Nectarine & Aronia Berry Tart

Original posting is over on The Unicorn's Delight, be sure the site for even more delicious healthy recipes!

"There are tons of unlikely duos out there when it comes to food. Such as cheese & jelly, chocolate & salt, broccoli & Cheetos, Mango & chili, goat milk & caramel, sriracha & peanut butter. A personal favorite of mine is peanut butter and pickle sandwiches-it’s an acquired taste, I’ll admit, but so good! Well, I seem to have stumbled upon another unlikely duo; Nectarines and Aronia berries! They are delicious together.

Aronia berries are being harvested all over the united states right now. If your unfamiliar with this super fruit, it’s not surprising. While they are king of the super berries, they also pack quite a punch with an earthy, astringent flavor that typically drys out the mouth, think like a dry wine. They are also known as chokeberries, native to mid-west America, for years they have been seen as a weed, and removed from farm lands. However now, with the discovery of their nutritional value, farmers are planting them like crazy. If you live outside of the mid-west you might find them in your yard, because they have been commonly used in landscaping.

Some of the health benefits Aronia berries can offer are:

• Urinary Track Health
• Improve Blood Circulation & Strengthen Blood Vessels
• Balance of Blood Pressure Levels
• Prevention and help in treatment of diabetes
• Gastro Protective Effect
• Anti-Carcinogenic Effect
• Anti-Inflammatory Properties, Suppress Viruses
• Eyes Protection
• Weight Control

Sunset Valley Organics is doing something unique with their plantings of aronia berries. They are applying what they call biological farming practices, which basically means they are putting minerals back into their soil, remineralizing it, which they have seen healthier plants, more nutritional fruit, the plants are able to defend themselves from insects and disease, and most recently they are finding their aronia berry plantings have less of that earthy, astringent flavor, even though the tannins in the skin that cause the astringent flavor are still there.

How can that be? Well it’s from the minerals doing their job, and interacting in such a way that the plant is producing fruit that has a higher sugar content, or Brix. (Brix is the standard unit of measure for sugar content.)  That natural sugar is over riding the tannins and making them have a mild flavor. This year Sunset Valley Organics is seeing their aronia berries having an average of 26 brix, compared to last year they had 22, and the average, conventional aronia growers hit somewhere between 15-19.

The first time I ever tried an aronia berry I had to spit it out. It was so gross tasting to me, and it was around 19 Brix, the tannins were over powering, and it felt like I was eating literal dirt. Not a good experience. But when I tried last years crop from Sunset Valley Organics, I could actually eat them. It was so surprising! I started using them in baking and smoothies. My favorite recipe I’ve found is Oatmeal Aronia berry cookies, so good, and can be a healthy snack! 

So now with berries that are around 26 brix I’ve started incorporating them into other forms of baking, like today’s recipe! Because Aronia berries aren’t common at all, it’s important to experiment and play with them.

SO LET’S GET TO THE GOOD STUFF, THE RECIPE!

What You’ll Need:

• 5-6 medium sized nectarines, sliced
• Pie Crust- You can use store bought or my recipe (below) for a healthier version.
• 1 Cup fresh/frozen Sunset Valley Organic’s Aronia Berries
• 1/4 cup Thick apricot jam
• 3/4 cup water

Pie Crust Ingredients:

Coconut Pie Crust- Makes 1 full pie crust (top & bottom)

• 1 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 cup coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 2/3 cup (160 g) coconut oil, scoopable (not liquid)*
• 3-6 Tbsp (45-90 ml) ice cold water

What You’ll Do:

Pie Crust:

1. Add flour and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
2. Next add coconut oil in spoonfuls (see photo) and use a pastry cutter (or fork) to cut the two together, until it resembles wet sand – about 30-45 seconds.
3. Add ice cold water 1 Tbsp at a time and use a wooden spoon to gently mix. Add only as much water as needed to help it come together and form a dough – about 3-4 Tbsp.
4. Use your hands to gently knead/form the dough in the bowl and gather any loose scraps. Then transfer directly to a well-floured surface and form into a disc with your hands.
5. Lightly flour the top of the dough, as well as a rolling pin, and gently roll into a circle the shape of your pie pan, about 1/8-inch thick. Add more flour as needed to prevent sticking. It’s fairly forgiving, so if it cracks, just patch it up with slightly wet fingers and reform.
6. If using a standard 9-inch (or similar size) pie crust, simply use the rolling pin to roll up crust and drape it over the pan. Form the edges simply (avoiding too tall of edges or fancy designs as the coconut oil doesn’t hold it as well as butter) and add filling of choice. Roll out remaining crust, drape over the top of pie, and seal (optional).

Note: To save uncooked dough for future use, wrap in plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator for 2 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Thaw before using.

 Tart filling: 

1. Pre heat oven to 375 F. Start with pie dough rolled out on to a baking sheet. We did a nine inch pie crust.
2. Lay sliced nectarines one inch from the edge of the pie dough in a circular pattern, layering until all pie dough is covered.
3. Fold 1 inch edge of dough on top nectarines, and pinch to stay in place.
4. Evenly distribute the aronia berries on top of the nectarines.
5. In a small pot bring apricot jam and water to a slow boil, until well combined and is a thin mixture.
6. Brush evenly on top of nectarines and aronia berries.
7. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown appears on pie crust.
8. Let cool 5 minutes, serve warm & enjoy!"

February 2015 Updates

We have had quite a busy month here on the farm!

While we are still busy finishing up pruning our berries and are ready for the spring, we will start feeding our plants. Bob gave a talk to students at OSU this past month. We hope to make this available on our site very soon for those of you interested. We will be posting updates to our Facebook page with any new information about developments in that regard. 

Last month you might have noticed we tried something new for our newsletter layout and had a great response. Which is great! Thank you to all new subscribers and an even bigger thank you to all of our old subscribers! Keep an eye out for more simple changes we have coming to Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter in this coming year. It’s going to be a great 2015! 

Office Hours  Our office hours are still set to Winter, we are open Monday to Friday 10 am to 4pm Pacific time.  Up Coming Events In February If your near or live in Eugene, OR we are happy to say we will be doing some demos in your neck of the woods. For full details and updates, see our Facebook page under “events.” This is a great chance to come out learn about our products and get some tasty samples of products you might have not tried yet. February 8, 2015: Sundance Natural Foods, 12pm -4pm February 13, 2015: Wynant’s Family Health Foods, 12pm-3pm February 13, 2015: Friendly Street Market, 4pm-6pm

Better Shipping Rates are Still Available!  Have a hankering for some delicious frozen berries, but don't want to pay an arm and a leg in shipping? We have great news! We are still able to ship by ground for our frozen berries! If your interested please give us a call at 541-752-0460 to place your order. We are unable to offer better shipping rates through our website, so you need to call us. This offer also excludes Alaska and Hawaii, sorry guys.

“A Very Lovely February”  Check out this months Pinterest board which features fun valentines day ideas for treats, decor, and healthy alternatives! Click here to go to Pinterest. While your there follow our boards and our page, we love sharing all our great finds with all of you!  Strawberry Cream Cake from Pretty, Simple. Sweet. Ingredients Cake: 1 1/4 cups (170g/6oz) all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup (1/2 stick/56g) butter 1/2 cup (120ml) whole milk 3 large eggs, at room temperature 1 cup (200g/7 oz) granulated sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract Whipped Cream: 1 1/2 cups (360ml) heavy cream 1/2 cup cream cheese or mascarpone cheese 1/4 cup granulated or powdered sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract About 1 pound/450g fresh strawberries, cut into halves or quarters Instructions Preheat oven to 350F/180C. Grease 2 8-inch pans (read note if you have only one pan) and line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy release later on. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a small saucepan, combine butter and milk over medium heat just until butter is melted. Do not let it boil. In a mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk eggs on high speed until combined and starting to foam, about 1 minute. Gradually add sugar and keep whisking until tripled in volume, about 6 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Reduce speed to medium-low and add warm milk mixture into the egg mixture in a slow, steady stream. Add flour mixture in 3 additions and fold by hand using a rubber spatula just until combined. Pour batter into prepared cake pans and smooth the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the cake springs back when slightly touched and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cakes to cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert the pan onto the rack. Let cool completely. Without filling, cakes can be wrapped airtight and refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for 2 months. For the whipped cream: In a mixer bowl fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk heavy cream with sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Avoid overbeating. Assembling the cake: Set one cake layer on a plate. Arrange about half of the strawberries in a single layer on top. Evenly spread 1/3 – 1/2 of the whipped cream over the strawberries, leaving a small border around the edge. Top with the second cake layer, this time spreading the whipped cream first and layering the strawberries on top. Cake can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. *If you have only one cake pan, scrape all batter into it. It will need more baking time. Once completely cooled, cut in half. If you refrigerate it first, the cake will be firmer and easier to cut. *You can also make a 2-layer 6-inch cake with the same amount of cake batter. Bake in 2 6-inch pans for 30-35 minutes. You’ll need less whipped cream and strawberries. Raspberry Lemonade Slice from Lick The Spoon Ingredients Crust: 9 tbsp butter 1/4 cup sugar 1 cup flour  1 tsp vanilla essence pinch of salt Filling:  2 1/2 cups frozen raspberries, thawed 1 cup sugar 2/3 cup lemon juice (about 3-4 medium lemons) zest of 3 lemons 3 egg whites 1 egg 2/3 cup flour pinch of salt, extra Directions Preheat the oven to 180C. Line and grease a 8x8 inch square baking dish. To make the crust, cream together butter and sugar until light. Add the flour, vanilla and salt and mix until combined well. Do not over mix as this can make the base tough. Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until just golden brown. Remove from oven and cool. To make the filling, place all thawed raspberries in a fine sieve and press them into a large bowl with the back of a spoon. Discard the caught seeds and skin. Add the sugar, juice, zest, whites, egg, flour and salt and combine, until well incorporated. Pour the raspberry mixture onto the base and place in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Cool on the bench before placing in the refrigerator to set completely (about 3-4 hours) Cut and decorate as desired. NOTES: This slice freezes well and makes a great dessert or afternoon tea to have handy for unexpected guests or dinner parties.

Delicious Snacks for Back to School

Back to school is such an exciting time of the year, but with school comes early mornings which some may not enjoy when they have come a custom to sleeping later. We have gathered up some yummy and creative ways to have fun when it comes to snacks, treats, and meals. 

 1) An Animal Snack Attack from sugarpop.com
There are 17 awesome works of art that are easy to create at home, while we can show you all 17 here are a few of our favorites. The only down side to these wonderful images is there are no recipes to go off of, however everything seems to be able to be recreated from just looking at the images. Have fun making these delicious treats!

2) Blueberry Pancakes from Baker by Nature
We might be a bit bias on this one, but blueberry pancakes are a great way to start the day! 

Ingredients:

• *Makes about 14 pancakes
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1 cup full-fat sour cream
• 3 tablespoons whole milk
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2/3 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
• 4 tablespoons butter, for the pan
• Maple syrup, for serving

Directions:

1. In a large bowl whisk together the egg yolks, sour cream, milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, and baking powder.
2. In a separate large bowl add flour and blueberries and toss to combine, making sure berries are fully coated in the flour.
3. Add flour mixture to the wet milk mixture, and stir just to combine; do not over mix! The batter will be thick, so don't worry if there's a lot of clumps left.
4. Add egg whites to a large bowl or the body of a stand mixer. Beat using a handheld mixer or the whisk attachment until the whites begin to form soft peaks.
5. With a rubber spatula fold egg whites into flour/cheese mixture, stirring until fully incorporated.
6. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
7. Ladle 1/3 cup scoops of the batter into the skillet, only cooking a few at a time so they don't blend together.
8. Cook pancakes until the edges begin to brown and the top of the batter bubbles, then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Repeat for all pancake batter.
9. Top pancakes with syrup and extra blueberries, or anything else your heart desires! Serve at once.

3) Homemade Goldfish Crackers

Sure you can buy them at the store, but if you make them at home, you can make them organic, and healthier. Adapted from food4tots

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (120g) plain flour.As an alternative you can use 1/4 cup plain flour, and 3/4 cup coconut flour (or even certified organic flour or certified organic coconut flour).
• 8oz (220g) sharp/extra sharp certified organic cheddar cheese, shredded.
• 60g cold butter cut into cubes
• 1/4-1/2 teaspooon sea salt
• 2 tbs cold water

Directions:

1. Using a pastry blender, cut butter into the flour until it forms coarse crumbs.
2. Add sea salt to mixture.
3. Add shredded cheese and cut into the mixture.
4. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
5. use hand to form dough and divide into 2 portions. Wrap them in plastic and chill for 20 minutes (or longer).
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking trays with parchment paper. 
7. Take out one portion of the dough from the fridge. Work with one portion at a time. Place dough in between two sheets of wax paper or cling wrap. Roll dough out to 3mm (1/8 in) thickness. Cut out shapes with your choice of cookie cutters and transfer to baking tray. 
8. Use chopstick or toothpick to make the eye balls, and the prong of a for to carve a curvy lip. (this step is optional)
9. Gather all the trimmings and re-roll. Repeat until all the dough is used up. 
10. Bake or approximately 15-17 minutes, until the crackers are crispy and golden around edges. Timing will vary according to size and shape of your crackers. Cool for 10 minutes on baking tray before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Sore in an airtight container. 

Notes: 

1. You can substitute it with 50-100% whole wheat flour.
2. Shred the cheese finer than what is shown in the photo so that you can easily cut them into the mixture.
3. Get orange cheese if you can.
4. If you have food processor, pulse everything (except water) together until the dough resembles coarse sand. Then follow with step 4.
5. Thinner dough means crispier crackers; thicker dough means puffier, more bread-like crackers. But, the dough must not be too thin or else the crackers will be difficult to handle.
6. Crackers will turn soft pretty fast even they are kept inside an airtight container. Best to be eaten immediately or within a day or two. To extend them for a week or so, I keep them in the fridge. Lightly warm them up in the toaster oven when I want to eat them.

A Delicious Berry Filled 4th of July

Photo from Pampered Chef

The 4th of July is a day we spend with family and friends, enjoying BBQ's and fireworks. But it is also a day of remembering. We remember those who are serving, those who have served and those who have fallen in the name of freedom and keeping our great land safe. We at Sunset Valley Organics thank all of those who have served or are serving this nation, your bravery and sacrifice will always be deeply appreciated and remembered.

The 4th of July is also the day our four fathers announced that the United States of America was to be it's own nation, independent of Britain. Those great men dared to be different, and to think differently, much like we do on the farm. We dare to push the limits of what is certified organic farming, we push to go to the next step. We call this biological farming, we pay attention to our soil and let the land tell us what it needs, we listen to the plants and guide us to helping them be as healthy as they can be. Which in turn produces nutrient dense fruit which gives our customers a healthy living choice.

We appreciate all of our customers support over the years and hope everyone has a fun & safe 4th of July.  

Blueberry Hand Pie Ice cream Sandwiches (what a mouthful- literally!)

Ingredients:

For the hand pie:

FOR THE FILLING:

3/4 C. Sugar
3 T. Cornstarch
1/4 t. Cinnamon
1 T. Water
1 C. Blueberries
1 1/2 C. Blueberries
1 t. Fresh Lemon Juice
4-5 drops Lavender Oil(use a pure grade that is safe for consumption)
FOR THE CRUST:
1 1/2 C. Flour
1 t. Sugar
1/2 t. Salt
1/8 t. Baking Powder
5 1/2 T. Shortening, chilled
4 1/2 T. Butter, chilled
1 Egg Yolk
2 t. White Vinegar
1/2 C. Cold Water
2-3 Ice Cubes
1 egg
2 T. Milk

For the Sandwich:

7-8 C. Vanilla Ice Cream

Instructions:

For the pie:

1. FOR THE FILLING: Place the sugar and cornstarch in a small saucepan and mix together. Add the water and 1 C. blueberries, mixing into the sugar mixture and smashing up the berries a bit.
2. Heat the pan on medium heat, cooking and stirring until the blueberries start to give up their juice, pressing them down to help pop them as you stir. Make sure you stir frequently so that the sugar doesn't stick to the bottom. The sauce become thick and glossy, with most of the berries burst and deflated.
3. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1 1/2 C. blueberries. When the filling is cool, stir in the lemon juice and lavender oil. If you are a little timid about the lavender flavor, use 3 drops of oil. If you would like a bolder lavender flavor, use 5.
4. Refrigerate filling. It should be cold before using it to fill the crusts.
5. FOR THE CRUST: Place the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in the bowl of a food processor. Place the lid on and pulse the mixture a few times to blend.
6. Add the butter and shortening to the crust, 1 T. at a time, pulsing a few times with each addition(don't run the processor consistently). When the butter and shortening are added, pulse a few times more, or until the butter is cut down to pea sized pieces.
7. Mix together the cold water, vinegar, egg yolk, and ice cubes. Let chill for a minute or two. Add 3 1/2-4 T. of the mixture to the dough 1 T. at a time, pulsing a few times after each addition until the dough comes together, but is not too wet. Chill immediately while you prepare to roll out the dough.
8. Place a sheet of waxed paper on your work surface. Take half of the dough out of the fridge, place on the paper and flatten into a disc.
9. Place another piece of waxed paper on top of the dough. Roll the dough out thin, at least 1/8" thick, or thinner, if desired.
10. Remove the top sheet of waxed paper and cut circles out of the dough that are at least 2-2 1/2" in diameter. Place dough circles on a baking sheet lined with a silpat mat or parchment paper.
11. Roll out the other half of the dough in the same manner. Cut out circles of dough that are at least 1/2" larger than the dough circles on the baking sheet.
12. Working one at a time, place 1 1/2-2 T. of the cooled filling in the center of a dough circle. Gently place one of the larger dough circles on top of the filling and seal the edges by pressing your fingertips around the edges of the dough circle. Press the tines of a fork around the edge of the circle to fully seal in the filling.
13. Repeat this procedure with the remaining dough and filling.
14. Place the egg and milk in a small bowl and beat well.
15. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the pies with the mixture.
16. Sprinkle a small amount of kosher salt on top of the pies.
17. Bake the pies at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown.
18. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.

For the sandwich:
1. This one is pretty obvious. Stuff a scoop of ice cream between two hand pies. A few tips, however:
2. For best results, stuff the ice cream between pies that are room temperature and serve immediately.
3. You can assemble these and then freeze them, and they actually freeze pretty well. But for the best texture, serve when assembled.
4. For thick ice cream sandwiches, like the ones pictured, line a wide 1 C. measuring cup with plastic wrap and press ice cream into it with a spoon. It should be easy to invert because of the plastic wrap. Place the side of the ice cream not lined in plastic on the bottom of a hand pie, then peel off the plastic and top the bottom of the ice cream with another hand pie.

recipe from The Kitchen McCabe

Home Garden Care: Strawberries

You can enjoy fresh strawberries during the summer from your garden, and the best part is they are relatively easy to take care of. Here are some tips and tricks if your new, or looking to learn more about growing strawberries.

Different varieties produce fruit at various times during the growing season. After your strawberries are finished producing fruit, usually in summer or fall, cut or mow the plants down to 1 or 2 inches above the crowns. When winter arrives, it's time to care for your strawberry plants by keeping them warm until spring. Cover strawberry plants once temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Use 3 to 4 inches of loose mulch, such as straw or leaves. This is necessary in climates where winter temperatures are regularly below freezing. Remove mulch in spring when the strawberry plants start to grow again or when temperatures remain regularly above freezing.

Protect strawberry plants temporarily in warmer climates on unusual cold, freezing nights. In the evening, cover plants with a sheet of spunbound polyethylene, recommends University of Oregon, and remove it in the morning. A bed sheet or piece of burlap can suffice in a crunch.

Bring potted strawberries to a protected area where freezing temperatures are not an issue. Potted plants are not as insulated as ground plants and are more susceptible to winter injury. A covered porch, garage or basement might work well. If you cannot move the container, cover the plants with mulch as you would ground plants or drape a piece of burlap over top of the container.

Some other resources to consider:

Sunset Article

Old Farmers Almanac

Then with all your delicious berries you can try out this yummy recipe!

Strawberry Shortcake Pops

makes 12 popsicles

2 cups fresh strawberries, washed and hulled

1/2 cup crushed Nilla wafers
2 cups plain whole milk yogurt
1/3 cup honey (more if desired)
12 6 oz. Dixie cups
wooden popsicle sticks

In a medium bowl, combine the crushed Nilla wafers, yogurt, and honey. Set out 12 6 oz. Dixie cups, and fill each one with 2 tablespoons of the yogurt mixture. Set in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, puree the berries. Divide the berries among the 12 cups, and freeze for another 30 minutes.

Finally, divide the remaining yogurt mixture among the cups, add a popsicle stick to each one, and chill completely, several hours or more.

To serve, simply cut or tear the cup off. 

From Babble

Need Inspiration for the 4th of July?

Then let us inspire you! Here are some of our favorite recipes that use berries and will help celebrate our independence day! All of these recipes can be found on our Pinterest board under Harmonious Berry Blends.

First up is Blueberry, Strawberry, & Jicama Salsa adapted from www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

Yeild: About 3 Cups of Salsa
Prep: 5 Minutes
Total: 5 Minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh Sunset Valley Organics blueberries
1 cup diced Sunset strawberries
1 cup diced jicama
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped jalapeno pepper, stemmed and seeded
Juice of 1 large lime
Salt, to taste
Tortilla chips, for serving

 Directions:
 In a medium bowl, combine blueberries, strawberries, jicama, cilantro, red onion, jalapeno, and lime juice. Stir until well combined. Season with salt, to taste. Serve with tortilla chips at room temperature or chilled.

Note-this salsa is also great with grilled fish or chicken. It is best eaten the day it is made.

Tiramisu Mixed Berry Trifle from Driscoll's
Prep: 40 
Servings: 6
 Ingredients:

• 1 package (16 ounces) Sunset Valley Organics Strawberries
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• 1 packages (8 ounce each) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
• 1 packages (3 ounces) lady finger cookies
• 2 packages (6 ounces or 1 1/3 cups each) Sunset Valley Organics Raspberries
• 1 package (6 ounces or 1 1/3 cups each) Sunset Valley Organics Blackberries
• 1 package (6 ounces or 1 1/4 cups each) Sunset Valley Organics Blueberries

 Directions: 

1. Reserve 6 small strawberries for garnish. Hull and puree remaining strawberries in a blender until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove seeds (you should have about 1 1/4 cups puree). Set aside. Whip heavy cream, sugar and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Place mascarpone in a large bowl and beat with a rubber spatula until smooth. Fold in whipped cream in three additions until evenly blended.
2. To assemble trifles: Reserve about 1/2 cup each raspberries, blackberries and blueberries for trifle topping.
3. Dip one-half lady fingers in strawberry puree until lightly soaked and layer on bottom of 6 serving glasses. Top each with an even layer of remaining blackberries and blueberries. Top each with layer of about 1/4 cup whipped cream mixture, spreading evenly. Top each with second layer of remaining lady fingers dipped in strawberry puree. Top each with even layer of remaining raspberries. Top each with even layer of remaining whipped cream mixture. Top each with even layer of reserved raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. Garnish each serving with 1 reserved strawberry. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

4th of July Trifle from Fancy Frugal Life

Ingredients: 

• Pint of Sunset Valley Organics Strawberries
• Pint of Sunset Valley Organics Blueberries
• Loaf of Sara Lee Pound Cake (CUT IT LONG WAYS!)
• Star cookie cutter
• Whip Cream

Directions: 

1. Cut out stars from the pound cake with the cookie cutter.
2.  Arrange the Strawberries, Blueberries, Pound Cake, and Whip Cream to look pretty.
3. Refrigerate until serving or serve immediately.