Recipe: Stuffed Strawberries

STUFFED STRAWBERRIES

32 whole large strawberries, hulled
12 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
2/3 cup chopped pecans

Cut a thin slice from the bottom of each strawberry so the berries stand upright. Place berries, cut sides down, on a serving platter. Carefully, cut the berries into 4 wedges, cutting almost to, but not through, the bottoms. (You cut the cap off the strawberry. Place the cut side down, and make 2 cuts -- like a + -- on the pointy end of the berry. Be careful not to cut all the way through.) Fan the wedges just slightly, taking care not to break them. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla until combined but still stiff. Using a teaspoon or pastry bag with decorative tip, fill the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of the stuffed strawberries. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

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The website that I got this recipe from said this was a Deen Brothers recipe. The ones that I had at the party also had chocolate drizzled over them. In my quest for the recipe, I also found some that said they dipped them in chocolate...How decadent would that be!