Strawberry Shortcakes

On Saturday I arrived home from my family vacation in sunny southern California.  We hit up Disneyland, Universal Studios, Sea World and New Port beach...it was wonderful and warm (which is wonderful all by itself)!!  My sister and her two babies joined Taters, Tales & I...I'm not sure I have laughed until I cry that many times in my entire life...SO MUCH FUN!!  The one thing that I don't enjoy toward the end of any vacation is the eating out...it is amazing for a while but then I am ready for a home cooked meal.  Yesterday when I went to the store to replenish my fridge and pantry I really didn't have a plan of what I was going to make for our "first meal" at home...that was until I saw a huge flat of strawberries for $5.00.  Then I still didn't know what I was going to make for dinner but I ABSOLUTELY knew what I was making for dessert. 

I love the sponge cake cups that they sell next to the strawberries but I wanted something a little more dense and so I started playing around with my biscuit recipe.  My boys decided the biscuit was perfect without strawberries and just a little cool whip...so I would say that means they are pretty good.

To make them you will need 8 oz. of softened cream cheese, 2/3 cup softened butter, 2 cups self-rising flour (or 2 cups of flour, 3 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt) 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 cup milk.

My recipe calls for self-rising flour but instead of going to the store and buying some...I just make it.  The ratio for every cup of self-rising flour needed is 1 cup of flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Combine well and you will never know the difference...

Next combine the cream cheese, butter, sugar and the flour mixture together with a pastry cutter or two knives until it is crumbly.  Then add the milk 1/4 cup at a time.  This will bring the dough together.  Roll out onto a floured surface and cut into desired shape...

I kept the thickness of the dough to about 1/2 inch because I wanted them to be nice and thick biscuits...

Brush with a little melted butter and sprinkle with additional sugar...

Bake in a preheated 425° oven for 10-12 minutes or until they begin to brown.  Serve warm or cold with fresh strawberries and cool whip.  They were a perfect "welcome home" dessert!  Sweet strawberries-

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Shortcake Biscuits-Yield 12, 2" round biscuits

8 oz. softened cream cheese

2/3 cup softened butter

2 cups self rising flour (or 2 cups flour, 3 teaspoons baking powder & 1/2 teaspoons salt)

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk

Topping- 2 tablespoons butter & 2 tablespoons sugar

Using a pastry cutter combine the cream cheese, butter, flour and sugar until the mixture is crumbly.  Next add the milk 1/4 cup at a time until the dough forms a ball.  Roll out onto a floured surface to about 1/2" thick and cut into desired shapes.  To the tops of each biscuit brush a little melted butter and sugar.  Bake in a preheated 425° oven for 10-12 minutes or until they begin to brown.  Serve warm or cold with strawberries and cool whip.