Strawberries. The best recipes. Right here.

It is that time of year in California when the strawberries are just bursting out of their little plants. We can find good strawberries all summer long but springtime is definitely boom time here and we do sometimes find ourselves with a crate full. They don’t last long so we always have a processing scramble to do something with them before they begin to mold. My kids do offer simple to eat them all and they have made valiant efforts in that regard but there is something to be said for putting a few of them away for another day. Here are our go-to approaches.

Strawberry Freezer Jam

It would be difficult to over-emphasize how simple this option is. Freezer jam requires a clean, stemmed berry, some sweetener, pectin, and a blender. It is very simple. Check out the instructions here.

Roasted Strawberries

This is definitely one to try if you haven’t and I’ve written about it in detail here. Roasting brings out the natural fruit sugars by caramelizing the berry. The added balsamic vinegar does something to these berries that is very special. After roasting, if you do not eat them all with a spoon, they can be used as dessert toppings, condiment sides, or the core ingredient in a strawberry dressing.

Strawberry Vinaigrette

From those roasted strawberries above, be sure to try this strawberry vinaigrette. It is a lovely dressing that can also be used as a sauce. Check out the details here.

Dried/Dehydrated Strawberries

Yes, the berry is great dried. It is a tiny nugget of sweetness that makes a great snack all on its own. You dry it like any other fruit but be sure to read the directions here to keep all of the juices and flavor of the berry in its dried form. (The juices will try to sneak away otherwise.)

A Strawberry Lemon Soda Mix

This is a slick little method my mom came up with during one of those moments of strawberry overload. It combines strawberries, lemon juice, and your favorite sweetener for a convenient (and eye-catching) soda mix. Read more about it here.