Most of us can't resist this favorite fruit from California - the nation's leading producer of strawberries - and will purchase at least one plastic clamshell container.

It's a healthy habit, as research shows that strawberries are high in fiber, vitamin C, folate, potassium and antioxidants, all of which can help improve heart health, reduce the risk of some cancers and give a boost to overall wellness.

But once we get strawberries home what should we do with them? Most people slice them onto breakfast cereal, blend them into smoothies or use them for shortcake.

But there are at least a dozen unique ways to use this fruit. Here are a few ideas - and recipes - to help you break out of that strawberry rut:

FOR STRAWBERRY recipes, see E3.

1. Mix in a salsa: Toss diced fresh strawberries with cucumbers, onions, peppers and cilantro for a unique topping for grilled chicken, fish tacos or chips.

2. Skewer and grill: Slide fresh strawberries onto wooden skewers, brush with a glaze and grill until soft. Eat plain or À la mode.

3. Toss in a salad: Place sliced strawberries on top of spinach. Add crispy bacon bits, nuts, some soft cheese - such as feta - and drizzle with a fruity raspberry vinaigrette.

4. Stir into a quick bread: Strawberries are not just for pies and shortcake. They make a moist, quick bread that's great for dessert or an anytime snack.

5. Bruschetta appetizers: Instead of taking dip and chips to your next party, butter baguette slices, top with sliced strawberries, sprinkle with sugar and broil until the sugar caramelizes.

6. Soup it up: Start a dinner party with chilled strawberry soup. Blend strawberries with cream, a little sugar and flavoring, such as rum, almond or vanilla.

7. Freeze for later: Buy extra strawberries at their peak and freeze. Wash, pat dry, remove stems and arrange in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place in the freezer. Once frozen, transfer to a plastic bag and return to freezer. Frozen strawberries keep for up to a year.

8. Fruit pizza: Who could resist a slice of fruit pizza for breakfast? Bake a mini crust using store-bought biscuit dough. Spread on sweetened cream cheese and top with sliced berries.

9. Stuff it: Instead of dipping strawberries, fill them with cream cheese mixed with chocolate. Chill.

10. Sauce it up: Make a unique topping for cakes or ice cream by combining strawberries with balsamic vinegar and sugar.

11. Say cheers: Place sliced strawberries in a glass of sparkling water or champagne for a festive drink. Or blend fresh strawberries into your favorite pink lemonade for the kids.

12. Create a sandwich: Toast an English muffin, top with low-fat cottage cheese and sliced fresh strawberries.

RECIPES

Strawberry bread

2 cups all-purpose flour*

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces and softened

1 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 eggs

1 cup fresh strawberries, crushed or 1 (10 ounce) package of frozen strawberries thawed and drained

1/3 cup sliced almonds

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray or grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and almond extract until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in flour alternating with crushed strawberries.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle the top with almonds. Bake in the center of the oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Cool the bread in the pan for 5 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack and turn right side up to cool completely.

Makes 1 (9-by-5-inch) loaf.

*Cooks at higher altitudes need to add 3 to 4 tablespoons additional flour. Source: The Best Bake Sale Ever Cookbook by Barbra Grunes (Chronicle Books, $19.95)

Strawberry soup

1 quart fresh strawberries, cleaned and hulled*

1 cup sour cream

1 cup light cream

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons light rum or 1 teaspoon rum flavoring

Additional strawberries for garnish

Blend strawberries in a blender or food processor. Add remaining ingredients and continue blending until smooth. Chill several hours or overnight. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh strawberry slices.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

*One (16 ounce) package whole frozen strawberries thawed may be substituted. Source: A Pinch of Salt Lake Cookbook by The Junior League of Salt Lake City

Fresh strawberries drizzled with balsamic vinegar

4 cups fresh strawberries

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons sugar or honey

4 ounces mascarpone cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Freshly cracked pepper

Stem and halve the strawberries. In a bowl, mix vinegar and sugar together. Add the strawberries, tossing to coat evenly. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Mix mascarpone cheese with vanilla and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Stir until smooth. Divide strawberries between 4 bowls, sprinkle with a pinch of freshly cracked pepper and top with a generous dollop of mascarpone cheese mixture.

Makes 4 servings.

Source: Wild Oats

Cream cheese filled strawberries

32 large whole fresh strawberries

12 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons semisweet or milk chocolate, grated

Slice from the stem end of each strawberry, so they will stand upright on flattened end. Place berries, cut side down, on a serving platter, pointed end up. Cut down each berry horizontally and vertically to create 4 wedges. Cut into, but not through, the bottom to create a flower petal.

Open the wedges just slightly, taking care not to break through the bottom. Set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and almond extract until light and fluffy. Gently fold in grated chocolate.

Using a decorating bag with a tip (or a plastic bag with the corner clipped) fill the strawberries. If desired, sprinkle with a little more grated chocolate. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Makes 32 filled strawberries.

Source: www.about.com

Strawberry, shrimp and feta salad

Vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon chopped shallots

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Salad:

1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion

3/4 pound peeled and deveined raw shrimp*

2 cups (about 10 ounces) fresh strawberries, stemmed and quartered

8 cups mixed salad greens, such as butter lettuce and watercress

1 small cucumber, sliced

4 ounces crumbled feta cheese

In small bowl, whisk together ingredients for vinaigrette.

In separate bowl, toss onion with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette; set aside. Over gas or charcoal grill or in grill pan on stove top, grill shrimp 5 minutes, turning once, or until pink and cooked through.

In a third small bowl, toss strawberries with 1 tablespoon of the vinaigrette.

In large bowl, toss greens and onion with enough of the remaining vinaigrette to coat lightly. Divide greens among 4 chilled salad plates. Arrange strawberries, shrimp and cucumbers equally on top of greens. Sprinkle with cheese.

Makes 4 servings.

*For a variation, substitute shredded smoked chicken for shrimp or substitute pre-cooked, shelled shrimp.

Source: The California Strawberry Commission

Grilled strawberry kiwi kabobs

Glaze:

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Juice of 1 lemon

1/3 cup orange juice, freshly squeezed

2 tablespoons honey

Ground cinnamon, to taste

3 teaspoons chopped fresh mint

Kabobs:

10 to 12 ounces hulled fresh strawberries

1 (11 ounce) can mandarin orange segments, drained

1 kiwi, quartered

1 unpeeled red apple, cored and cubed

1/2 honeydew melon or cantaloupe scooped into balls

Fresh wedges of pineapple

Wooden skewers

In a small saucepan, dissolve cornstarch in lemon juice. Add orange juice, honey and cinnamon to taste. Stir until mixture thickens; add mint. Set aside.

Slide fruit pieces onto wooden skewers. With a pastry brush, paint fruit with glaze. Place kabobs onto a medium grill or under a broiler until fruit is cooked through, and lightly browned about 2 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: The California Strawberry Commission

Strawberry breakfast pizza

1 (7 1/2 ounces) package refrigerated biscuits (10 biscuits)

1 orange

2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

4 teaspoons honey, divided

1 pint fresh strawberries, stemmed and halved

Mint sprigs, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Stack 2 biscuits; roll out to a circle about 6 inches in diameter, 1/8 inch thick. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Prick all over with fork. Repeat with remaining biscuits to make total of 5 circles. Bake biscuits until lightly browned 6 to 8 minutes. Loosen biscuits and cool slightly.

Meanwhile, finely grate peel from orange. In bowl, beat cream cheese, peel and 2 teaspoons of the honey to blend thoroughly; set aside. Juice orange into another bowl. Add strawberries and the remaining 2 teaspoons of honey; toss.

Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees. Spread biscuits with cream cheese mixture to within 1/2 -inch of edges, dividing equally. Bake just until edges of cheese brown lightly. Top with drained strawberries. Garnish with mint sprigs. Serve immediately.

Makes 5 servings.

Source: The California Strawberry Commission

Strawberry salsa

1 English or seedless cucumber, finely chopped

1 yellow pepper, cleaned and diced

1 green onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon cilantro cut into strips

3 to 4 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar

2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced

Mix cucumbers, yellow pepper, green onion, cilantro and vinegar. Cover and chill at least one hour. Just before serving, add strawberries. Serve over fish tacos, grilled chicken or pork or with chips.

Source: The California Strawberry Commission