Strawberry Shortcake Krispy Rice Treats

Guys, Guys, GUYS!!!!! Stop what you're doing and make these! I know, I know, everyone makes krispy treats, but these are different! Have you ever used freeze dried fruit in anything? The beauty of them are, they don't get super sweet like regular dehydrated fruit, they stay perfectly tart. Mix them with the super sweetness of the marshmallows and you have a match made in heaven!

I really love freeze dried fruit. You can crush them into powder and it is so concentrated that you can stir it into any thing for a major kick of flavor. Stir it into a yummy buttercream and you have the best strawberry frosting you'll ever try. Add it to a basic cake batter and it makes a huge difference to your strawberry cake!

I've made these a few times and no one can keep their hands out of them. I actually just finished one while I'm sitting here at my "Ladies ONLY" Craft Retreat. I made a double batch and 24 hours in, they're almost gone. My kids and husband devour them every time. My sister and niece do the same. I bake so many things and create so many desserts, so for one this simple to be such a favorite, you know it's a winner. I'm currently working on some fun versions of these guy.

Strawberry Shortcake Krispy Rice Treats
adapted from Cookie and Cup's recipe here

5 tablespoons butter
8 cups mini marshamallows + 2 cups mini marshmallows
6 cups rice cereal
1/2 cup crushed freeze dried strawberries + 1 tablespoon set aside
*4 oz white chocolate optional

Line a 9x9 with parchment paper. Rip off an extra piece, about the size of the bottom of the pan and set aside. In a large pot, over medium heat, stir butter and marshmallows until melted. Remove from heat, stir in rice cereal. Once mostly combine add in remaining 2 cups marshmallows and 1/2 cup crushed strawberries. Pour into pan and using the extra sheet of parchment press into pan until flat. Allow to cool and set, about 30 minutes to an hour. Cut into squares and place on a cooling wrack with parchment under it. In a small microwave safe bowl melt white chocolate at 10 second intervals, stirring in between until melted. It should not take more than 30 seconds. Drizzle white chocolate over squares and sprinkle remaining crushed strawberries on. *If you skipped the white chocolate just sprinkle the berries on the top after you pressed the treats into the pan while cooling.

Strawberry Handpies

So... These are technically, hand pies,

 but my boys call the "homemade poptarts without all that junky stuff." 

They are by no means healthy, but I can pronounce all of the ingredients, so there's that.

I don't make these often, they go fast, too fast. Little noses sniff them out and little hands grab them in the blink of an eye. They get gobbled up in a flash.

They are easy peasy though. Especially, if you use a food processor for the dough!

Then comes the filling.

Pick a shape, any shape.

Fill them up.

Bake them up.

 Cool and coat with glaze and sprinkles.

(Because everything is better with sprinkles.. or bacon.)

The proceed to stuff them in your face!

This crust is flaky, buttery and soft. The filling is sweet, tart and gooey, in the best possible way.

These two have sneaky fingers.

You know you want a bite!

Strawberry Handpies

Makes approximately 8
(click to print) 

for the dough:

2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into cubes

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 - 6 tablespoons cold milk 

extra flour for rolling

1 egg, beaten

1 tablespoon water

1/2 cup strawberry filling (recipe follows)

strawberry glaze (recipe follows)

red colored sugar or sprinkles for decoration

Preheat oven to 350 F and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. In a food processor combine flour, butter and vanilla. Pulse until mixture looks like wet sand. Turn on and add milk through the funnel a tablespoon at a time. Checking dough between. Stop once the dough makes a ball. Remove dough from bowl, flatten into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour. After the dough has chilled roll it out on a cold, floured surface, about 1/4 inch thick and cut out into your preferred shape. Fill each one with a teaspoon of filling, unless you are using a larger shape then add more, Cover each one with another layer of dough and crimp edges with a fork. Mix egg and water together in a small bowl and brush over each pie. Place on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 8 - 12 minutes, until gold brown. Once your pies are done allow to cool then spoon over 1 - 2 tablespoons of glaze for each pastry and top with sprinkles. Allow glaze to harden before eating. 

for the filling:

1 cup diced strawberries

juice and zest of a lemon

1/2 cup sugar

In a medium sauce pan combine all ingredients over low heat stirring often. Once the sugar has dissolved and berries have softened. Using a stick blender or an upright blender, puree the berries until smooth. Continue to cook until the berries have thickened to a thin jam like consistency. Cool just slightly before adding to the pies.

for the glaze:

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract

2 -  tablespoons cold milk

In a small bowl stir together the sugar, extract and 1 tablespoon of milk, adding another tablespoon at a time until you have a thick but pourable consistency. 

   I'm sharing these in honor of my little helper's fifth birthday today! These are one of hos favorite things so I'm sharing them with you. This morning we are having, our family's birthday tradition, sprinkle pancakes with fresh strawberry syrup. Happy Birthday to my favorite Stink Monster!

xoxo,

Ashley

Summer Spinach Salad

I love salad. My husband doesn't believe this is a square meal. I don't care, he has to eat what I fix him. :)

Poor guy is so mistreated.

I need to talk to you about this salad! Every year just before spring, when the chill is starting to fade and I can't wait to lock my boots and sweaters away for a few months, I start dreaming of salad. This one is a combination of salad I adore from a certain sandwich cafe/coffee house/bakery, that we all know, and a salad my mom made every summer and still makes. Her salad has turkey or chicken and this one would be amazing with it but I wanted to go meatless with this one. I am not a vegetarian, have never professed to be one and honesty I love bacon too much to be one but I feel like my family could use a little less meat in our diet. Mom's salad also had these crunchy, caramelized pecans that have always been my favorite. This time I chose almonds because that is what my man loves. I combined my favorite two salads in the universe (other than caprese but I can't mess with perfection) and came out with this beauty and there was no need to turn on the stove. I have eaten it multiple times since. 

I actually photographed this a couple of months back and I feel that I need to finally rish and share it with you while summer produce is still in season.I mean, holy guacamole, how is it almost "back to school" time already! Sorry, back on topic, this is the perfect sweaty day supper. So, make it, quick!

The best thing about salads like this, you can change ingredients in our take them out and come up with something new each time. I have left tomato out every time I have made this since. It just wasn't my thing. My husband prefers it without avocado, but he is clearly insane!

The dressing is super easy and so delicious. Just toss everything into a blender or food processor and you're done. I love it and my husband loves it, that is no small feet let me tell you. He is not a vinegar fan normally but he loves apples, which is how I convinced him to try it. 

This dressing is super versatile, swap out the apple with another fruit and change up the vinegar or even just leave out the vinegar for citrus juice and you have something totally new. 

Summer Spinach Salad:

For the Caramelized Almonds:
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup almonds

In a heavy bottomed skillet, I prefer an iron skillet, heat the sugar over medium high heat. Stirring constantly, until the sugar hes melted and is golden brown color, then toss in your nuts. Allow them to cool on a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper until they have hardened and are cool enough to touch. Roughly chop before topping the salad.

For the Dressing:
1/2  green apple, cored and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
*1 teaspoon of honey
salt to taste
1/4 cup olive oil

Place apple, vinegar, honey and salt in a food processor or blender and pulse until the apple has broken down and all the contents are smooth. Turn on low and pour oil in a thin stream through the opening in the top of the lid. Once all oil is incorporated you should have an emulsified dressing. Taste and make tweaks to the taste.

For the Salad:

2 cups baby spinach
1 mango, diced
4-5 strawberries, diced
**1/2 tomato, diced
1/2 green apple, diced
1/2 avocado, diced
caramelized almonds

Toss you lettuce in a large bowl, layer on all of your toppings and dress with dressing. Serve immediately.

*Feel free to add more or leave it out all together. I knew my guys would prefer a little more sweetness.
**Like I said before, I left the tomato out after this but I included it in the ingredients since it can been seen in pictures.

It's calling your name!