Adventures in time management

I can't really think of anything to write about today. Here are a couple of ideas I have been toying with a bit but am too lazy to actually explore:

1. The fact that I now talk to MYSELF while driving. In a British accent. Or a Southern one like on TRUEBLOOD.

2. A review of FUNNY PEOPLE which attacks the recent NYTimes review, which was so completely wrong. This movie is PERFECT (in my opinion!)

3. The recovery of my zucchini plants from powder mould due to an ultra-pasteurized cow's milk remedy....um. yeah...you really wish I wrote that one, right?

4. How I have uncannily figured out how to stretch a five minute task into an hour-long task so that I feel like I am busier than I am.

But in the end, I realized that all of those are completely boring to anyone but me...ahhh, narcissism. So, instead of waxing poetic regarding plant health, here is a delightfully un-boring, particularly delicious strawberry shortcake recipe that I've been making lately. If you only need to make one or two biscuits you can freeze the dough for later use. It freezes admirably. Or do as Prof. Hubs and I do: refrigerate the leftover dough and on a weekend morning bake some biscuits and make turkey bacon and egg sandwiches with them...mmmm...

DESPERATE HOUSEDIVA'S STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKES

whole wheat biscuits

vanilla cream

strawberries, washed, hulled and cut into halves or quarters

strawberry jam

WHOLE WHEAT BISCUITS (adapted from THE NEW BASICS cookbook)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp baking powder

3 Tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

5 Tbsp unsalted butter, cold (MUST be cold)

3/4 cup milk (or half and half...)

Preheat oven to 450.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Cut the butter into small pieces and 'cut' it into the flour using a pastry blender or two knives until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the Milk and stir gently until the dough resembles a ball.

Take said ball of dough and transfer to a floured surface-it will be STICKY! Knead it for about 30 seconds, then pat it into a 3/4 inch rectangle. I like to fold it over once or twice and then flatten it again (this makes for good 'pull-apart' biscuits.) Don't overknead-you want the butter to stay cold for flakiness factor...

Using a cookie cutter (or the top of a water glass, like I do) cut dough into rounds. Arrange the rounds 1-inch apart on a greased baking sheet (I just use a silpat mat.) Bake until golden and puffed-about 12-14 minutes.

VANILLA WHIPPED CREAM

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/5 Tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

For this recipe, first chill a metal bowl in the fridge for at least 10 minutes. Also, keep the cream cold during this time. After the bowl is chilled, pour the cream into the cold bowl and whisk or electrically mix the cream until soft-medium peaks form. Then add in the sugar and vanilla-combine. Yum! I don't like this to be too sweet but if you do, feel free to add more sugar... If your arm gets tired from whisking feel free to take a break by putting the bowl (with partially whipped cream) back in the fridge for a few minutes... Keeping it all cold will greatly help your purpose and prevent the cream from becoming butter :)

ASSEMBLING THE SHORTCAKES

Take the biscuits and cut them in half. Spread the jam on either side. Then, on the bottom half of each biscuit put a large spoonful of strawberries, topped with a heaping spoonful of cream, then top with the other biscuit half. Enjoy!!!