Recipe of the Week - Strawberry Shortcake

School is at an end and temperatures are rising, this can only mean summer is here!  When I think of summer one of my first thoughts is Strawberry Shortcake.  In fact while I was shopping yesterday I picked up strawberries with this in mind.  Thanks to Williams Sonoma here is a quick and easy recipe for authentic shortcake to go with those yummy berries. 

Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberries, hulled and sliced

1-2 Tbs of Lemon Juice

5 Tbs Sugar

1 C Flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

4 Tbs Cold Butter

1.  Wash, hull and slice strawberries and place in a bowl.  Add 1-2 Tbs of lemon juice and 2 Tbs of sugar and stir until all berries are covered in lemon juice and sugar.  Set aside in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve. 

2.  Pre-heat oven to 425 and get a cookie sheet ready.

3.  Mix together flour, 3 Tbs sugar, and baking powder.  Next cut in 4 Tbs of butter into the dough.  Using a food processor or mini prep or fork blend the butter and flour mixture until you get little pea sized crumbs.

4.  Using your hands mold the dough.  I use a round cookie cutter but you can always just eyeball it and make your own shapes with your hands. Make your shortcakes about a inch thick.  Place them on the cookie sheet.  Cook for 12 - 15 minutes.

5.  Once done let them cool for 10 minutes.  

6.  Pull your strawberries out of the refrigerator, they should now be macerated.  Cut your shortcake in half and place strawberries on top.  Then finish off with some whipped cream.

I love to make my own whipped cream but if you have cool whip or reddi whip on hand you might as well use it.  If you want to try and make the whipped cream here is what you will need.

Whipped Cream

1 C heavy cream

3-6 Tbs of sugar

1 tsp of vanilla

Using a whisk attachment or a hand mixer combine cream, sugar and vanilla in a bowl.  When adding your sugar use at least 3 Tbs but more if you want your whipped cream sweeter.  Mix our whisk on high until you have a thick whipped cream in your bowl.

I chose this recipe since strawberries are abundant this time of year and readily available.  I picked up some organic strawberries at Stop and Shop for $3.99.  Conventional were $2.99.  Land O Lakes Butter is on sale this week at A&P and with the coupons is only a $1 a box.  Everything else is a common pantry item.  Let's add up the cost $3.99 Strawberries, $0.25 butter used in recipe, $1 of pantry items, $0.50 lemon, if you needed to buy one.  This means your scrumptious dessert cost you $5.74 for a family of five or $1.14 per person.