Easy strawberry dessert topping

Yesterday was one of those days.  You know how they go...

Woke up to yet another day of rain pouring from the skies. 

Had a super busy day at work, trying to meet deadlines. 

Got absolutely soaked on my walk to lunch, but we'll call it a wash since my lunch date was lovely :)

Phoned in a very sluggish workout at the gym.

Threw together a very random meal of leftovers -- delicious but certainly not worthy of a post.

Oh, and battled with the sound of rain that forced me to turn up the TV volume way higher than usual.

Nothing that terrible, really, but I was in serious need of a pick-me-up.  Something to remind me of the bright and sunny days of spring and summer that surely must be right around the corner.  Right?!  

With a little quick thinking, I whipped up a gorgeous and easy dessert that reminded me of a cute ice cream parlor we visited in Savannah.  I love recreating things from a trip, especially when those memories involve warm temperatures and sunshine :)

Homemade strawberry topping in under 5 minutes!

I used it over a bowl of vanilla bean ice cream, which screamed, "Summer, summer, summertiiiiiiiiime!"  But this would be equally perfect over a piece of pound cake, waffles or pancakes, or maybe a fresh slice of cheesecake.  Oh, now the wheels in my head are really turning.  The possibilities are endless!

What you'll need:

• 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries, quartered and hulled
• 2-3 Tablespoons of sugar, depending on how sweet you like it
• 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice.  Stir occasionally, until berries soften release juices and mixture begins to simmer and thicken slightly.  (If you're using frozen berries, use a spoon to break them up a bit in the saucepan, if desired.)  Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.  Spoon topping over foundation of choice, and enjoy!

Store, in a sealed container, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  Reheat as needed.

So simple and so gorgeous!  Make this ahead when you have friends coming over for dinner and dessert and wow them.  As for me, this totally drowned out the pitter patter outside and filled me with the tastes of summer, at least for now!

One Year Ago: Strawberry coffee cake muffins (it's definitely strawberry season!)