There are few things in life as delightful as fresh, juicy strawberries that have been picked on a dewy morning ... except, perhaps the anticipation that comes with knowing that you can enjoy them fresh and in your favorite baked goods for days to come!
June is the height of strawberry season in many parts of the United States and, this month, strawberry recipes are on parade here at Seasoned Cooking. We begin with a strawberry jam recipe that's simple, fast and delicious! It's perfect on toast and, because it's made in the microwave, it can be put together in about a half an hour.
In a 4-quart microproof bowl, combine the fruit and juice with the pectin. Cook, covered, on HIGH (Max Power) for 10-11 minutes, or until the mixture boils. Stir once during cooking. Stir in the sugar. Cook, uncovered, on HIGH for 10-12 minutes, or until the mixture boils hard for at least 1 minutes. Skim off any foam with a metal spoon. Pour the mixture into hot sterilized jars and seal.
Yields: 2 quarts
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Mini-muffins are great for brunch because you can enjoy more than one without any guilt. I like to make these and another kind, like lemon-poppyseed, to give some variety. Muffins are also great because you can make them in advance and freeze them so that you have them on hand at a moment's notice.
Preheat the oven to 375. Spray 36 miniature muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
In large bowl, combine the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder and salt; mix well.
In a small bowl, combine the milk, oil and egg; blend well. Add to the flour mixture; stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Gently stir in the strawberries.
Spoon a rounded tablespoonful of batter into each sprayed muffin cup. Sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of sugar evenly over the batter in the cups.
Bake in the preheated oven for 12-16 minutes or until the edges are very light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for 3 minutes; remove from the pan. Serve warm.
