Simple strawberry shortcake

What you’ll need:

1 ½ c flour
2 Tbl granulated sugar
1 Tbl baking powder
½ tsp grated orange zest
3 Tbl unsalted butter or margarine, cut into pieces
¾ c skim milk

For filling:

2 pints fresh strawberries, sliced
1 Tbl orange juice
1 Tbl granulated sugar

For garnish:

Vanilla yogurt or whipped cream
Mint leaves

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar and baking powder. Stir in orange zest. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut butter into flour mixture until coarse crumbs form. Quickly stir in milk until a soft dough forms. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to ½” thickness. Using a 2 ½” biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits, gathering and re-rolling until all the dough is used. Place on prepared pan and bake until golden, usually 12 – 15 minutes. Place on a wire rack and cool slightly. Combine strawberries, orange juice and sugar and mix well. Split warm biscuits in half. Top each bottom with filling. Place top on and place a spoonful of filling over that. Garnish with a dollop of yogurt or whipped cream and a sprig of mint. Serves 8.

Cost:
flour – $2.12/5 pound bag
sugar – $1.99/4 lb bag
baking powder – $2.38
oranges – $2.25/bag
butter – $1.75/pound
milk – $3.99/gallon
strawberries – $3.50
whipped topping – $0.99
Total – $7.16

White Chocolate and Strawberry Cookies

One of my favorite ladies here in blogland has begun her television cooking career! Ok, maybe it’s not a career yet but I’d be willing to bet my money that it will be before too long. Her name is Celeste (click here to visit her blog) and she is an incredible woman. Her debut was on MyArkLaMiss’ morning show and her recipe is White Chocolate and Strawberry Cookies…yum! Click here to watch her TV debut and click here for other great recipes that she has posted on her forum KARD Kookbook (she posts under the name LadyElaine. You will need to specifically select her forum to get to her recipes). I know, you want me to get to the recipe! 🙂

White Chocolate and Strawberry Cookies

What you’ll need:

1 1/2 cups strawberries, cleaned
1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.

Clean, trim, and slice berries.

Puree/mash strawberries in a blender, or with a fork for less mess (berries should now be 3/4 cup), leaving some larger chunks if desired; set berries aside.

In a large bowl beat butter and sugars.

Beat in one egg at a time.

In a separate bowl whisk flour, salt and baking powder.

Add dry mixture to creamed mixture, about 1/2 a cup at a time.

When well mixed, slowly add berries, about 1/4 cup at a time, while mixing at the same time, ensuring berries are spread well throughout.

Drop batter in tablespoons about 1-inch apart on a greased baking sheet.

Bake at 350° for 11- 12 minutes for soft cookies, or up to a maximum of about 14-15 minutes for crunchier cookies, watching the edges to ensure they are lightly browned.

Let rest on cookie sheets for 2-3 minutes for cookies to set.

Cool on wire racks.

Cost:
strawberries – $3.50
butter – $1.75/pound
sugar – $1.99/4 lb bag
brown sugar – $1.89/ 2 pound bag
eggs – $1.09/ dozen
flour – $2.12/5 pound bag
chocolate chips – $2.50
Total – $6.93

Orange/strawberry/banana smoothies

I’m just crazy for this mixture of flavors!

What you’ll need:

2 c plain or vanilla flavored yogurt
1 (10 oz) bag frozen strawberries (frozen)
1 banana, sliced
2 Tbl orange juice
1 – 2 Tbl honey (to taste)

Add all ingredients to a blend and blend on medium speed until smooth. Pour into glasses. Makes 4 drinks.

Cost:
yogurt – $2.12
strawberries – $3.50
bananas – $2.15
orange juice – $1.19
honey – $1.12
Total – $5.43/$1.36 per drink

Decadent strawberry daiquiris

What you’ll need:

½ oz strawberry schnapps
1 oz light rum
1 oz lime juice
1 tsp powdered sugar
1 – 2 large strawberries
Ice

Remove vegetation from strawberries, wash and cut into quarters. Put strawberries and alcohols, lime and sugar into a blender and blend in short bursts 3 or 4 times. Add ice almost to the top of the blender and blend on high until all ingredients are combined. For a creamier daiquiri, add 2 scoops of strawberry or vanilla ice cream before the addition of the ice. Garnish as desired. Makes about 5 drinks.

Cost:
Alcohol – $4.00
limes – $1.99/4
powdered sugar – $1.69
strawberries – $3.50
vanilla ice cream – $1.99
Total – $8.46

Sugar free no bake cheesecake

What you’ll need:

2 (8 oz) pkgs cream cheese
1 tub of cool whip
1 c. Splenda

Leave cool whip and cream cheese out until they are room temperature or easy to blend until creamy…

Mix all ingredients together and pour into crust of your choice or just into a pie pan without crust if you are watching your carbs…

Let cool in fridge for an hour then either eat the way it is or top with your favorite sugar free topping (cherry, peach, strawberry, blueberry etc.)

Cost:
cream cheese – $2.06/each
whipped topping – $0.99
Splenda – $2.12
graham cracker crust – $1.29
Total – $8.52 with crust
$7.23 without crust

Submitted by Pamela Joseph