Celebrate the 4th with strawberries, ice cream & watermelon

When you celebrate the Fourth of July next weekend, either Strawberry Shortcake or homemade ice cream would make a great dessert. My favorite “cake” for the strawberries is a sweetened biscuit so that is one of the recipes I’m printing today.

The homemade ice cream is a mixed fruit flavor that sounds good and should please most people. Have a safe and happy holiday.

As a heads-up, if you are having watermelon over the weekend, save and refrigerate the rinds. You can use them in a pickle recipe that will be in next week’s column.

Strawberry Shortcakes

2 pints strawberries, sliced
2/3 cup sugar
2 1/3 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
Sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping

Sprinkle strawberries with 2/3 cup sugar; let stand 1 hour. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Stir remaining ingredients, except whipped cream, until soft dough forms. Gently smooth into ball on board lightly dusted with baking mix.
Knead 8 to 10 times. Roll 1/2-inch thick. Cut with 3-inch cutter. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.
Split shortcake, fill and top with strawberries. Top with whipped cream.

Serves: 6; Source: Food Digest

Deluxe Fruit Ice Cream
(requires a food processor and ice cream freezer)

2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries
1 lb fresh peaches, pitted and peeled, or 2 cups frozen unsweetened peaches
1 ripe banana, cut up
2 cups sugar
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
2 cups whipping cream

Thaw frozen fruits. Place steel blade in work bowl; add fruits. Process till smooth, scraping bowl as necessary, transfer to large bowl.
Reinsert steel blade; add sugar, orange juice, lemon juice and salt. Process till sugar is dissolved.
Add to fruit mixture; pour into 4 quart ice cream freezer container. Add milk and whipping cream; stir well. Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.

Yield: 3 1/2 quarts; Source: Better Homes and Gardens Food Processor Cook Book