Goat Cheese Valentine Strawberries

Goat cheese strawberries are the most amazing little bites of deliciousness to ever grace your tongue.

I'm obsessed with goat cheese and strawberries, which is why you'll find both fully-stocked in our home at all times. We used to grow strawberries in our garden in Washington when I was a kid. There is nothing like a fresh, juicy, plump red strawberry plucked right out of your own backyard. Combine that delicious fresh fare with nature's best cheese product in the form of luscious, creamy goat cheese.

I get pretty giddy this time of year, when local strawberries start ripening in my local area in San Diego. Around here you can stock up on fresh, organic strawberries for like $3 a flat! California used to be the top supplier of fresh produce for the entire nation (before our big, epic, endless drought) and we're still one of the biggest suppliers of strawberries for the whole world. The California Strawberry Commission even hosts a festival to honor the berry every year, and it's a BIG deal. It's the state's sixth most important commodity in terms of crops! Can you tell that I really have a soft spot for this state's strawberries?

Anyway, I had these goat cheese strawberries at a party once and I have to admit, they turned me into a rather rude partygoer. Everyone else was being all social and mingling and where was I? Hovering over the snack table scarfing down goat cheese valentine strawberries, warding everyone else away with an off-putting glare. I just can't get enough.

Goat Cheese Valentine Strawberries

Yield: 24

Goat Cheese Valentine Strawberries

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Goat cheese strawberries are the most amazing little bites of deliciousness to ever grace your tongue.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 pounds fresh strawberries
• 8 ounces goat cheese
• 2 Tbsp basil

Instructions

1. Remove strawberry hulls with a melon baller or paring knife.
2. Stuff each strawberry with approximately 1/2 Tbsp goat cheese.
3. Sprinkle with basil and serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1 serving
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 37Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 44mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g

I like to use a melon baller to hull strawberries. It removes that white woody part quickly and easily while leaving the perfect little pocket for goat cheese. Early season strawberries aren't as sweet as the later ones, so the taste of this dish varies a little throughout the year. I like my strawberries however they come: super-sweet or with a little bit of bite. It is a good idea to put a sign next to these indicating that they are goat cheese strawberries, because there's always one or two people expecting the cream in the middle to be sweet. It's a bit of a curveball if they're expecting a dessert and instead bite into a cheesy fruit mashup.

Just spoon the goat cheese in with a teaspoon or knife and sprinkle with basil for a hint of seasoning and extra color.

On top of being super tasty, strawberries are actually REALLY good for you. They help control blood pressure and reduce cholesterol, and they have tons of vitamin C and fiber. So that means I can eat as many goat cheese strawberries as I want! All the goat cheese strawberries, all the time.

If you want to try some more Valentine strawberries, try this Graham Cracker parfait!

Have you ever made goat cheese strawberries?