Sweet and Tangy Strawberries

It's hard to feel inspired to cook when even the simplest task like boiling a pot of water for pasta on a summer day can leave you sweaty.  Luckily, this is when my love of fruit, salad, smoothies, and ice cream kick in.

Random fact: When I was younger, I never ate any red fruit. Green grapes? Sure! Red grapes? No thank you. Yes, I did eat red apples, but things like strawberries, watermelons, cherries? Blech. Luckily, I have gotten over this and now consider strawberries one of my favorite fruits. I usually like to eat them plain, but every now and again it's nice to try something different.

This strawberry dish is quick and effortless to make and it definitely hits the spot on a hot summer day. Each bite is sweet and tangy - a refreshing combination that's sure to please your sweet tooth.

1 lb of fresh strawberries
2-4 tbsp sugar (depending on your taste)
2 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice


Thoroughly wash the strawberries and cut into quarters. Mix the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl.

Let it sit in a fridge for about an hour so the juices really mix.  Enjoy!!

Homemade croissants with nutella

Despite the summer heat wave we've had for the past couple of weeks, I had a craving for some home-baked goods...and the frozen puff pastry dough was eyeing me everytime I opened the freezer. I decided to make some nutella-filled croissants.

Yes.

I made croissants in ninety plus degree weather in our air-conditioner free kitchen.  Let me tell you, it was not a pretty picture...

However, they are simple to make and taste so good. I will have to make them again...but I learned my lesson and I will make them when the weather gets cooler. :)

Flour (for working surface)
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
Filling like nutella or apricot jam


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Cover your working surface with a generous coating of flour. With a floured rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry dough to an even, thin layer. Using a knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough in triangle-like shapes.

Take about one teaspoon of your filling (I used nutella) and spread evenly on the wide side of the triangle. Then, roll up the dough towards the tip of the triangle. Repeat with each triangular piece of dough.

Place on a parchment-lined baking tray.

Crack your egg into a small bowl and mix well. Using a pastry brush, lightly cover the top of each croissant.

Bake for approximately half an hour.  Enjoy!!