Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcake (recipe below)
Jenny Harper
Mix It Up With Jenny
Family Features
Moms play a lot of roles in life - nurse, teacher, comforter, chef, peace maker, chauffer and so many more. They deserve a big "thank you" every day and something special on Mother's Day.
When it comes to honoring our moms every spring, flowers are one of the most popular gifts to show appreciation. While flowers are lovely, I like to celebrate moms and motherhood in unique ways that build great family memories.
• Whisk her away. I love being "kidnapped" from my daily routine and whisked away on a surprise outing! Think about taking mom on a picnic, a visit to the zoo, an art museum or someplace else that's special to her.
• Create a care package. My mom doesn't live nearby, so I like to make a special Mother's Day care package for her. Some baked goodies or a new photo book will mean a lot when you can't be together.
• Give her the day off. Take away mom's "to-do" list and take care of those chores and errands for her. Make sure the kids and meals are taken care of and let her do what she wants to unwind. She'll love it - I know I do!
• Be the chef. Have the whole family plan a special Mother's Day menu and cook it together. Make sure it's something you can handle - getting frustrated over a recipe that's too complicated won't help anyone enjoy the day. Or go out for dinner and come home to a special dessert.
Finish off the day with this "berry" special Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcake. It's fun to make and looks so pretty on the plate! The chocolate chips are a fun- and delicious - twist on the usual shortcake recipe.
For more mom-friendly recipes, visit www.verybestbaking.com. You'll also find hundreds of printer-friendly recipes at Spokane.net/Recipes
Chocolate Chip Strawberry Shortcake
Makes 16 servings
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter, cut up
2 cups (12-ounce package) semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 container (12 ounces) frozen light whipped topping, thawed
4 cups sliced strawberries
PREHEAT oven to 400 F. Grease baking sheets.
COMBINE flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Cut in butter with pastry blender or two knives until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in morsels. Stir in buttermilk with a fork just until moistened. Knead 2 or 3 times on floured surface. Pat to 3/4-inch thickness. Cut into sixteen 2 1/2 x 2 1/2-inch diamonds; place on prepared baking sheets.
BAKE for 12 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
CUT one shortcake in half horizontally. Spread the bottom half with whipped topping; top with strawberries. Cover with shortcake top; layer with more whipped topping and strawberries. Repeat with remaining shortcakes. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Information per serving: 380 calories; 160 calories from fat; 18g total fat; 12g saturated fat; 25mg cholesterol; 360mg sodium; 50g carbohydrate; 3g fiber; 20g sugars; 5g protein; 40% vitamin C; 10 % calcium
Jenny Harper is Senior Culinary Specialist for the Nestl Test Kitchens and VeryBestBaking.com. Courtesy of Nestlé