California Strawberries Dominate Summer Menu

There is just no other way to describe California strawberries...well, basides the fact that they're deliciously juicy, bursting with flavor, perfectly ripe and ready to enjoy as soon as you see them.

When choosing strawberries, look for strawberries that are firm, dry and are uniform in color with the green stems attached. Did you know that strawberries in the US are different sized than those in the European market?! California strawberry grower said it is because the US consumers prefers larger, luscious strawberries while Europeans don't really care about their size.

During the summer time, there's nothing more refreshing than strawberries in your drink, salad, parfait, salsa, etc. This last week, I was able to enjoy California strawberries in a new way with some creative recipes at an California Strawberries' event called "Paint Dallas Red" hosted by June Cleaver Nirvana's Holly Homer and nutritional tips brought by "Guy-a-titian" David Grotto. Here is one of the quick and easy recipes to get the most out of your California strawberries:

Strawberry Caprese Salad

Ingredients

• 1 lb California strawberries, sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1 lb fresh mozzarella balls, drained
• 1/4 cup red onions, chopped

Combined sliced strawberries with chopped basil, cubed fresh mozzarella and chopped red onion with balsamic vinaigrette gently.

Fortunately for you, the wonderful people of California strawberries given me an extra copy of "Strawberry Recipes for Everyday" cookbook. To enter into this giveaway:

• Leave a comment below telling me what you love about strawberries.
• Follow @realposhmom on Twitter and tweet with the hashtag #castrawberrytour.
• "Like" Real Posh Mom on Facebook: http://fb.com/realposhmom.
• The more you do, the more entries you have. The winner will be announced June 25.