Lead Us Not Into Temptation Strawberry Shortcake

Sometimes you just simply MUST have that sweet desert and this one is a favorite of mine. Yes, I've given in to the temptation many times and you will too once you've made this awesome dish.


INGREDIENTS:

* Biscuits:
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 tablespoons sugar
* 1 stick butter, chilled
* 2/3 to 3/4 cup half and half, milk, or cream
* Filling:
* 1 quart strawberries
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1 1/2 cups whipping cream for topping, or non-dairy whipped topping

PREPARATION:

Rinse the berries under cold water; drain well. Hull and slice the berries; place in a bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar; cover and let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour. Whip the cream (sweeten with 2 or 3 tablespoons of sugar, if desired) until it holds a soft peak. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Set rack at center level.

In a food processor (you can use a pastry cutter or fingertips) combine the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and pulse to mix. Cut butter into about 8 pieces and add to the mixture. Pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal, but with few pea-size chunks of butter left in the mixture. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and make a well in the center. With a fork stir in the cream or milk, just until dough is moist. Be very careful not to overwork. The dough doesn't have to hold together well at this point. Let the dough stand for a minute. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over on itself (knead) 2 or 3 times, until it is holding together and is less sticky.

Gently pat the dough into a 6 by 12-inch rectangle about 3/4-inch thick and cut into 8 (3-inch) biscuits with a floured round cutter. Transfer to a buttered foil-lined cookie sheet. Brush on a little milk or cream and sprinkle tops with some sugar, if desired. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until risen and golden brown. Remove to a platter and split each biscuit horizontally with a serrated knife. Butter the hot biscuits then top with about 1/3 cup of berry mixture. Replace the tops and top with a tablespoon or so of berries. Serve with whipped cream for topping.
Serves 8.

HOW SWEET IT IS!
Steve and Kim

THE BEST BREAD IS HOME MADE BREAD

While growing up I remember the smell of fresh-baked bread being prepared by my mother. Back then there was no such thing as the automatic bread maker so she had to do everything by hand. Oh the smells that came from her kitchen! If you've never experienced this smell then you haven't lived. Why not give baking your own bread a try? You'll enjoy it I'm sure. Here are a couple of our favorites.

There is nothing like fresh homemade bread and these two will fill your home with all those lovely baking flavors so typical of bread baking.

Moist Potato Tea Bread

What You Need:

* 1 C of flour
* 1/2 t baking soda
* 1/4 t salt
* 1/2 t pumpkin pie spice
* 1 C cold sweet potatoes, mashed
* 1/2 C sugar
* 3 T canola oil
* 2 T of buttermilk
* 1 t vanilla extract
* 1 large egg

How to Make It:

1. Place the oven temperature on 350 degrees and allow the oven to preheat.
2. Lightly spray a loaf pan with a non stick cooking spray.
3. Dust the loaf pan lightly with flour and tap out any excess.
4. Place the flour into a mixing bowl.
5. Add the baking soda, salt and pumpkin spice.
6. Whisk together until the ingredients are blended well.
7. Place the mashed sweet potatoes into a separate mixing bowl.
8. Sprinkle the sugar over the top of the potatoes.
9. Pour the oil, buttermilk and the vanilla into the mixture.
10. Break the egg into the mixture then whisk until blended together well.
11. Transfer the sweet potato mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture.
12. Stir just enough to moisten the dry ingredients through.
13. Place the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
14. Bake 28 minutes or until a butter knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
15. Cool the loaf in the pan on a wire rack for 12 minutes.
16. Invert the pan over a wire rack and allow the loaf to cool 1 hour before serving.

Serves: 1 loaf

Sweet potatoes make breads very moist so there's no need for the extra butter or oil. Sweet potatoes are also a great source of beta carotene along other nutrients making them a healthy choice any time of year. Pumpkin can be used in place the sweet potatoes if you prefer.

The vegetables in this best bread recipe make it a very healthy bread to treat your family with.

Farmer's Country Loaf

What You Need:

* 1 C warm water (110 degrees)
* 2 1/2 t active dry yeast
* 1 1/2 t salt
* 1 1/2 C + 2 T bread flour

How to Make It:

1. Pour the warm water into a mixing bowl.
2. Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the water.
3. Allow the mixture to stand 5 minutes or until it begins to bubble.
4. Once the mixture begins to bubble, stir in the salt and the flour until well blended.
5. Use a flexible rubber spatula and knead the dough by folding it over and pushing it into the bottom of the bowl.
6. Knead the dough 4 times.
7. Sprinkle the remaining flour over the dough and continue to knead the dough as directed above for 5 minutes or until the dough is spongy.
8. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and push the dough into a ball shape.
9. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel, place in a warm area and allow the dough to rise 1 hour.
10. Use the rubber spatula and stir the dough. Cover again and allow the dough to rise for another hour.
11. Sprinkle a flat surface lightly with flour.
12. Place the dough onto the floured surface and form a loaf.
13. Use additional flour on the board if the dough becomes too sticky.
14. Sprinkle a baking sheet with flour in an area about double the size of the loaf.
15. Place the loaf on the floured area, cover loosely with plastic wrap and let the dough rise 1 hour or until it is double in size.
16. Set the oven temperature to 375 and allow the oven to preheat.
17. Remove the plastic wrap from the loaf.
18. Fill a spray bottle with water and spray the inside of the oven with the water.
19. Bake the bread 5 minutes then spray the oven again being careful not to spray the bread.
20. Bake the bread 12 minutes then spray the oven again.
21. Continue baking the bread 12 more minutes or until the bread is browned and crusty on top.
22. Allow the bread to cool on a wire rack 1 hour before slicing.

Serves: 1 loaf

This is a wonderful bread to serve with that Easter dinner. Be sure to have plenty of butter or better yet apple butter to smother each slice with.

This is truly one of our best bread recipes. Do not be afraid of the yeast. It is easier than you think. If you wish you can add one teaspoon of sugar to your dough, with your yeast, it will make the raising process faster; I often do it when I'm in a hurry. I also place the bread in any warm place I can find. I have a friend who places it in her bed, under the duvet, with the electric blanket switched on!! Can you believe it?

Okay, so now you have two of our best bread recipes, what do you think of them?
Let us know by e-mail at our blog address HERE.

**PS. Would you please twitter this article to your friends? We're sure they'll enjoy it as much as you have. Thank you.
Steve and Kim: