Sunday, August 11, 2013

NEW ORLEANS POUND CAKE

Reposted for Lea Burks-Nolan Jones my first cousin on Mama Crecy's Side

 
3 cups cake flour 
1 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
 2 cups granulated sugar 
1 cup butter, softened 
4 large eggs, room temperature 
1/4 cup sour cream 
1 cup buttermilk 
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
1/4 cup granulated sugar 
1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut


Preheat oven to 350 Degrees.
Sift together cake flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Set aside.
In a large separate bowl, beat butter until very fluffy (approx. 5 minuets) then add 2 cups of sugar. Continue to beat until light and fluffy (approx. 2 more minutes).

Beat in eggs, one at a time, making sure that each egg is thoroughly blended before adding the next egg.
Mix in sour cream and vanilla extract.

Blend in some of the dry ingredients followed by some of the buttermilk in alternates. This is a way to ensure that the ingredients are being thoroughly blended together -- DO NOT OVER BEAT OTHERWISE CAKE WILL BECOME HARD AS A BRICK ONCE FINISHED BAKING!
Grease a NON-STICK Bundt cake pan and dust very lightly with flour.
Add in 1/4 cup of sugar to the bottom of pan and about 3 inches up the sides, tapping the pan to ensure even distribution. Leave excess sugar in pan. Sprinkle coconut flakes to the bottom of the pan. Scrape batter into the pan and spread evenly.

Bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour... or until a wooden skewer inserted comes out clean (if it comes out wet, bake another 10 minutes or so, if it comes out crumbly, you over baked the cake).
*Some ovens take about 1 hour 15 minutes.

Let cake cool for about 10 minutes, then carefully remove from pan, making sure that the sugary coconut side is faced upward.

Cool completely.

GLAZE:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

In a medium sized bowl mix all ingredients together until smooth. Add more milk for desired consistency. You may also use regular milk, but I must say that evaporated milk gives a WAY better taste! 

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Summer Sunday Dinner on the Balcony


It is always so lovely to have a Summer Sunday dinner with friends, on a Sunday evening, just before the sunset, so we can have shimmering candles on the table and enjoy the view of the Chicago skyline from Susan's balcony.

Susan has really been crazy busy with the Culture Coach and everything else! She hosts the Night Out in the Parks, a partnership with the Chicago Park District and Elastic Arts. In addition, on Wednesdays, there is a Farmers Market event in Logan Square, so she is swamped staging these events through August.

I was working in California this Summer and had some great dinners with lots of my fellow artist, and now that I’m back in Chicago, she had us over for Sunday dinner.  Laurel is crazy busy pursuing her artistic side and has made a major investment in her love of making and designing jewelry.



Menu:
Appetizers
Salsa with  Lime Tortilla Chips
Goat Cheese, Crackers, and Olives (green/black)
Red Wine
Main Course:
Baked Sausage Apricot Glazed
Deviled Eggs
Quinoa
Dessert

Sparkling White Wine
Edy's Vanilla Ice Cream
Grandma Bev's Rhubarb Dessert (Rhubarb Crisp)
 

Quinoa contains more protein than any other grain. Edamame makes a tasty substitute for lima beans in this recipe. For an attractive presentation, serve the salad on a bed of baby greens or spinach.
Ingredients-1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa                

  • 3 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
  • 1 (14-ounce) package of reduced-fat firm tofu, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1 cup chopped fresh basil 
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon sugar 
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen baby lima beans
  • 4 cups chopped tomato (about 3 medium) $
  • 1/2 cup sliced green onions
  • 1/2 cup chopped carrot
  • 1 (15-ounce) can of black  beans, rinsed and drained
 
Preparation
  1. Combine quinoa and vegetable broth in a saucepan; bring over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until broth is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Remove from heat.
  1. Place tofu on several layers of towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand for 5 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tofu; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté tofu 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from heat; cool completely.
  1. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons oil, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, basil, and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk until blended. Stir in quinoa.
  1. Cook lima beans according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Cool completely. Add the lima beans, tofu, chopped tomato, green onions, chopped carrot, and black beans to quinoa mixture; stir gently to combine. Store, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Maureen Callahan, March 2006
DESSERT- served with EBY's Vanilla Ice Cream

recipe thumbnail
Grandma Bev's Rhubarb Dessert (Rhubarb Crisp)
star rating
12 Servings, Prep Time: 15 Minutes, Cook Time: 50 Minutes

This is one of Grandma Bev's recipes. She always had this waiting for my mother when we visited.
Ingredients
  • Crust:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 5 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • Filling
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3 cups chopped rhubarb
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  1. Mix 1 cup flour and confectioners' sugar in a bowl; cut butter into flour mixture using a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture is crumbly. Press flour-butter mixture into an 8-inch square pan.
  1. Bake crust in the oven until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
  1. Mix white sugar, 1/4 cup flour, baking powder, and nutmeg into the beaten eggs. Fold rhubarb into egg mixture; pour rhubarb filling into the baked crust.
  1. Bake in the preheated oven until the filling is bubbling, 35 minutes.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Old Fashioned Butter Cake

 



1 cup butter 
2 cups of sugar 
1 tsp vanilla 
4 eggs 
... 3 cups flour 
1 tsp baking soda 
1 tsp salt 
1 cup buttermilk 
sifted powdered sugar


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour baking dish.

Beat together butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Combine flour with baking soda and salt. Add to batter alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.

Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Bake for about 1 ½ hour or until a pick inserted comes out clean.

Allow cake to stand 5 minutes and remove from pan and finish cooling on a rack.



Photo: Old Fashioned Butter Cake

Beat together butter and sugar until fluffy.    Beat in vanilla.    Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition.   Combine flour with baking soda and salt.   Add to batter alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour.   

Pour batter into prepared baking dish.   Bake for about 1 ½ hour or until a pick inserted comes out clean.   

Allow cake to stand 5 minutes and remove from pan and finish cooling on a rack.   

Dust with powdered sugar before serving. I like it without dusting or icing.