Strawberry Pickers' Heaven

Ottawa Farms in Bloomingdale is a little slice of farm heaven right down the road! Since the last time we visited, they've added an adorable General Store (jams, jellies, pepper jelly (delish over cream cheese with crackers!) flavored ciders, apple fritters, fritter bread, strawberry bread, cinnamon pecan bread, sugar cane syrup, hotdogs, pickles, etc. etc. You can buy angus beef and of course there is the pick-your-own strawberries (now), blueberries (mid June) and blackberries (July.) In October, they will have their 2nd annual corn maze, but until then enjoy the rubber duck races...

Oinking back at the pigs...

Being a pig is hard work...

Hayrides and petting the goats....

(This one was the spokesperson for the farm and spent a great deal of time talking to Jim...)

Advice to the newbie strawberry pickers out there ... they send your strawberries home in a big plastic bag.  As soon as you get in the car, open up the bag so that gases released by the strawberries don't ripen the fruit to the point of being spoiled.  When you get home, carefully spread the strawberries on a counter and then wash and use or freeze in a single layer for later use. 

This is what I made with my strawberries ...

Strawberry Pretzel Salad
Not to be confused with something healthy - like a real salad!

1st layer Ingredients:
3 cups crushed (very crushed, almost powder-like) pretzels
1 c.+ butter, melted
3 rounded tablespoons white sugar

2nd layer ingredients:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 (8 oz) thawed container frozen whipped topping

3rd layer ingredients:
1 (6 oz) package strawberry flavored jell-o
2 cups boiling water
20 oz. fresh strawberries or 2 (10 oz) packages frozen strawberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Stir together crushed pretzels, melted butter and 3 tablespoons sugar - I do this in a food processor; mix well and press mixture into the bottom of a buttered 9x13 inch baking dish.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until set. Set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl cream together cream cheese and 1 cup sugar. Fold in whipped topping and stir until completely combines. Mixture will be thick.  Spread mixture onto cooled crust.

In a medium bowl, dissolve jell-o in boiling water. Stir in fresh or still frozen strawberries and allow to set briefly by refrigerating. When mixture is about the consistency of egg whites, pour and spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until set.

Enjoy the oohs and ahhs!