Nutella "Cheesecake" Stawberries

   Yesterday was a little more serious and emotional than I expected.  I apologize for that....  So here is a fun, easy summer dessert that will impress the pants off of party guests.  I've expressed my general concern with chocolate covered strawberries.  They are all good, fine, and tasty, but can be a pain the ass to make and are a little romantically antiquated.  Save them for a sexy bedroom treat.  A few years ago, I saw something similar to these strawberries on Paula's Home Cooking.  (I actually saw a rerun of the episode literally an hour after making these, too.)  Well, they are basically the same.  Paula Deen's recipe just used sweetened cream cheese; I altered the filling because who doesn't love Nutella?

Nutella "Cheesecake" Strawberries
1 pint strawberries, washed
3 oz light cream cheese, room temp
2 Tbsp Nutella
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
chocolate sauce (optional)

   Combine cream cheese, Nutella, sugar and vanilla.  Scoop into a plastic bag or pastry bag that has an open medium sized tip.  This will make filling so much easier.  (A #20 tip is about the size you want.)  Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes.
   Set strawberries upright, resting on their leaves.  Make a cut down through the strawberries, about 2/3-3/4 of the way down.  Make another cut like that to form an X.
   Fit pipping tip into strawberry.  Gently squeeze filling into strawberries while pulling the tip out so you get an even filling.  Do this for all strawberries.  Drizzle with chocolate.  Place in freezer to set for about 15-20 minutes.  (Or longer, you'll just need to let them thaw a bit before serving.)
   Serves 4 for regular dessert or about 10 for a party setting.