I think I was incorrect... I checked information regarding Published Patents and once the application is published it does become protected under the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999. So basically, IF she receives a patent on stuffed strawberries...she could go back and sue anyone who is selling them while her patent was in published status. I really don't think she will recieve a patent on this...but you never know. Everyone who files all the paperwork and pays the fees gets to the "Published" status after 18 months...so she is not assured a patent simply because her application has been published. There is a procedure for protesting patents. Not sure if it's worth the trouble...again because I don't think they will actually issue her a patent....because as we know...stuffed strawberries is not a novice invention..but has been around for years.

Anyway...I will keep stuffing mine....

I'll petition this, my mom was stuffing strawberries back in her day and I now sell them. I'd hate to stop selling them because of her "brillent idea" that is actually an old one. (I was so proud of my stuffing the strawberries idea and then after I made them my mom said "huh, I use to make these when I was your age"---then I found out a lot of people have been doing them for years)

I wonder if or how you can provide feedback on a patent that is pending. I am going to look further. I haven't found that yet.

Wow- I had never heard of stuffing them like she does. Especially with real cheesecake and crust and everything! Is this how you guys been doing it forever? Just curious... Maybe it just hasn't made it to the middle of california yet!

Hello Martha...

Yes, I have stuffed strawberries with cheesecake and used cheesecake to make cheesecake turtle balls. I bake my New York Style cheesecake and after it sits overnight in the refrigerator...I dump it into a bowl and use it to make all kinds of fun things. I will stuff strawberries, or roll the cheesecake into bite size balls. After I roll them I place them in the freezer....dip them in chocolate...place them back in the freezer....and finally dip the bottom half of the ball in homemade caramel and then into crushed pecans. They are a favorite of my family.

Doughbelly.... can I be part of your family?? *grins*

Those sound awesome!! Thanks for sharing.

Doughbelly----do you crumble up your cheesecake and mix it all up or do you break off bite size pieces? How do you make your homemade carmel?
I'm with Stephw, can I be part pf your family?!!

Wow! YUMMMMMMY That all sounds so good. I have never made a cheesecake but think maybe I should try!

Hi Ladies,

Yes...turtle cheesecake balls are YUMMEEEEEE... A lot of the time I put a cookie or popscicle stick in the ball before it goes into the freezer....it makes it easier to dip in choc. and then in caramel and nuts.

Here is the recipe I use for homemade caramel:

2 c. sugar
dash of salt
2 c. white Karo
1/2 c. butter
2 c. evaporated milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Cook sugar, salt, Karo syrup to 245 degrees, about 3 to 4 minutes, then add butter a little at a time. Stir until melted. Then add milk slowly so mixture doesn't stop boiling. Cook rapidly to firm ball stage, 238 degrees. Then add vanilla, stir in and pour into buttered pan. Cool and cut in 1 x 1/2 inch strips.

I got this recipe off of cooks.com some time back..and found that it works great!

gabbenmom--yes I dump the entire cheesecake into a bowel...mush it all together...and then roll into balls...(that way you get some of the graham cracker bits also).

I am so glad i came out of hiding I love this website!!!

OOOh that is one great thing about living in cantral Valley of Cali. The berries are sooo good! Even the senters are red! No white hull! Yummy!

We are just starting to get good berries here in Oklahoma. Sometimes I can find a good sale

Doughbelly... does the carmel set up quickly? Do you dip the cheesecake balls in it when it's still warm?

Very glad you came out of hiding... and happy you are willing to share!

Thank you!

save

Steph,
I usually make the caramel the day before (when I make the cheesecake) and sit them both in the frig overnight. The next day, when I am making the turtle balls...I cut out what I think I will need of the caramel and heat it up in the microwave to soften. After it cools down some (and before it starts setting up again) I dip the chocolate covered cheesecake ball in it (about 1/3 of the ball) and then into the pecans.

It almost looks like a caramel apple where the bottom sit on a bed of pecans. Hope that's not confusing

Yummy! I think I will try these! How big do you make the balls?

Okay...I know it would not be the same, but could you wrap the cheesecake, cookie dough, brownie, etc... around the strawberry and then cover in chocolate?! It would taste the same and not mess with her "hoity toity" patent. IMO getting a patent on that would be like if someone put a patent on filled cupcakes!!!! Does not make any sense...

I just mentioned this to my mom and she said....."my grandmother....(your great grandmother) lived on a farm and used to can fruit and make stuffed strawberries when she was a little girl with her mom" My mom said that she used to have a huge strawberry patch.
MAN, I hope she doesn't get that patent. That would suck for everybody....and I can't wait to try.

Marthajo....I usually make the balls about the size of a golf ball.

I agree with you ladies...it just makes no sense that someone could say they "invented" a stuffed strawberry It's like saying you invented the caramel apple...or as she would have said...I didn't invent the caramel covered apple...just the nuts that it was rolled in afterwards was my invention. LOL (that's what she states in her patent "I didn't invent the chocolate covered strawberry just the idea of stuffing it with something and then covering it in chocolate"

Yeah.. I hope she doesn't get the patent either.. that's ridiculous..

I made some this weekend.. OMG they are GOOOOOOD.. I baked a small cheese cake and made some ganache (I prefer ganache to hard chocolate since it's easy to bite through).. my DH loved them too. It was our last hoorah before the diet. LOL.. had to make it goooooood.

For Mother's Day, I made a two tiered strawberry and chocolate ganache cake (strawberry bc with ganache poured on top and then choc. covered strawberries) the bottom cake was strawberry with fresh strawberries in between......and the top layer was chocolate with kaluha/and ganache between..

It was yummy....and gone after a couple hours

i'm dying here just reading this post... i would love to have a stuff strawberry right about now. It's too bad my family are not good cake, cookies,chocolate and other sweet testers. they are super picky and afraid to like new things. i thought i was bad...

I am loving this post! I will have to try the berries and the cheesecake balls. Anyone have some great pics of these? Keep those great ideas coming fellow CC'ers. Thanks for letting me tag along

Wendy

hmmmmmm... I think we definitly need to see more photos!!!!!!!
yum, the turtle things sound good too. i think i am going to pm you doughbelly, i have a question for you about these.

So many great ideas in this thread. And the more I think about them, the more ideas I come up with that I want to try.

Doughbelly, do you ever bake your cheesecakes and freeze so that you will have some available whenever you want to make something with them? If so, do they freeze well? I have made them before and I know they are easy to make - but they are time consuming. So just wondering how it would work to have a couple on hand already.

Heidisuesmom - I don't know if I would cover a strawberry... but you got me to thinking about a cherry.... hmmmmmm.

I'm still planning on stuffing the strawberries. She hasn't been granted a patent... and so many people were doing this way before she did.

Doughbelly-you are awesome!!! Those sound so great! Thank you to you and everyone else who has shared!!! I can't wait to try these! They sound decadent!

ladefly...yes you can PM me with any questions you have about these. I will tell you all I know

StephW..I have never froze a cheesecake...but I'm certain it would work. I should probably try to since I am taking a HUGE leap...and opening a dessert business in the town I live in. I am a college professor by day but my life took a quick change a little over a year ago when my father suddenly passed away. My sister and mom live about three hours away from me...and as you can image...I worry about them constantly. SOooooo...my bright idea was to open a dessert shop so that my mother and sister could move here and help me run it. I've always wanted to open a dessert delivery business...but as a single mom...I was afraid I couldn't take a chance on a business....so I went to college (many years) and became a professor. But....the dessert business was still there in the back of my mind....so I'm going for it .

Anyway..................sorry for the ramble....but as you might imagine...I'm scared to death...and pray that I am making a good move.

Doughbelly you are making a good choice! You can make it work with lots of hard work. By the way I'm glad you came out of hidding.

Doughbelly, I am sorry to hear about your father. I lost my Mom over 10 years ago now - it is not easy at all.

I can completely understand why you would be scared about starting a business, but I say - chase your dreams and make this dessert shop the best you can! Give it everything you've got. I am certain that you will not be disappointed in doing something you are passionate about. Life is way too short to do less. There are no guarantees in this world. This morning, a woman I have known all my life had to bury her sweet 6 year old daughter who was hit by a car last Friday. I was lucky enough to be able to take my beautiful 5 year old son to preschool this morning.

So go for your dreams - don't settle for less! Good luck... and please keep me up to date on your progress!

mkolmar and steph....thank you for the support. I know it will be tough...since I don't plan to quite the day job ....it's my retirement!!

Steph....how horrible for your friend...I cannot imagine (nor do I ever want to)...burying my child. I have a 9 year old son and a 24 year old daughter....they are my world. My prayers are with her and I hope she has lots of support.