Cheesecake-Filled Strawberries

On my calendar, it's strawberry time. Over the past week, the berries in my garden have started to turn. Luckily, I've managed to keep most of the bunnies and squirrels (knocks on wood) from nibbling the berries before I harvest them.

First red berry of the season.

Do yourself a favor and buy at least some (if not all) of your strawberries from a farmers market this season. Aside from being laden with pesticides, most of the strawberries you will find in the supermarkets are never as red or as juicy as they should be. A berry from a local farm, however, should drip on your favorite shirt when you take a bite (a small price to pay).

Although we should stop ourselves at eating plain berries for dessert, here's a way to make them even better; the satisfaction of strawberry cheesecake with about a tenth of the guilt.

Love Birds

I credit my neighbor for giving me this idea last summer. You need a little patience to prep the berries but otherwise it's a very simple recipe.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes

My chocolate peanut butter cupcakes finally deserve a posting, as chocolate and peanut butter is arguably the greatest combination in the world of sweet treats. 

When it comes to chocolate cupcakes, I prefer a dark chocolate or Devil's Food cake. Often the standard homemade chocolate cake just isn't chocolaty enough. If you don't have the time to whip up cakes from scratch, I suggest Trader Joe's chocolate cake mix (in the pink box). TJ's leaves out the artificial colors, flavors and preservatives you may find in other mixes and produces a yummy, moist cake. (I've never tried TJ's frosting, so if you have let me know how it is).