Summer Recipes- Berries

By Miriam Rossow, Communications Coordinator

Michigan in the summer is a great time to go berry picking. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries can be found in yards and farms. We enjoy berries over shortcake, ice cream, in pie, with whipped cream, or just fresh all summer long. This is our second week of featured recipes. If you would like to see recipes from the first week featuring ice cream, you can find them here.

Over the next three or four weeks we will post a blog a week with different recipes featuring a different dessert item. This week our recipes will all feature berries! Enjoy and share pictures of your desserts in the comments or on our FB page.  

1 c. plus 3 T. sugar, divided
1 stick butter, melted
2 1/2 c. pretzels, crushed
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 12 oz. container Cool Whip
2 3 oz. pkgs. raspberry or strawberry Jell-O
2 c. boiling water
2 10 oz. pkgs. frozen raspberries or strawberries

Mix 3 tablespoons sugar, butter and pretzels together. Pat into a 9" x 13" pan. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese, Cool  Whip and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Spread over baked and cooled pretzel mixture. Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water and add frozen raspberries/strawberries. Let jell slightly. Spread Jell-O mixture on top.

1 3/4 c strawberry preserves
1/3 c. orange juice
1/3 c. plus 4 T. Cointreau or other orange liqueur, divided
1 lb. mascarpone cheese, softened
1 1/3 c. chilled whipping cream
1/3 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 lb. strawberries, divided
25 crisp ladyfingers

Whisk preserves, 1/3 cup Cointreau, and orange juice in 2-cup measuring cup. Place mascarpone cheese and 2 tablespoons Cointreau in large bowl; fold just to blend. Using electric mixer, beat cream, sugar, vanilla, and remaining 2 tablespoons Cointreau in another large bowl to form soft peaks. Stir 1/4 of whipped cream mixture into mascarpone mixture to lighten. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Hull and slice half of strawberries. Spread 1/2 cup preserve mixture over bottom of 3 quart oblong serving dish or a 9" x 13" glass baking dish. Arrange enough ladyfingers over strawberry mixture to cover bottom of dish. Spoon 3/4 cup preserve mixture over ladyfinger, then spread 2 1/2 cups mascarpone mixture. Repeat layering with remaining lady fingers, preserve mixture and mascarpone mixture. Cover with plastic and chill at least 8 hours or overnight. Slice remaining strawberries. Arrange over tiramisu and serve.

1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, milk, and vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder; add to creamed mixture just until combined. Gently fold in blueberries. Pour into a greased 9" x 5" x 3" loaf pan. Sprinkle topping on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. 

2 tsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Combine sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over top.

1 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 3.4 oz. pkg. instant vanilla
1 12 oz. frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
1 angel food cake, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 qt. blueberries, strawberries, &/or raspberries
additional berries- optional

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar. Add milk and pudding mix; mix well. Fold in 1 1/2 cups of whipped topping. Place half of the cake cubes in a 3 quart glass bowl. Layer with half of the berries then half of the pudding mixture. Cover with remaining cake cubes. Layer with the remaining berries and pudding mixture. Spread remaining whipped topping over top. Garnish with additional berries if desired. Store leftovers in refrigerator. Yield 12-14 servings. 

1 6 oz. graham cracker ready pie crust
1 pkg. raspberry flavored Jell-O (4 serving size)
1/4 c. boiling water
2 8 oz. ctn. raspberry flavor yogurt
1 8 oz. whipped topping, thawed
1 12 oz. pkg. frozen whole raspberries, partially defrosted and drained

In large, heat resistant bowl, dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Stir in yogurt with wire whisk. Fold in whipped topping with wooden spoon. Gently fold in the drained raspberries. Spread in crust. Refrigerate overnight or at least 2 hours before serving. All sugar-free and light products also work well with this recipe.