Growing Daw-bah-leez (Strawberries)

"More daw-bah-leeze, more daw-bah-leeze" my then barely-able-to-speak daughter used to plead. That pint-sized little creature could easily down a quart of strawberries in one sitting. Now, as a healthy, growing, 9-year old, she still wants her daw-bah-leeze.

Since our gal can out do a linebacker in any berry-eating contest, we decided to grow our own strawberries last spring. Sadly for us, though, those particular berries did not survive our visiting bunnies. This year, however, we set our cats on patrol, and so far we are seeing actual strawberries instead of only their tattered remains: baby green ones, white ones, and smallish ripe red ones, ready for smoothie-making.

(Never mind the bunnies, I've actually plucked the small green ones and used them in tiny flower arrangements. With their long, graceful stems, they look quite beautiful in a mix of greenery.)

I love the way the berries turn white before blushing to pink and then to red.

Okay, I cheated here -- these are actually store-bought strawberries -- what I hope mine will turn out to look like, eventually. (Mine seem to need a little Miracle Gro.)

But, I did actually make smoothies with the ripe berries we have gathered thus far, combining them with two ripe bananas, about 3/4 cup milk, and 6 ice cubes (3 per nana).  Made 3 large size servings. De-lish and healthy to boot!