Strawberries!

I got to go to a local orchard and pick strawberries today! They were $1.50 a pound and so yummy. In my area, that price is better than most grocery sales plus we got to make it a family day. The kids had so much fun picking berries and I love to do anything that reminds them of where their food comes from.

We picked 10lbs of berries and spent $15. I let the kids eat until they were stuffed, then I set to wrk on the rest.

I work on an assembly line when I do any bulk cooking or freezing. It is organized and efficient. I washed the berries, cut the tops off, then cut them up. The best berries went in a bowl in the fridge. The rest were put on cookie sheets and put in the freezer. Once frozen, they are transferred to a freezer bag. They make wonderful smoothies and are cheaper than store bought!

Don't toss the tops of those berries! Wash them really well, then put them on the stove with a 2 to 1 ratio of sugar and water. For this batch I put 4 cups of water and 2 cups of sugar.

Bring to a boil, then cook until the berries start to lose color. Strain the berries out and return the liquid to the stove. Reduce it as uch as desired.

Cool and store in the fridge.

Even though the "sauce": was thin, it made for an amazing ice cream topping. Add it to carbonated water for a fruity soda or add some to regular cola to make it strawberry.

It's got fruit, so this is healthfood, right?