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Oh what a week it has been at our house. I really am thankful that Friday is finally here. The beginning of this week brought a lot of heartache and devastation to the South and heartache to our house. Clint was born and raised in Arkansas and I spent 16 years of my life in Arkansas, we have deep roots there. I sat and watched as the bad weather moved through Mississippi, where my parents live. My parents "hunkered down" in their storm shelter and randomly came out to check weather updates from me. A couple hours after my parents were free and clear, my cousins, Aunt, Uncle, and younger sister were all in the path of two separate tornadoes, in two separate parts of Birmingham, Alabama. A couple of days later, we watched the news as Pensacola, Florida, flooded and streets vanished. We spent over a year at Naval Air Station Pensacola and still have many friends there. Pensacola is also a very special place in our hearts because that is where Hadley was born, a little over three years ago. I'm thankful all that is behind them, even though it seems the difficult part of the storm has just now started for victims and their families.
Here at our Hawaiian Hideaway, we have had a couple of small battles of our own, to win. Actually, they seem tiny in the scheme of the things now that this week is coming to a close. Clint had a HUGE day at work today, that's the whole reason for the Strawberry Shortcakes. He had his "300 Board" today. It's basically a verbal exam of everything he has been studying for the past year. He is one very large step closer to getting his Aircrew Wings (for those of you who are not 'in the know' military wise, wings are a big deal!!!!!)
I went over and above, like I usually do. I know no boundaries when I get to prepare a meal for someone! In the end, I think it was worth it because those Sailors devoured every last crumb.
The full meal consisted of Crockpot BBQ Pork Butt (which I will link in as soon as I get it posted), Baked Potato Salad, and this Strawberry Shortcake for dessert. Below is the EASY EASY EASY recipe! Enjoy!
Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake
1 Gluten Free Betty Crocker Cake Mix
-Change water to milk and increase to 1c.
-Increase Vanilla to 1T
1 1/2lb. (or 1 1/2 cartons) Fresh Strawberries
1/3-1/2c Sugar
1 Large Tub of Cool Whip (Or freshly made whipped cream)
Combine the instructions on the box with the changes I stated above with the cake mix. Follow instructions on the box for mixing and combining. Place in a greased 9x13 dish and bake for approximately 18-20 minutes.
While cake cooks, slice the strawberries and place them in a bowl with the sugar. If your strawberries aren't very sweet, use 1/2c. If you strawberries are naturally sweet, use 1/3c. If you choose not to do the strawberry and sugar step, that's fine. The main reason I do this is because the sugar draws out the strawberry's natural juices and creates a bit of a syrup that is delicious.
Once the cake is cooked and cooled, cut off the brown edges (because no one likes crunchy cake edges in their strawberry shortcake) and of course, eat them. :) Then cut the rest of the cake in 1/2" by 1/2" squares.
Get everything set out and get ready to layer it all up. In this order... Cake, Cool Whip, Strawberries. OR- Cake, Strawberries, Cool Whip. However you like!
This will make enough for 8-10 servings.
