The magic day in much of Eastern North Carolina is the day our strawberry producers let us know that strawberries are ready! It means to us in Lenoir County that it’s time to fully open the Lenoir County Farmers Market! It means the same to many others in our area, and even if the markets have been open, there nothing like the excitement of taking home fresh berries. Be sure to get out and shop for local produce in your area, then come home and give these recipes a try!

Summer Shrimp Salad with Cilantro and Strawberry Salsa

½ green bell pepper

½ orange bell pepper

1 ear fresh corn, husked

1 tablespoon butter or oil

10-12 ounces fresh medium shrimp, cleaned, and raw

½ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ tsp. cumin

¼ teaspoon salt

1/8 – ¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 lime halved

Oil for drizzling

¼ teaspoon salt

3–4-ounce fresh salad greens (spring mix, romaine, etc.)

Strawberry Salsa

5-7 ripe strawberries

1 jalapeno

¼ minced red onion

½ lime, juiced

1 teaspoon avocado oil, or olive oil

Fresh cilantro, to taste

For the salsa, hull and chop the strawberries and combine with the minced onion. Remove stem, seeds, and ribs from the jalapeno, mince, then add to your salsa. Add juice of half of a lime, a drizzle of olive or avocado oil, and fresh cilantro to taste. Toss to combine and add additional seasoning to taste.

Chop your bell peppers and cut the kernels from the corn. Heat a sauté pan to medium high heat, and sauté veggies in a tiny drizzle of oil or butter until tender. Transfer to a bowl and deglaze the pan with juice from half of a lime. Add a tablespoon of butter to the pan.

Once butter is bubbling, add your shrimp and spices (garlic powder, cumin, salt and pepper) and cook until shrimp are pink and opaque, approximately 4-5 minutes. Stirring occasionally for even cooking/coating. Return your veggies to the pan and garnish the dish with fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Serve over a bed of leafy greens and top with your fresh strawberry salsa.

Balsamic Roasted Strawberry and Basil Grilled Cheese

8 fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon local honey

Salt to taste, freshly ground if possible

Freshly ground black pepper

4 to 6 slices hearty white bread, sliced thick

1-2 tablespoons butter, divided

Fresh basil (I freeze fresh basil in ice cubes in the summer and use this, it is terrifically fresh)

1 wedge triple crème brie, about 5-8 ounces, or the same amount of Havarti 9havarti is also creamy and often easier to find)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Toss the sliced strawberries in a bowl.

Whisk the balsamic vinegar and honey together. Toss the strawberries with the balsamic mix to

coat. Arrange on a baking dish in an even layer and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes.

Set aside. Preheat your skillet to a medium heat. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Arrange the

strawberries, brie or Havarti, and basil on half of the bread. Season with black pepper. Top with

remaining slices.

Melt remaining tablespoon butter in the pan and toast each sandwich on both sides until golden

and cheese becomes gooey. To serve, brush with any remaining balsamic mixture on the roasting pan if desired. Mini Cheesecakes with Strawberry Topping (I have been making these for the Holidays for a long time, they are the perfect size and a super way to use your fresh strawberries)

For the Crusts;

2/3 graham cracker crumbs

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Pinch of salt

For the Filling;

2, 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Pinch of salt

For the Topping;

1 cup strawberries sliced (or chopped)

1 tablespoons sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and line 12 mini muffin cups with paper liners.

To prepare the crust, combine graham cracker crumbs and 1 tablespoon sugar in a medium

bowl. Drizzle in melted butter and stir with a fork to combine. Dividing the mixture among the

muffin cups, about 1 tablespoon each, and press down with the back of a spoon.

To prepare the filling, beat the cream cheese, yogurt, 2/3 cup sugar and lemon zest in a large

mixing bowl with an electric mixer on a medium speed until combined. Add eggs and egg yolks

one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and lemon juice and beat, scraping the

sides of the bowl as needed, until combined. Divide the batter among the prepared cups.

Bake the cheesecakes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Then refrigerate until ready to use.

To prepare the topping, combine the strawberries and sugar in a small bowl. Let sit at room

temperature, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To serve, top each cheesecake with a generous 1 tablespoon of the fruit, if desired a small squirt

of whipped topping to each one. Serves 12.

Strawberry Stuffed French Toast

4 tablespoons cream cheese

1 tablespoon honey

2 large eggs

¼ cup milk

2 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 teaspoon cinnamon, divided

8 fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

8 slices slightly stale whole wheat bread

4 teaspoons butter, divided

Additional strawberries and syrup for serving

To make the filling, mix the cream cheese with the honey and set aside.

In a shallow dish or plate, combine 1 tablespoon sugar, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon.

To assemble the toast, spread a slice of bread with ¼ of the cream cheese mixture. Top with two

sliced strawberries and cover with a second slice of bread. Coat first with the egg mixture and

then the cinnamon sugar mix.

Melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan, Fry over medium-high heat until golden brown

and crunchy, gently push on the sides to brown but not in the middle so the filling is not

squeezed out.

Repeat the process with the remaining slices of bread. Top with your choice of syrup and fresh

sliced strawberries. Serves 4.

Strawberry Frozen Yogurt in Minutes

(adapted from Just a Taste Blog)

4 cups of fresh frozen strawberries

3 tablespoons local honey or agave nectar

½ cup plain yogurt, or plain Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Add the frozen strawberries, honey (or nectar), yogurt, and lemon juice to the bowl of a food

processor. Process until creamy, about 5 minutes. Sere the frozen yogurt immediately or transfer it to an airtight container and store in the freezer

for a month. Serves 4.