Don't miss the new strawberry recipes that will help you take full advantage of the season, which could run through June, if weather conditions hold.

The North Carolina Strawberry Association is holding an art and writing contest for children and the deadline is May 15. Check the rules and encourage your child or grandchild to enter and win cash prizes.

STRAWBERRY SUNDAE SALAD
1 pint strawberries, rinsed, hulled & sliced
¼ cup fresh orange juice, divided
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 lb. (2 cups) cottage cheese
1 teaspoon grated fresh orange peel
½ cup granola cereal
Salad greens

Combine in electric blender container 1 cup sliced strawberries, 2 Tablespoons orange juice and sugar. Cover and process until pureed. Mix cottage cheese with remaining 2 Tablespoons orange juice, orange peel and granola cereal. Arrange salad greens on 4 individual serving plates, topping each with ½ cup cottage cheese mixture and remaining sliced strawberries. Serve with pureed strawberry sauce and sprinkle with additional granola cereal, if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

FRESH STRAWBERRY SAUCE
1-pint fresh strawberries, hulled
1/3 cup sugar
1-teaspoon fresh lemon or limejuice
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

In a food processor, combine strawberries, sugar, lemon or limejuice and vanilla. Puree, and then chill. Serve sauce over custard, ice cream or pound cake. Yield: 2 cups.

STRAWBERRY CREAM PIE
1 package (4-serving size) vanilla instant pudding and pie filling
1-cup sour cream
¼ cup milk
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed (plus extra for garnish, if desired) (1 8-ounce container equals 3 ½ cups)
1 prepared 9-inch graham cracker piecrust
2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled, rinsed and patted dry

In a large bowl, combine the vanilla pudding mix, sour cream, milk, and orange rind. Add the whipped topping and beat with a wire whisk for 1 minute or until well blended. Spoon half the mixture into the piecrust. Press the strawberries, stem-side down, into the mixture, then top with the remaining mixture. Freeze the pie for about 1 hour or refrigerate for 3 hours before serving. Garnish with additional whipped topping and/or strawberries. Yield: 6 to 8

STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE DELIGHT
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar - depending on sweetness of berries
3 cups sliced strawberries
1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Beat cream cheese and sugar with mixer until light and fluffy. Fold in strawberries and whipped cream. Turn into 5-6 cup mold. Freeze at least 8 hours. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes; unmold. Garnish with mint or strawberries. Yield: 10 (1/2-cup) servings

FRESH STRAWBERRY PIE
1-quart strawberries
1-cup sugar
2 1/2 or 3 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 baked pie shell
1/2 pint whipping cream (optional)
red food coloring (optional)

Wash berries and hull. Put one half of berries in sauce pan and crush. Mix sugar and cornstarch; add to crushed berries along with lemon juice. Cook on medium heat until mixture thickens. Cool. Cut remaining berries into halves and mix with the cooked mixture. Add a few drops of red food coloring to the cooked mixture before adding the uncooked berries. Pour mixture into baked pie shell. Chill before serving. Serve topped with whipped cream.

CREAMY FRUIT DIP
2 cups milk
1 (3 3/4 oz.) package instant vanilla pudding
2 cups non-dairy whipped topping
Fresh Strawberries

Combine milk and pudding according to package directions. Fold in whipped topping. Chill thoroughly, and serve with fresh strawberries. Yield: 4 cups of dip.

STRAWBERRY TOWERS
1 box of a prepared and folded pastry for a 9-inch double-crusted pie
1-quart strawberries
1/3 cup sugar
1-2 cups non-dairy whipped topping

With a 3 inch round scalloped cookie cutter, cut out 18 pastry rounds. Place on ungreased baking sheet and prick with a fork. Bake the rounds in a 425-degree oven for 15 minutes (or until lightly browned. Remove from baking sheet and cool. Wash strawberries. Reserve 6 berries for garnish. Hull remaining berries and slice. Place in a mixing bowl and sprinkle with 1/3 cup sugar. Let berries stand for 20 minutes. About an hour before serving time, make strawberry towers by alternating pastry rounds and sweetened sliced strawberries to make 6 towers with 3 pastry rounds each, finishing with strawberries on top. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Just before serving, top strawberry towers with whipped topping and garnish with reserved whole berries. Makes 6 servings.

STRAWBERRY TART
1 large package of cream cheese, softened
9-inch graham-cracker crust or baked pie shell
3 cups whole strawberries, hulled
1/2 cup red-currant jelly

Carefully spread cream cheese in crust. Arrange berries pointed end up in single layer over cheese. Chill. Heat jelly until smooth and of glaze consistency; spoon over berries. Serve at once or refrigerate. Makes 8 servings.

SPARKLING STRAWBERRIES
6 cups (3 pints) strawberries, washed, capped, and halved
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. orange juice
3 Tbsp. ginger ale

In a wide shallow bowl arrange strawberries. Sprinkle sugar over strawberries, orange juice, and ginger ale. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, turning berries occasionally. If there are leftovers, cover and store in refrigerator. Makes 6 one-cup servings.

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