Old Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake with a modern spark!

So my darling Daddy is always raving about how great Grandma Woodruff's strawberry shortcake was and he never finds a shortcake to rival hers. So in my free time (haha) I have been playing with a recipe and finally got brave enough to give Grandmas' a go but I tweaked it a bit for my "electric oven" since I don't have the good 'ol 1920's gas fire breathing oven like she had back in the day. Now, there are MANY shortcake recipes out their, but grandmas was fairly simple yet light and fluffy inside with a golden brown crunch on the outside. Without further ado, here is my version twisted off grandma's! And if I do say so myself, since the last time I had hers was when I was in 5th grade... A LONG time ago, I think I darn near nailed it!

Ingredients:

2 Quarts strawberries, slice/diced however bite sized you like it (Peaches can be used instead of strawberries if desired)

1/4 cup granulated sugar (add more if you feel the fruit you are using is very tart)

4 1/2 cups Original Bisquick mix (I used this instead of the flour and baking powder) 

1 cup milk (2%)

6 tablespoons sugar

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1/2 cup cool whip

 

Directions:

 

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, mix strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar; place in fridge for at least 30 minutes.
2. In medium bowl, stir Bisquick mix, milk, 6 tablespoons sugar and the melted butter until soft dough forms. 
3. On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by 10-12 spoonfuls (you can make more if you decide you want smaller biscuits but they reheat beautifully so I make more and store in a resealable bag)
4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown (You dont want the bottoms to burn and the time to be in the oven depends on how your oven heats. so after 10 min start watching for them to brown up nicely and check every 2 minutes)
5. Split warm shortcakes; fill and top with strawberries and a dollop of cool whip. I personally prefer to crumble my shortcake once in the bowl so it can soak up all the delicious juices from the fruit on top of them and then plop a glob of cool whip as the crowning award.

 

To reheat shortcakes, place back in oven for a few minutes on warm or in a pinch, microwave (IF YOU HAVE TO) for no longer than 15 seconds each. The microwave with dry them out and make them tough so don't over do it.

 

 

 TADA!

Behold the wonderful shortcakes!

 

Strawberry Shortcake on Left, Peach Shortcake on Right