Fourth Of July Strawberries

I have a friend, Beth, who really should have her own food blog, or better yet, her own television show.  She is crazy talented in all things food and craft related, and she posts pictures and ideas all the time on Facebook, where I make note of them for future use.  Last year around this time, she posted a picture of some patriotic strawberries that she had made, and I swiped the picture and put it into my food ideas folder.  I've been waiting all year for the Fourth of July to roll around again so I could make them myself.

Yesterday I was at Sam's, and they had large three pound containers of strawberries for a good price, so I bought some.  Unfortunately, I had to throw out about a pound of them because there was some mold, but I salvaged enough to make a batch of these strawberries. 

I melted one cup of white chocolate chips and one tablespoon of shortening in a metal bowl placed over some simmering water, and stirred until smooth.  I'm sure you could use almond bark or the white melting disks, too.

I washed and dried the strawberries, leaving the leafy tops, and poured blue sugar crystals and blue nonpareils in small bowls. I preferred the taste of the ones dipped in the blue sugar.  Walmart has Great Value brand blue sugar crystals in the baking aisle.

I dipped the strawberries in the white chocolate, then in the sugar or nonpareils, then I placed them on a wax paper lined baking sheet until they hardened.  I also inserted some of the strawberries with lollipop sticks, but I recommend doing this after you have dipped them and they have hardened, because the sticks loosen easily and slip out.  I learned the hard way.

Hope y'all have a fantastic Fourth of July.