This post is sponsored in conjunction with #SpringSweetsWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to help in the creation of the #SpringSweetsWeek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.
One of my favorite spring activities is strawberry picking! Ever year, we visit an awesome local farm, load ourselves up on gorgeous betters, and then spend the next week putting them up and making a ton of treats.
These strawberry rhubarb sweet rolls are a favorite – and I always put up extra filling so we can have them in the doldrums of winter, too!
It’s strawberry season here! The kids and I spent yesterday morning at one of our favorite local farms picking a whole flat of gorgeous berries – so now we’re making everything strawberry.
Do you want to take bets on how many things I can stick strawberries in over the next few days?
Are you a rhubarb fan? I was just introduced to it last year via our CSA. Honestly, it’s one of those things that kind of scared me – I just didn’t know what to do with it.
I love pancakes. And my toddler has inherited that love. They used to be something I only made occasionally – on a lazy weekend morning or special occasion – but with Jake requesting them they’ve been in the rotation much more frequently. And, of course, my favorite recipe includes a heavy dose of sugar – and then I slather them in syrup.
Perfect candidate for a recipe makeover!
Instead of sugar, this version is packed with protein – eggs and Greek yogurt make these a great, filling option for the morning. Instead of being slathered with syrup, they’re topped with a compote of fresh strawberries and basil – and just a little honey.
The result is a fresh, filling breakfast that satisfies the pancake cravings in a much healthier fashion.
Strawberry Basil Pancakes (adapted from Better Homes and Gardens) Serves 4
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
In a bowl, combine strawberries and honey. Let sit for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the strawberries start to give up their juice. Stir in the basil just before serving.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs and yogurt. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry until all moistened.
Drop batter by 2 Tbsp. heaps into a lightly-greased frying pan and spread out a bit. Cook until the edges are dry and flip, cooking an additional minute or so.
Serve pancakes warm, topped with the strawberry basil compote.
I got to pick the theme for this month’s What’s Baking and picked cheese. Of all the cheese recipes I have marked to make, I kept coming back to this one. It just looked so good.
And, it was. This is all from scratch – even the jam – so it takes a little bit of time and effort, but it’s so worth it!
Check back later this week to see what other cheese delights got baked up!
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, cold and cut into chunks
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup sour cream (not low fat)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cup fresh strawberries, cut into pieces
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. water
1.5 tsp. cornstarch
Chop the strawberries and toss them with sugar. If you want a more jam-like layer, finely chop the berries. I wanted distinguishable berry pieces in mine so I just gave them a rough chop. Heat them in a saucepan until they release their juices – about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch. Add this to the strawberries and stir to combine. Cook a few minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Using a mixer, combine the cream cheese, sugar and egg. Set aside.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour and sugar. Cut in the butter until it resembles coarse crumbs. Remove 3/4 cup of the crumbs and set aside. To the remaining crumbs, add in the baking powder, baking soda and salt and stir.
In a medium bowl, beat together the sour cream, egg and vanilla until well combined. Add this mixture to the large bowl of crumbs and stir until just combined. It will be lumpy.
Grease or line an 8-9″ springform pan. Press the cake batter evenly into the bottom, letting it rise up 1/2″ on all sides, making a well. Pour the cream cheese mixture into the well. Top with strawberry jam. Sprinkle with reserved crumbs.
Bake for 45-55 minutes, until golden brown on the sides. Let cool for 20 minutes before removing sides of the pan and letting cool completely.
