Maybe I'm showing my age a little because if I was playing that match game and was given California ______, the first thing I would say is "Raisins." I remember all the commercials with them dancing around and even the collectible little plastic figurines that were all the rage.

But when I was invited by Mom Central to participate in a Blog Tour for the California Strawberry Commission, I was overcome by sweet memories of road trips during our years living in Los Angeles.

We used to take these leisurely trips out to Oxnard and the beach at Port Hueneme. On the trip there, we would pass by field after field of strawberries and I would eventually cave and ask hubby to pull over at one of the roadside produce stands.

I love strawberries but have never really researched all the benefits behind them. If they taste good, they surely can't be good for you. Right? Wrong. Strawberries are an excellent source for Vitamin C, fiber, folate, potassium and antioxidants. According to their website, "The California Strawberry Commission has funded over $1.5 million in nutrition research since 2003." When I experience muscle cramps, I typically grab a banana for potassium... I didn't realize that strawberries would work too!

If you love strawberries but are looking for new ways to prepare them, the California Strawberry Commission has a wealth of recipes on their site. As an example, check out the "Strawberry Tree" I've pictured. Did I create that? Heck no. It's under Miscellaneous in the recipe section. It's an awesome centerpiece for an event - which would be cool... if I ever hosted a brunch or something!

I'm all about blogs these days, so I think it's only fair to point out some strawberry recipes from my favorite cooking blogs. Cookie Baker Lynn posted and linked to David Lebovitz's recipe for Strawberry Frozen Yogurt. Steph at A Year of CrockPotting posted a CrockPot Strawberry Jam Recipe. Nemmie at Cast Sugar posted a beautiful Strawberry Party Cake recipe.

And if you're looking for an educational site for your kids, be sure to check out Strawberryville. It has a few different games (vary depending on age), some trivia, general facts as well as a list of recipes geared toward kids. There's even a section for parents and teachers that includes some classroom activities like "Strawberry Playdough".

Next time you're at the grocery store, be sure to pick up a pack of California Strawberries... even if they don't dance.

1 COMMENT

At some point in my adult life, I realized that you can judge the quality of a restaurant by their bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches. If I walk away from the table dissatisfied from a BLT, there's a problem. There's only like five ingredients and that counts the bread and mayo. Since I love this classic sandwich, utilizing it as a measurement tool is just another excuse to order it.

Today while running errands, we stopped by the Culver's on the other side of town to grab some lunch. We've eaten at Culver's before and I have to say that their portions are normal and the quality of their food is generally good. They are famous for their frozen custard, so their desserts are always delicious.

I wasn't really in the mood for one of their burger baskets, so I searched the menu for a simple BLT. All I could find was their "Turkey Sourdough BLT" which to me is just a misnomer for Club Sandwich. Tired of searching the menu board, I asked the girl behind the counter "Do you have a BLT on the menu?" She said yes but that it's not listed. Perfect. I'll have that.

So when my lunch was delivered, I was quite shocked to find a club sandwich minus the turkey. Not a BLT. What's the difference? Bacon. A club sandwich typically has bacon as an accent. A BLT has bacon as the main feature. Two very narrow pieces of bacon, one slice of tomato, some lettuce and bread do not equal a BLT. They didn't even add mayo even though the girl at the counter specifically listed that. And two pieces of bacon? Are you kidding? The contents of the sandwich covered approximately half of the bread.

And the price? I haven't a clue because the only receipt we got was the one without the pricing detail that was delivered with our food. Based on the total, I'm guessing they made the turkey thing, charged me for it, took the turkey off and failed to replace it with bacon.

Disappointed, I tell you. Totally disappointed. Maybe that's why it's not actually listed on the menu.

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