Pound Cake - OMGosh

Okay... while I was paying bills and sorting out paperwork for taxes this morning I decided to bake a pound cake. I have been reading up on them so I thought that since it takes over an hour and a half to bake and the smell would be good I went to town....this recipe makes 3 loaves but I did not have 3 bread pans but 2 so that is what I used. One of the pans is the standard glass bread loaf pan, but, my other is a big, professional bread pan that is used for white bread.

1 pound cake flour (3 1/2 cups)
1 pound butter (2 cups)
1 pound sugar (2 1/4 cups)
1 pound eggs (9 large eggs)
2 tbls vanilla

Preheat 300*. Line loaf pans with waxed paper. (I sprayed Pam on them first then lined)

Cream butter well, add sugar gradually and cream until light and fluffy.

Add eggs, 2 at a time and beat well after each addition. Add vanilla, mix well.

Add flour gradually and beat until smooth.

Pour mixture into pans and bake for about 1 hour 30 minutes. Test by touching top of cake if springs back its done if not cook some more at 10 minute intervals.

NOTE: A pound cake traditionally is called a pound cake because everything weighs a pound...so if you have a kitchen scale...weigh the ingredients to a pound or as close to a pound that you can get. Don't forget to "tare" the scale with a separate bowl first.

Use a stand mixer. I have a Cuisinart or use something because all the mixing for this pound cake if done by hand will wear you out!!!

Anyway, let sit for 15 minutes to cool. Lift pound cake out by the wax paper and place on a board. Gently lift cake and place on wire rack.

It is so good and the house smells like vanilla.... another perfect bite!

Granola

Lately, at night, after dinner, for dessert, I have been having vanilla yogurt with granola, strawberries or blue berries and dark chocolate chips. Well last night I had everything but the granola. Looked up a recipe from Betty Crocker. I didn't have all the ingredients but I had good enough substitutes so here it is my version...and it was the perfect bite!

Preheat oven to 300*

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped almonds, walnuts and/or pecans...to make a cup or use just one type of nut
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup 4 grain cereal mix (Betty called for wheat germ)
1/2 cup maple syrup (Betty called for either maple syrup or honey)
2 tbls oil

Mix all together in a big bowl. Makes sure it is thoroughly mixed. Spread out on a greased cookie sheet. Place in middle of oven. Stir after 20 minutes. Cook another 10 or when granola starts to turn a little brown.

Let sit on cookie sheet until cool. Break up and store in glass mason jar or plastic bag.

It is really easy and tasty you can make a few batches for Christmas presents.

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

I had a craving the other night so during a commercial on tv I made 6 chocolate covered strawberries.... I have never made them before...figured it would be easy and it was.

I put dark chocolate pieces into a heatproof medium glass bowl, melted the chocolate in the microwave at half power, for 1 minute, stirred and then heated for another minute or until melted.

Once the chocolate is melted and smooth set aside. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Holding the strawberry by the stem, dip the fruit into the dark chocolate, lift and twist slightly, letting any excess chocolate fall back into the bowl. Set strawberries on the parchment paper. Use a spoon if need be to help cover the strawberry in chocolate.

I then placed the cookie sheet in the frig and let them cool down during the tv show. At the next commercial, I ate 2 of them. These will last a few days in the frig.

Poached Salmon

I have NEVER in my life poached anything other than an egg...let alone a salmon...I googled poached salmon recipes and I found 3 of them that I liked and looked easy to do. Which in turn I combined them and came up with the following recipe. The salmon turned out OMGosh...the perfect bite..... Don't be scared of this...... way too easy....

Poached Salmon Recipe

1 to 1½ pounds salmon fillet
3 cups dry white wine is one full bottle of white wine(a good Sauvignon Blanc)
3 cups water
3 stacks celery, diced
3 carrots, diced

A few thin slices of a small yellow onion or half of a large yellow onion peeled and sliced thin.

Several sprigs of fresh dill or sprinkle of dried dill
A sprig of fresh parsley

Freshly ground black pepper, salt

Throw all the ingredients into a pan big enough to hold the salmon filet. Bring to a rolling boil. Gently place salmon is the boiling liquid, reduce heat to about medium. Cook for about 10 minutes or until salmon turns whitish in color.

I had to use my big turkey roasting pan. It was PERFECT size. I used double foil and made a top for the pan. When placing the filet in the pan I spooned the hot liquid over the salmon, sort of basting it. I did the "basting" 3 times during the 10 minute cooking process.

Served it immediately. I made a sour cream and fresh chives dip to go with the salmon. I had left over sour cream about half a carton (1/4 cup) and chopped up about 1/3 cup of fresh chives, stir together and serve on the side.

I will cook this again but next time I will cut the filet into serving size portions.

French Lemon Tart

This recipe is out of this past weeks Relish magazine from the Star News. It was easy to make and tasted really good. Louis, the taste taster for this tart, said that it would be even better thicker. So either make a double batch for the pie pan or use a smaller pie pan. I used a 9 inch pan but a smaller one would be just fine. But remember that if you do that the cooking time is a little longer so you would have to watch it the last 6 minutes. I would add 5 minutes to the cooking time, then check to see if the pie has set. If not add 1 minute till the pie has set.


1 9 inch piecrust
1 beaten egg
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar
3 tbls heavy cream
1 pinch salt
5 large eggs
Sweetened whipped cream

Preheat oven to 400 F

Prick the bottom and sides of the piecrust with a fork. Line with a double thickness of aluminum foil, covering the edges. Fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake 10 minutes. Lift out foil and beans. Lightly beat an egg in a small bowl. Brush egg all over warm pastry. Bake piecrust again until firm and dry about 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Reduce oven temp to 375 F.

Whisk together lemon juice, sugar, cream and salt. Add eggs, ONE AT A TIME, whisking well after each addition. Pour into piecrust.

Bake until set about 25 to 28 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool 1 hour. Chill 2 to 3 hours before serving. Cover with plastic wrap if storing longer. Serve with sweetened whipped cream.

Serves 10.

NOTES:

The beaten egg used for the piecrust, what was left over I used as one of the five, so as not to waste eggs.

I did not sweetened the whipped cream. Just plain and it was quite tasty. I think that the sweetened whipped cream would take away from the lemon tartness of the pie.

So remember have fun, don't be afraid, if you mess up you can always start over and enjoy that perfect bite!

Mushroom, Beef and Barley Soup

The recipe is from the Relish magazine out of the Star News from last week. It was really easy to make and it tasted great. I made crescent rolls with it because I had a tube left over but any type of roll would be really good with this soup even if you just have butter and bread. Very hearty and warming soup. I was pleasantly surprised to realize that if I substituted lamb for the beef this would be Scotch Broth, one of my favorite childhood soups that is hard to find in the store.

1/2 lb sirloin steak, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
2 tbls olive oil (or grape seed oil or corn or any high temp oil)
1 cup diced onions
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery (I added this)
1 (12oz package) mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup uncooked quick-cooking barely***
1 can beef broth
5 cups water
1 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cups Swiss Chard (I used Kale instead of the Swiss Chard)

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add beef and saute until brown add onions, carrots and celery; saute about 7 minutes....then add mushrooms and saute about 8 minutes.

Add barely, broth, water, salt and pepper; stir to combine. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, add Kale (Swiss Chard) and cook about 40 minutes.

Makes about 6 cups.

*** I did not have quick cook barely so I pre-cooked regular barely and added that in.

This is really good for a cold winter supper. And it is great the next day and I bet it freezes really well.

Happy cooking...and remember make that perfect bite!

Doggie Cookies

During the last couple of weeks of the year when looking for a job becomes null and void I do some baking. I bake for the neighborhood and friends. This year I became very adapt in making Biscotti, but I have a few four legged friends too. So I found a few recipes on line and came up with this one. I use a dog bone and a kitty paw print cookie cutters for this. There are 3 versions just add either chicken stock or beef stock or water.

2 cups wheat flour
1 cup corn meal
12 oz chicken or beef stock or water
2 tbls oil

Mix altogether in a large bowl. Fold out onto floured board. Roll with floured rolling pin to about 1/4 inch in height. Press cookie cutter into dough. Place cookies onto a greased cookie sheet. Make as many cookies as the dough will allow about 40ish.

275* for 2 hours or 350* for 13 minutes.

Keep in storage tin or bag for up to 1 week or in frig for 2 weeks.

Corn Souffle

Roger and I went shopping to Sur La Table in Santa Barbara for some of my Christmas presents and I walked out with a new souffle bowl. I have never made a souffle of any kind in my life. But, for the T of R parade viewing dinner and party I made a corn souffle to go with the ham and the traditional green bean side dish. I found this recipe to be really, really, really easy....


16 oz. can whole corn, drain
16 oz. can cream corn
8 1/2 oz. box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1/2 c. corn oil
2 beaten eggs
8 oz. sour cream

Mix all ingredients together (muffin mix last) in large mixing bowl. Mix well. Pour mixture in souffle dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes.

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Do try this....very tasty...it was a perfect bite...