Strawberry tarts in a jiffy

Let’s face it: All of us foodies like to make things from scratch, believing strongly that this is the only way that food will taste its best. No argument there. However, there are times when this is just not possible. Life gets in the way; appointments, traffic, bad plumbing, cat had a accident in the living room, you name it.  People are going to show up to your house and expect to be fed something.

Here’s my suggestion: Grab a package of your favorite cookies, the kind that come with a frosting in the middle. Grab your favorite jar of jelly or preserves. Grab a basket of strawberries. Make mini-tarts. Ten minutes to make a dozen. End of story.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 package of cream-filled cookies (half of a package is enough)
• 1 basket of strawberries
• 1 jar of your favorite jam or jelly (berry)

METHOD:

1. Core the strawberries after rinsing them. Place on some paper towels and dry them as much as possible.
2. Open the cookies and place on a work surface, using only the ones with the cream. Store the other halves for consumption later.
3. Pour some jelly in a small pyrex bowl. Microwave for a few seconds to melt the jelly. If it has bits of fruits in it, strain the jelly to remove the fruits. If it is too thick, add a teaspoon of liqueur or water to the jelly and stir rapidly to mix. If needed, microwave again for a few seconds to get it liquid and easy to apply onto the fruit.
4. Apply the jelly on the entire surface of each strawberry with a brush or the back of a small spoon.
5. Cut the bottoms of each fruit with a sharp knife. Place the strawberry on the cookie and place the cut up ends all around the fruit, coating it some more with jelly if needed.
6. Serve right away or keep refrigerated for a few hours.