Recipe for Strawberry Shortcake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon sugar, plus about 1/4 to1/2 cup for strawberries
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons buttermilk
• 2 quarts fresh strawberries

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Lightly grease a 9 inch pie plate.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 1 Tablespoon of sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Place the butter in the bowl, and with a fork or pastry cutter, press and cut it into the dry ingredients until it has the consistency of large crumbs.  Pour the buttermilk (if you don’t have buttermilk, just use regular milk and substitute 1 of the Tablespoons of milk for 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar) into the bowl and stir with a fork just until a dough forms.  When the dough holds together, spoon it into the pie plate and press it down so it is evenly distributed.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until shortcake is puffy and lightly browned.

Cut the shortcake into pieces, split the pieces in half, and top pieces with washed, sliced strawberries.  Or if you want a sweeter topping, wash strawberries, remove stems, and mash them in a bowl.  Add 1/4 to 1/2 half cup of sugar, depending on amount of strawberries mashed, and according to your taste.  Pour the strawberry-sugar mixture over the shortcake pieces. Enjoy!