Dessert for Dinner with Ann Fulton of Fountain Avenue Kitchen
I am so excited to introduce you all to Ann Fulton, author, recipe developer and cook behind Fountain Avenue Kitchen. She creates easy recipes aimed to fit into our crazy, hectic lifestyles. She was introduced to me about two years ago when a good friend gave me her gluten free zucchini bread recipe. Since then I have made that recipe over, and over, and over again. Recently she came to visit me at the studio and we got to chatting about strawberry shortcake. Here is Ann to share her strawberry shortcake story with us...
-Emily
Mom's Classic Strawberry Shortcake
Dinner is supposed to be the time at the end of a long day when we sit back and relax over a good meal. Too often, however, it feels like a chore to get that dinner on the table, especially when greeted with occasional groans of discontent.
Once I became a parent myself, I realized that when I was a kid, I was far more likely to utter the words “Ugh, fish for dinner?” than “I love your spaghetti, Mom!” And certainly, I never thanked my mom for the time and effort she put into cooking dinner. Every. Single. Night.
(I have since righted that wrong.)
One or two evenings every spring, however, my mom was showered with squeals of delight as my siblings and I stormed into the kitchen. When local strawberries became available, she made the best strawberry shortcake. But it wasn’t dessert. It was dinner!
Though I assumed shortcake for dinner was a normal occurrence in everyone’s home, I have since learned this was and is not the case. In fact, when the subject occasionally arises, some people think it’s rather crazy.
When I saw one of Emily’s pretty berry bowls recently, I thought back to this childhood tradition and asked her if she ever ate strawberry shortcake for dinner. The look on her face indicated that, clearly, she had not. But she was all in!
As evidenced by the fabulous photos, Emily embraced this delicious concept just a few days later. Growing up, my family enjoyed the lightly sweet shortcake topped with milk and a sprinkle of sugar. As an adult, I often enjoy it with vanilla yogurt. Whipped cream is fair game, too.
Beyond the fresh strawberries, the ingredients are all refrigerator and pantry staples. Purchased biscuit mix, which is now available in regular and gluten-free varieties, is an easy shortcut, although I have a homemade Bisquick recipe that is easy to whip up if you find yourself without.
Individual shortcakes offer a fun, portion-controlled preparation. Alternatively, the shortcake lends well to a square pan.
The ingredients you will need are listed below, and a convenient print-version of the complete recipe is available HERE. If you try, I hope the strawberry shortcake is greeted with rave reviews, no matter what time of day you choose to serve it!
Mom's Classic Strawberry Shortcake, Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2⅓ cups biscuit mix (like regular or GF Bisquick or this homemade version)
- ½ cup milk, plus a few extra tablespoons as needed
- 2-3 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 pint strawberries (stems removed, sliced, and tossed with 2 tablespoons additional sugar)
- Warm milk, whipped cream, or yogurt for serving
Isn't Ann great? I love her easy going personality and the way she connects cooking to memories. My family loved this special treat for dinner and the boys requested the two we had leftover for breakfast the next day.
Here is the delicious zuchinni bread recipe I mentioned earlier!
Click HERE for my favorite Zucchini Banana or Applesauce Bread (grain-free & naturally sweetened)
I am looking forward to trying these!
Ann has so many delicious, healthy, easy recipes. Go check them out and let me know what you try!
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