A Berry Tasty Mistake*

As I’ve mentioned before, we are members of The Produce Box.  Fresh, local produce delivered weekly to our front door?  Yes, please!  I like trying out new veggies and incorporating old standbys into our meals, but I was especially excited about the recent opportunity to order a “stock-up” box of strawberries.  So excited, in fact, that I accidentally ordered TWO stock-up boxes.  (In other news, I will not be making my Produce Box selections from my iPhone again in the future.)

As you probably know, left alone, fresh strawberries don’t last very long. In fact, most recommendations say to eat them within 24 hours. We like strawberries, but certainly not enough to eat SIXTEEN PINTS in one day.  So…it was time to plan.

First, we passed on the NC farm goodness to some friends & neighbors.  (And in the process learned about a certain amphibian.)  

Next, I individually froze a few pints to have on hand for snacks, toppings, and smoothies.

Finally, I hit the interwebs for recipe ideas.  I was excited to try this one for fruit leather.   (I used the oven to dry ours instead of leaving it outside.)

I’d say this first attempt was a success.  Though next time I’ll need either a larger pan or a smaller silicon pad.  The fruit puree pooled in the center, so it didn’t dry evenly.  But, it sure was delish.

Have you ever ended up with more than your fair share of produce?   What is your favorite way to eat strawberries?  Have you ever made fruit leather?

*I make no apologies for the poor pun in the title.  I blame my childhood obsession with all things Strawberry Shortcake.  (And to be clear, I still prefer the 80’s version of Strawberry—you know, before she fell into the GAP in the 00’s.)