I want to start this blog post being totally honest with you about 3 things.
1. I am going to share a recipe with you.
2. I am not a master of the kitchen. I even
forgot some of the ingredients when making
this!
3. The recipe is not the point of this post. I
hope you love it! But I am not here to
promote a recipe.
The purpose of this post...
My church has a program called SISTERS. The purpose of the program is to organize food and delivery for those welcoming a new baby or those going through a difficult time due to sickness, surgery and more. This program blesses the recipients by taking care of basic necessities when they couldn’t do it for themselves due to lack of time, ability or finances.
But you don’t have to be a member of the SISTERS program to show love to those around you. In fact, you don’t even have to make a grand, 4-course meal to minister to someone. Sometimes you can do a world of good by just dropping by to check on a friend with a sweet treat to leave behind when you go. So, I’m bringing you the EASIEST recipe that you can make in a few minutes. You can even get the kids involved! It is never to soon for them to learn the importance of loving and serving others.
This is a recipe my working mother used for church potlucks or whenever she was pressed for time. It is always a crowd favorite!
My Momma's Strawberry Shortcake
Remember when I said I forgot some of the ingredients when making this? That is why you should read rather than rely solely on the pictures (FACE PALM). I told you I wasn't a master in the kitchen. To make this strawberry shortcake you will need:
Angel Food Cake
Vanilla Instant Pudding (5.1 Oz. Box)
Milk
2 Cartons of Sliced Strawberries In Sugar (frozen section), Thawed
Cool Whip
Fresh Strawberries, Sliced Lengthwise
If you have kids then get them involved. This is a task they will love! Tear the angel food cake into tiny pieces and place in a medium bowl. My mom always said it needed to be a clear bowl so you can see the beautiful layers. It all eats the same. But it is a lovely dish if you have a clear bowl to spare.
Pour the thawed strawberries over the layer of angel food cake. You could get by with only one carton of strawberries but having two ensures maximum coverage and deliciousness.
Mix pudding according to package directions. Layer on top of strawberries. This is another step the kids will love. You can mix with a whisk OR you can do what I did as a broke college kid with an airtight tupperware container... shake it for 5 minutes. It sounds ridiculous but it actually worked. When in a pinch, right?
( A real food blogger would have told you to make the pudding first so you could let it sit for 5 minutes while you did the other steps. While that would make the most sense, it wouldn't be an accurate representation of my life in the kitchen, HA).
Spread Cool Whip over the pudding layer. Top with sliced strawberries for a pretty garnish.
** The strawberry shortcake will be ready to eat immediately; however, you would ideally refrigerate over night to allow time for the strawberry juices to soak into the cake.
Deliver to a friend in need of encouragement, a family suffering loss of a loved one, or an elderly neighbor that could use the company.
Seriously. This recipe will be a great addition to your holiday bbq. It will be perfect for the church potluck. But I am challenging you to ALSO take it out of your comfort zone to spread joy to someone in need.
When shopping errors lead to new creations:
If you're feeling especially crazy (or you just misread the label on the pudding box) then I have it on good authority that using banana pudding is equally delicious. Not that I've ever done that or anything...
What are your thoughts? Like this post if you think this is super easy and doable. Leave a comment if you have ideas of other ways to alter it.
Enjoy! Go and love others...
Monica, I love this!