshmallow fluff mixed with 1 container whipped cream cheese.

Simply Delicious Strawberry Cake

Thank you Paula Deen! Yes, it is strawberry season.....and Valentines Day is around the corner, so is my 5 year anniversary. For me, a trifecta. Let your kids help pour ingredients into the bowl. Have them break one egg at a time into a smaller bowl (catching any shell pieces before they go into the cake) and then pour each egg into the large bowl. They can decorate the end cake with their strawberry pieces.

Cake Ingredients:

1 box white cake mix

1 (3 oz) box strawberry instant gelatin

15 oz pkg frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed

4 Lg eggs

1/2 C vegetable oil

1/4 C water

Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients:

1/4 C butter, softened

8 oz cream cheese, softened

10 oz pkg frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed

1/2 t strawberry extract (if you can't find this try vanilla)

7 C confectioners' sugar (powdered sugar)

Fresh strawberries - washed, sliced for garnish: optional

Preheat overn to 350 deg. Lightly grease 2 9" round cake pans.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add pureed strawberries, eggs, oil and water; beat on med speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

For the frosting:

In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Beat in 1/4 C of the strawberry puree and extract. (keep the rest of the puree for smoothies or top for ice-cream) Gradually add sugar, beating until smooth.

Place your bottom piece of cake on a plate or wherever you will serve it from. Ice the top of the cake. Place the second cake on top of the first. Ice the sides and top of the cake. If your bottom cake is rounded on top, you may want to shave a little off the top so the top cake will sit nicely on the bottom cake. Garnish with fresh strawberries and serve.