One Southern Momma Cooks

Pink Ribbon Cupcakes

2009-10-08T08:09:00.003-05:00

I made these for a fundraiser at The Daddy's office. Our local Bulk Price store had the super cool pink ribbon sprinkles that inspired the cupcakes. It is after all October and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Pastor Appreciation and Two Birthday Cakes

2009-10-04T14:33:00.004-05:00

I was asked to do the cakes for Pastor Appreciation and Pastor's birthday for church this week. Two full sheet cakes. Pastor's birthday cake was Red Velvet with Cream Cheese Frosting, the "Thank You" cake was half yellow cake, half chocolate with buttercream frosting. Both had marshmallow fondant leaves.

Little Man's birthday is this coming Wednesday, but we celebrated with Mema and PopPop Friday night. This year, the little guy requested "a rectangle cake with dots on it". Easy enough for me to tackle! Red Velvet with cream cheese frosting.

Baby Shower Cake

2009-09-26T20:20:00.002-05:00

I made a cream cheese pound cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting for my friend's baby shower. Decorated with marshmallow fondant.

Competition

2009-08-30T16:38:00.002-05:00

Thanks to my sweet sister in law, I submitted The Pink Princess' 4th birthday cake to a Creative Cake Competition. Much to my surprise, I made the "highlight reel" for week 2 of the contest. You can check it out here. There's some serious competition and I don't expect to win, but it sure is fun to have my cake picked as one of the best of the week. Be sure and check out the other cakes. There's some seriously good stuff out there!

Beach Party Cupcakes

2009-08-15T08:29:00.002-05:00

I did a birthday party for my friend's son. 6 dozen miniature beaches on cupcakes. Fun times!

Carrot Cake and Red Velvet Truffles

2009-07-19T09:45:00.000-05:00

Daddy's 3 Day Breakfast

2009-07-19T09:29:00.002-05:00

The Daddy has recently decided to learn to make bread. This week's experiment was Brioche which he then used to make the most amazing French Toast for our Saturday morning treat. YUM!

For a Friend

2009-06-25T16:25:00.005-05:00

A dear friend asked if I would help her out with her son's first birthday party. Over the last few days, I've made 7 recipes of frosting, 3 different kinds of cake, 5 doz cupcakes, a smash cake and a very large red velvet cake. I'm pretty pleased with the results. I hope she is, too.

Oatmeal Raisin Applesauce Cookies

2009-05-18T17:11:00.002-05:00

Oatmeal Raisin Applesauce Cookies

I absolutely adore these cookies. I made a batch today (which made 2 1/2 dozen using my small cookie scoop) for preschool tomorrow. I do modify the recipe just a tad by adding 1tsp ground cinnamon, 1tsp ground ginger, and 1/3 cup whole flaxseed to the dry ingredients.

Easter Pops, Take 2

2009-04-10T11:29:00.004-05:00

Here they are...my second attempt at cake pops. I must say, I learned a lot the first time and this time went much smoother. We did eggs, both bunnies, and another round of chicks. I am in awe of The Daddy's decorating ability. He definitely has more skill in this realm than I do. The detailed eggs are his creations. Unfortunately, I didn't get a very good picture of the flower egg that he made. There's about half of it in one picture, but that's the way it goes in this house.

Not only did he aid the pop making process, he also gave me pointers on getting better pictures. I think I'll keep him around for a while. ;)

I made Bakerella's Moist Yellow Cake and Simple Buttercream Frosting for this set of pops and I think that it'll be less grotesque when you bite into a yellow cake/frosting mixture than Red Velvet inside of a chicken.

I have a feeling Easter will be very tasty this year, very tasty indeed!

Daddy Days

2009-04-08T20:54:00.002-05:00

Saturdays are Daddy's day to make breakfast. This past week, he made cinnamon rolls from scratch. Oh. My. Goodness! These were pure heaven! I did contribute the cream cheese icing (leftover from the cake pops), but everything else was all Daddy!

My first ever cake pops

2009-04-02T14:34:00.004-05:00

I'm no Bakerella. That's for sure. But I'm going to attempt these Easter Cake Pops. They are just too cute to resist.

Oh my goodness, after a day of baking a cake, making icing, making the balls, and then decorating them into pops, I am further impressed and amazed by Bakerella! I bow to you, my dear!

And thanks to "the diet" I can't even enjoy one of the fruits of my labor until Saturday. And yes, I really haven't touched not one precious moist crumb.

I used my red velvet cake recipe for both the cake and the icing, then followed the basic cake pop directions. I couldn't find one of the edible ink pens today, so I used tube black icing that I had from the helicopter cake. It worked out pretty well, especially considering this was a trial run.

I'm horribly embarrassed by my lack of photography skill, but I have to post proof that I actually did this. And maybe one day I'll learn to use my camera on a setting other than "auto".

Recipes

2009-03-28T20:55:00.000-05:00

Just saving a couple recipes for future reference...

http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2008/11/finally-i-found-it.html

http://www.cakejournal.com/archives/how-to-make-marshmallow-fondant

Anniversary Dinner on a diet?

2009-03-26T14:08:00.002-05:00

So, what does one make for a semi-fancy weeknight dinner while on a diet? Well, thanks to Stacey Snacks, we had Spinach and Boursin stuffed Chicken breasts with Prosciutto wrapped asparagus. Pure heaven! OK, so we splurged with a little wine, but hey, it was our anniversary after all. ;)

Because I needed more ways to waste time...

2009-03-24T13:30:00.002-05:00

Ah, yes, more food blogs for me to browse, peruse, steal ideas from, and generally make me fat. YUM!

Bakerella--Court turned me on to this chic. She's got serious skills. I certainly admire her creativity and am looking forward to trying out some of her cake balls very soon!

CakeWrecks--Yes, again, Court's fault. I'm OK with that.

And apparently Bakerella and Pioneer Woman (whom I've been introduced to by Stacey Snacks) are friends. Who knew?

A New Favorite

2009-03-10T19:24:00.003-05:00

I've found a new favorite food blog thanks to an online friend. Since I discovered it just a week or so ago, I've already made a couple of the recipes. The one tonight takes the cake, though. This is probably the easiest, most elegant, and most delicious weeknight meal we've had in weeks. AND it's all stuff that is on our diet and healthy. I did make a few modifications to the Boursin Stuffed Chicken with Prosciutto wrapped Asparagus, but this was the basic recipe. I served it with a large helping of fruit salad. The little one even liked the chicken and once he figured out it was "ham" on the asparagus, he couldn't get enough of it, either.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

2009-03-02T16:56:00.003-06:00

I made this "cake" the other night for a dinner party and it was fabulous! I didn't take a picture because it didn't come out of the pan neatly (I probably should have run a warm knife around the edge before taking the side of the pan off), but it tasted delicious!

From Baking Illustrated

8 large eggs, cold
1 lb bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped coarse
16 Tbs (2 sticks, 8oz) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
1/4 cup strong coffee or liqueur (optional)

1-Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325. Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper and grease the sides. Wrap the outside of the pan with 2 sheets of heavy-duty aluminum foil, set in a large roasting pan. Bring a kettle of water to a boil.

2-Beat the eggs in the bowl of a standing mixer at high speed until the volume doubles, about 5 minutes.

3-Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and butter (adding the coffee or liqueur if using) in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost simmering water, until smooth and very warm, stirring once or twice. Fold a third of the egg foam into the chocolate using a large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of egg are visible; fold in half of the remaining foam, then the last of the foam until the mixture is totally homogenous.

4-Scrape the batter into the prepared springform pan and smooth the surface with a spatula. Set the roasting pan on the oven rack and pour in enough boiling water to come about halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the cake has risen slightly, the edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust has formed on the surface, and an instant-read thermometer inserted halfway into the center reads 140 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes. It will not look done. Remove the cake pan from the water bath and set on a wire rack to cook to room temperature. Once at room temp, cover and refrigerate overnight to mellow.

5-About 30 minutes before serving, remove the sides of the pan, invert the cake onto a sheet of waxed paper, peel off the parchment, then reinvert onto a serving platter.Sieve a light springkling of confectioners' sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder over the cake to decorate, if desired. To serve, us a sharp, thin-bladed knife, dipping the knife into a pitcher of hot water and wiping the blade before each cut.

German Chocolate Cake

2009-02-14T12:06:00.002-06:00

The Daddy requested German Chocolate Cake for his birthday again this year. There is nothing like homemade German Chocolate Cake and coconut pecan filling. One day I'll do a better job of slicing the layers, but for now, I've got the baking part down.

Valentine Goodies

2009-02-14T12:02:00.003-06:00

Valentine cookies for a playdate and for The Daddy's team members. They each got a bag with 4 cookies, the largest one with their name on it. We had a blast baking and decorating them.

I used two batches of "Jill's Sugar Cookie" dough, and two batches of "my" royal icing recipe. Not to mention all the pink sugar and sprinkles.

Jill's Sugar Cookie Recipe

2009-02-11T13:15:00.001-06:00

Jill's Sugar Cookies

Mix together:
1 cup butter (no substitutes)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix in 1 cup flour and 1 tsp. baking powder until blended.
Mix in 1 more cup flour and 1 more tsp. baking powder.
With wooden spoon, stir in 1 more cup of flour.

Refrigerate the dough until firm.
When ready to roll, set dough out for a few minutes to soften, then knead with hands until you can roll it with a rolling pin.
Cut out and bake at 350 until the edges *just* start to look golden brown. Usually ~8 minutes I think.

Favorite icing: Mix powdered sugar with a little milk, 1 tsp of corn syrup, and 1/2 tsp almond, and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Add milk and powdered sugar until the consistency is spreadable ~ a bit thicker than drizzle.

After icing cookies, add sprinkles and let dry. These package well!

My icing recipe:
In a small mixing bowl, combine 2 cups powdered sugar 4 tsp meringue powder, and 1/4 tsp cream of tartar. Stir in 1/4 cup warm water. Beat with an electric mixer on low until combined, then on high speed for 7-10 minutes or until very stiff. Add 1-2 Tbsp additional warm water, 1 tsp at a time, until icing is of glazing consistency.

It will continue to thin as you add food coloring (if you use liquid), so keep that in mind as you're adding the water. You want it thin, but not too thin or it will run off the edges on you.

Caramel Pecan Cheesecake

2009-02-02T16:33:00.003-06:00

At the request of Julia, here is a Cheesecake that I frequently made when we lived in North Carolina. It's been years since I made it, and I may have to change that soon.

Cheesecake Crust with Pecans
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
3 Tbsp sugar
1 egg yolk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the yolk until smooth.

In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and pecans and gently fold them into the butter mixture with a rubber spatula. The mixture will be crumbly.

Caramel Pecan Cheesecake

1 recipe Cheesecake Crust with Pecans
Filling
2 lbs (32 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
4 eggs
2 Tbsp bourbon
1 cup chopped toasted pecans

Set a rack at the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.

Prepare the dough for the crust and place it in a 9 inch springform pan, bottom buttered, and lined with a round of parchment. Pat the dough evenly and firmly to cover the pan bottom. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the dough is golden and baked through. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees.

To make the filling, your mixer should always be set on the lowest speed. Use the paddle attachment to beat the cream cheese smooth, no more than 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape the bowl and paddle. Add the granulated sugar in a stream, mixing for no more than 30 seconds. Stop and scrape. Repeat with the brown sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing only until each is absorbed. Stop and scrape after each addition. Add the bourbon, and mix until absorbed. By hand, gently fold in the chopped pecans.

Wrap aluminum foil around the bottom of the springform pan so it comes at least 1 inch up the sides. Pour the filling into the prepared pan over the crust.Place the pan on a jelly-roll or roasting pan and pour warm water into the outer pan to a depth of 1/2 inch.

Bake the cheesecake for about 60 minutes, or until lightly colored and firm except for the very center. Remove from the pan of hot water.

Remove the foil and cool completely on a rack. Wrap the cheesecake in plastic and chill overnight before unmolding.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

2009-01-08T07:44:00.003-06:00

At the request of several friends, here is my Momma's "secret" Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe. Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

3¼ c cake flour (or 3 cups minus 2 Tbsp All Purpose Flour)

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp baking powder

1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened

3 sticks butter, softened

3 c sugar

6 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla

Instructions:

Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together three times. Set aside.

Beat Cream Cheese, Butter, and sugar until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add dry ingredients to butter mixture, a small amount at a time.

Add vanilla.

Pour into a greased and floured tube or Bundt pan.

Bake at 300 degrees for an hour and a half or until center is set when tested with toothpick.

Cool in pan 3-5 minutes before turning out onto serving platter.

Comments:

It really is necessary to sift the dry ingredients three times to get the desired texture.

Christmas Cookies

2008-12-15T20:35:00.001-06:00

I may have gone a little overboard with the cutout cookies this year. But, I had a lot of fun. And, the Daddy helped decorate. I'm no Martha, but I'm making progress.

Thanksgiving Dinner

2008-12-04T13:51:00.000-06:00

Aside from making the worst mashed potatoes ever, Thanksgiving Dinner turned out to be a success. The wine helped. ;)

Pork Roast

2008-11-15T16:09:00.003-06:00

I don't even remember what I was originally going to say about this. This post has been in my drafts for several weeks now and I think it's time to just put it out there. A pork roast, seared in olive oil, some potatoes, onions, and carrots thrown in, tossed in the oil, then put in the oven. Simple, good, comfort food. Just right for me.

Squash Spice Bread and Muffins

2008-10-28T14:25:00.004-05:00

Ingredients
3 cups squash puree
1/3 cup Splenda
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
4 eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup flaxseed meal
1/3 cup flaxseed
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Directions
Heat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, combine squash puree, Splenda, brown sugar, vegetable oil, applesauce and eggs. Beat until well mixed.

Measure the flour, flaxseed meal, flaxseed, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice into a separate bowl and stir until combined.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the squash mixture, beating until smooth. Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans and dust with flour. Evenly divide the batter between the two pans. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10-15 minutes, then remove from pans by inverting onto a rack and tapping the bottoms.

For the Squash Puree, I roasted an acorn squash, buttercup squash and butternut squash in a 425 degree oven for 45 minutes or so. Poke a few holes in each squash with a sharp knife, but otherwise leave whole, and roast until the knife can be easily inserted. Then halve and seed. Scoop out the flesh into the bowl of a food processor, adding water as needed to make a smooth puree. The recipe that I altered actually calls for canned pumpkin, which is an easy alternative.

Instead of making two loaves, I made one loaf, one pan (12 count) of regular sized muffins, and one pan (12 count) of mini muffins. The mini muffins cooked for about 12 minutes, the larger ones for 20, and the bread for 60.

Updated 11/4: I made these again yesterday, but altered the recipe a bit more and was more pleased with the updated results.

Instead of 3/4 cup applesauce, 1/4 cup oil, I used an entire cup of applesauce and added a full cup of plain non-fat yogurt. I used almost a half cup Splenda and almost a half cup packed Splenda brown sugar blend. Instead of regular all-purpose flour, I used a white-wheat flour for that 1 1/3 cup. And lastly, for the spices, instead of allspice, I used a 1/2 tsp ground ginger, and reduced the cloves to 1/2 tsp.

If you make these, I'd love to hear your take on them. I've found them to be very moist and delicious, and they are a huge hit with my kids, but what about you? What do you think about them?

Real Homemade Spaghetti and Meatballs

2008-09-30T15:44:00.003-05:00

I was so hungry last night that I didn't take a picture. Shame on me. But, we had one of the best real homemade dinners that I've made in a while. A few weeks ago I took all of the really ripe Roma tomatoes from my garden and tried my hand at homemade sauce. It was lacking depth, but the flavors were amazing! I also used lots of fresh herbs from my garden, too. To complement this sauce, I made fresh ground turkey meatballs. I baked them then let them simmer in the sauce for a couple of hours.

Served over whole wheat spaghetti, with a side of Caprese Salad and garlic bread, it was a tasty dinner. A tasty dinner indeed.

For my Facebook friends

2008-09-27T20:31:00.003-05:00

Bad, bad me. I was taunting some friends Friday on Facebook with a chocolate cake with chocolate sour cream frosting that I made. So, here it is, for my friends. If you want the recipe, I'll gladly post it. Nothing special, it came out of the Better Homes & Gardens cookbook I've had for ages.

"Even the pickiest eaters" --not so much

2008-09-27T20:19:00.003-05:00

I bought this book the other day thinking it would help with our non-vegetable eating child. So tonight I made the "Lily Pad Pancakes". Let's just say they were not well received at our house. Good thing The Daddy and I thought they were tasty. We were the only ones.

Instead of the typical baked sweet potatoes, I even made sweet potato fries. Nope, he still won't eat them. But, again, The Daddy and I found them to be especially tasty. Sweet and salty. For us, it was a wonderful dinner. For the kids, it was the usual "one bite, spit it out" that we've become accustomed to. I guess we'll just keep trying.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

2008-09-21T17:05:00.003-05:00

In honor of my SIL's birthday, I offer one of her favorite treats...

Buffalo Chicken Dip
3-4 boneless chicken breasts, boiled
12 oz Franks' Red Hot Sauce
2- 8 oz packages cream cheese
16 oz bleu cheese dressing
Shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Instructions:
Mix chicken and hot sauce in a food processor until chicken is shredded and sauce is dispersed. Place in a 9x13 baking dish. In saucepan over medium heat, mix cream cheese and dressing until smooth. Pour over chicken. Top with Monterrey Jack cheese. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 45 min or until heated through. Let set 10-15 min before serving. Serve with tortilla chips, Fritos, celery, or carrot sticks.

Mean and Bean Chili

2008-09-14T21:42:00.002-05:00

Several years ago, when The Daddy and I were just dating, my brother, B, introduced us to Mean and Bean Chili. It has taken on a life of it's own in our house. Saturday's cool fall weather, rainy skies, and football on TV made us long for our first bowl of chili of the season. Fresh local sweet corn and peppers from my garden and the garden of a friend made for a tasty welcome to fall.

Mean and Bean Chili

1 lb lean ground meat (either 97% lean beef or ground turkey works well)
1 pkg Chili-O seasoning mix
1 med onion, chopped
1 can light red kidney beans
1 can corn
1 28oz can diced tomatoes

Brown meat, onion, and Chili-O together in a large non-stick stock pot or Dutch oven. Then, add corn, beans, and tomatoes (liquid included). Simmer at least 20 minutes. Add salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, apple cider vinegar, and sugar to taste. Serve with cheese and low fat sour cream.

I often add bell pepper, jalapenos, and fresh garlic to the meat and onion when I start cooking this chili. It's a great basic chili recipe that welcomes individual adaptations. It's also one of those recipes where you can easily double the seasoning and veggies while leaving the amount of meat the same. It freezes well, too.

Turtle Apples

2008-09-14T21:38:00.000-05:00

This was my first attempt at caramel apples. I decided that since I had pecans and chocolate that I could do better than "just" caramel apples. This is the result.

Sweet Corn and Leek Chowder

2008-09-14T21:37:00.000-05:00

This soup is so good! I cooked a little bacon in the pot first, removed it, then sauteed the veggies in the grease. Then I topped the soup with the bacon and a little shredded colby cheese.

Sweet corn and leek chowder:

6 cups water or chicken stock
2 cups cream
3 cups sweet corn
3 leeks sliced and washed
8 cloves minced garlic
1 diced red pepper
2 cups diced potatoes
2 Tbsp. fresh thyme
salt & pepper
Roux

In a heavy bottom stock pot saute corn, leeks, peppers, and garlic until soft. Add potatoes, thyme, stock and cream. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer until potatoes are cooked through.

Bring back to a boil and thicken with roux until desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Mini Veggie Frittatas

2008-09-10T13:20:00.000-05:00

I didn't take any pictures last night when I made these little frittatas, but there are pics on 'Zaar. I used Feta cheese and added yellow squash to the veggie mix. The Daddy and I loved them! The kids ate them OK. They aren't huge veggie eaters, and they are both sick right now, but they were intrigued by the "muffins".

Becker's Pasta and Caprese Salad

2008-08-14T10:36:00.000-05:00

Becker's Pasta

Caprese Salad with tomatoes and basil from my garden.

I made this fabulous dinner earlier this week. The recipes came from a bible study I've been doing this summer. Both dishes got rave reviews from the family. The Pink One loved the pasta as well as Momma's fresh home grown tomatoes. Mmmmm!

Guacamole Salad

2008-07-30T08:49:00.000-05:00

A friend of mine gave me the recipe for this Guacamole Salad that is to die for! It is a perfect combination of summer flavors, is really tasty, and is extra healthy to boot. Sounds like a perfect meal to me! I've served it on Multigrain Tortilla Chips, on top of grilled salmon with Cilantro Lime Jasmine Rice, and I can just eat it with a spoon. It is so tasty!

Let me know if you want the recipe, and don't drool too much on your keyboard, OK?

Silly Fridge Thing

2008-06-22T15:55:00.000-05:00

What Your Fridge Says About You

You like to be surrounded by things you love. You aren't exactly greedy, but you can be materialistic at times.

You tend to be a fairly thrifty person. You splurge occasionally, but you're mostly a saver.

You are a very adventurous person. You love to try new things, and you get bored very easily.

You are responsible, together, and mature. You act like an adult, even when you don't feel like it.

You are likely to be married - and very busy.

What Do the Contents of Your Refrigerator Say About You?

Generally, I think these web quizzes are ridiculous, but when I saw this one on a friend's blog, I knew I had to do it, too. Oddly enough, it's pretty accurate for how I feel most of the time. Who'da thunk?

For My "Meat and Potato" Man

2008-06-15T21:53:00.000-05:00

Dinner for Father's Day included ribeye steaks with bleu cheese butter and loaded potato salad. We enjoyed green onions, chives, and parsley from my garden in the potato salad.

Chocolate Eclairs

2008-06-11T22:01:00.000-05:00

I claim very few special skills, but thanks to my darling Mimi, I do have the ability to make Chocolate Eclairs. I have no real culinary training, just hours in the kitchen with my Momma, my Mimi, and my Grandmamas, not to mention lots and lots of experimentation on my loving husband.

Tonight, at my sweet hubby's request, I tackled chocolate eclairs for the third time since moving to the tundra. Seriously, I think I've only made them a handful of times since Mimi taught me how several years ago. Now, in a matter of a few months, I've made them three times. Hmmm. I guess I'm getting generous in my old age. ;)

His coworkers get to reap the benefits of my labor tomorrow when they gather for a potluck.
Lucky them.

Banana Nut Muffins

2008-06-01T16:29:00.000-05:00

Homemade Banana Nut Muffins for breakfast! Mmmm! A treat for the whole family. And my sweet hubby said, "who even knows how to make homemade muffins?" I didn't know people made muffins other than from a mix. They were really tasty, and straight from the recipe, but next time I think I'll fiddle with them a bit. Maybe use part whole wheat flour. Makes me want to hunt down the muffin cookbook a friend told me about a while back.

A Southern Supper

2008-05-30T15:27:00.000-05:00

We had our pastor and his wife over for supper Wednesday night in preparation for moving our membership to our new church. At The Daddy's request, I served a Southern Supper. Pulled Pork BBQ, fresh green beans, and potato salad. Followed by Mom's fabulous Cream Cheese Pound Cake that I discussed at length yesterday.

Around here, when someone says they "had BBQ" that means that they cooked some meat product on a grill. In the South, BBQ is a meat product all it's own. Pork butts smoked until they fall off the bone, and then pulled or chopped into bite sized pieces, slathered in the regional sauce of choice, and served on buns or toast. Mmmmm. My mouth is watering just thinking about this culinary wonderfulness. I love a good BBQ, and although it's not easy to find an appropriate sauce around here, I've found a decent substitute. Now if only I had those hush puppies from that place in NC. Talk about going to food heaven!

Cream Cheese Pound Cake Heaven

2008-05-29T16:34:00.000-05:00

I made Mom's famous, fabulous, highly requested Cream Cheese Pound Cake yesterday for the first time in ages. Honestly, I cannot remember the last time I made this cake. And if you've ever tasted my Mom's Cream Cheese Pound Cake, you know that's a sin. The incredible crust, the amazingly tender crumb, and the perfectly golden brown edge. This cake is a thing of beauty.

I have so many wonderful memories associated with this single piece of dessert heaven. The many hours over the course of my life watching Momma meticulously sift the flour three times. The dozens of eggs that we cracked, the pounds of butter that we softened to just the perfect room temperature, and every last bit of batter that was carefully scraped from the bowl into the pan. The fights with my brother and Daddy over who would get the beaters and spatula.

It was so much fun to introduce these precious memories to my own children yesterday. Their sweet little faces watching with anticipation as the mixer creamed the butter, cream cheese and sugar to just the right consistency. The Short One's cries from the first sight of the pan for "cake, cake." The Pink One asking anxiously "Can I taste it now, Momma?"

Thanks for the recipe and the memories, Momma. I can only hope to make as many beautiful and amazing cakes in my life as you have. And I hope one day to be able to answer the phone when The Pink One calls to help her through her "cake crisis". I love you!

Welcome

2008-05-28T22:10:00.000-05:00

I'm certainly no "foodie" and I don't have any "real" training in the culinary arts, but I do enjoy cooking and eating. I think that qualifies me to have a food blog. I mean, everyone else is doing it, right? ;)