Musings - and Strawberry Shortcake

I often forget that once upon a time I wrote a weekly column online. My life took so many twists & turns that it seems like another person altogether put those words on the page. Today I was reminded when I visited a polling site that asked for my URL. Oh, yeah, I thought... I have one of those.

It's not that I've stopped living La Vida Frugal. Far from it. I'm simply wrapped in the 'busy-ness' of business and daily life.

Perhaps now that I've remembered this blog thing, I'll trade some of my busy time for the chance to share my thoughts and recipes once more.

In the meantime, the strawberries are ripe. We planted 25 plants along our driveway in what was once a flower bed. Three years later we average 5 gallons of berries a season. If that's not frugal, I don't know what is.

Shortcake anyone? Inexpensive and easy to make, but it doesn't look like it! You can always substitute whatever berries or fruits are in season.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

4 Cups ripe strawberries, sliced
1/4 Cup sugar
2 Cups Self Rising Flour
1/2 Cup Lard ( yes, LARD! oh, alright, use shortening if you must - but lard makes it better tasting)
2/3 Cup milk
1/4 Cup sugar
Non-dairy Whipped topping, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 F. Sprinkle sliced strawberries with 1/4 Cup sugar. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix flour and lard with a pastry cutter or two forks used in criss-cross fashion. The mixture should look like rough cornmeal.
Add milk and sugar. Mix until a soft dough forms.

Drop by large spoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. (You should get about 6 biscuits)

Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Split warm cakes in half. Fill with strawberries and a dollop of whipped topping. Put top in place. Add more berries and whipped topping.