Cream Cheese Pound Cake

 

 

My sweet boy, turned 20 years old on the 11th of April.

I have always made my kids birthday cakes, I don't think I've ever bought them a cake at the store, or maybe once?  Although I can honestly say, I don't remember ever doing it.  

But anyway, some of their cakes I decorate with fondant, and some with icing, and then some are just plain cakes, it all depends on what they request for that year.

 

 

For his 20th, he just wanted me to make one of his favorites, which is pound cake.  That's it, a simple pound cake, no parties, no big get togethers, nothing, just a cake and dinner with dad and mom, and his sister.

So that is what I did.

I have to say, this is probably one of my favorite cakes too.  I much prefer a simple, plain cake, to one that is slathered in frosting and icing.  

 

 

 

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Source:  A Spicy Perspective

 

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened (3 sticks)
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 6 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

 

 

Directions:

 

• Set out the butter, eggs, and cream cheese to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Move one oven rack to the center of the oven and remove any racks above it.
• Pull out a standard 12-cup capacity bundt pan. Grease the bundt pan with extra butter or shortening, then scoop 1/4 cup sugar into the pan and shake it around until the fat is well coated in sugar. Dump out any excess sugar. Set aside.
• Place the softened butter and cream cheese in the bowl on an electric. Beat on high until the mixture is totally smooth. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, then add the remaining 2 3/4 cups sugar. Beat on high again for 3-5 minutes to cream the ingredients until very light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl again.
• Turn the mixer on low and beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder, and salt. Then slowly add the flour a little at a time, until fully combined. Once the batter is smooth, turn off the mixer, as to not overmix the batter.
• Scoop the batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the center rack for 80-90 minutes. After 80 minutes, test the cake by inserting a toothpick deep into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, take the pound cake out of the oven.
• Let the cream cheese pound cake rest in the pan for 15 minutes. Then carefully flip the cake onto a platter or baking rack.

 

Smoked Sausage Stuffed Sandwich

 

I wanted to bring you a recommendation for a pretty inexpensive dish, that you can definitely stretch and serve to a crowd, or make it even for just one or two people.  It's up to you.  

It uses very few ingredients, but the result is delicious and filling and just ooohhhhh.  Love it ♥

This recipe or rather this dish, is from Brasil and it's known as Buraco Quente.  It's usually made with ground beef, but you can certainly use beef, or chicken or smoked sausage which is what I used for mine.

If I have to translate exactly, word for word, to English, it means Hot Hole, and I don't know about you all, but that does not sound appealing at ALL when talking about food.  LOL

So, I just call them Stuffed Sandwiches.  Much better!

 

This is one of those sandwiches that your family will love, and will be talking about for a while.  The fact that it's so easy to make and you can change it up, using whatever meat you have on hand, is even better.  

 

 

 

 

Smoked Sausage Stuffed Sandwich

Buraco Quente de Linguica

Bread Rolls (I made some of my french bread sub rolls, and cut them in half)

Drizzle of olive oil

1 package smoked sausage

1 small onion, finely diced

2 cloves of garlic

parsley and cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

oregano to taste

1 can Media Crema (table cream)

Shredded cheese

In an oven proof dish, take each roll, cut a small piece off the bottom so that it stands flat.  Place the rolls in the dish, then take a small knife and cut out the inside, creating a hole.  Don't leave the edges too thin, or it will fall apart when you fill it with the meat mixture.

In a saucepan, add a little bit of olive oil.  Dice up the smoked sausage.  I cut it into slices, then cut those slices in half then half again, creating little cubes.  Saute them in the olive oil, then add the onion and garlic and cook for a minute or two until the onion is translucent.

Season with salt and pepper and oregano, add the cilantro and parsley to taste, stir well to combine, then add the can of media crema, give it another good stir and remove off the heat.

Fill each sandwich with some of the sausage mixture, then add a sprinkle of shredded cheese of your choice.

 

Pop into the oven for a minute or so until the cheese is melted, then serve immediately.

 

The Golden Girls Cookbook by National Geographic - TLC Book Tours

 

About National Geographic’s The Golden Girls Cookbook: Cheesecakes and Cocktails!

• Publisher: National Geographic (September 13, 2022)
• Hardcover: 160 pages

Containing over forty new dessert and drink recipes from Blanche, Rose, Dorothy, and Sophia, this follow-up to the first The Golden Girls Cookbook will make you feel like you’re relaxing on the lanai or getting set to win the Shady Pines bake-off.

Fans demanded more Golden Girls cheesecake recipes, and the Fab Four deliver with The Golden Girls Cookbook: Cheesecakes and Cocktails! Rose’s The Fall of St. Olaf Pumpkin Cheesecake and Dorothy’s Vodka and Black Underwear drink vie for your heart (and stomach) against Sophia’s Double Fudge Amaretto Ricotta Cheesecake and Blanche’s Big Daddy Mint Julep. With easy-to-follow tips, you’ll learn how to make your cheesecake the star of any kitchen table and your drinks something talk about over, well, drinks.

And if that’s not enough, Sophia’s guide to Caffè Corretto will make the rest of your day very correct-o. Welcome to 6151 Richmond Street, circa 1985, where joy and friendship abound, and the cheesecake is always ready for a late-night therapy session.

Filled with innovative recipes by renowned chef Christopher Styler, and beautiful photos by New York Times food photographer Andrew Scrivani–plus fun quotes, jokes, and photographs from the show–this is a must-have for all fans of The Golden Girls.

 

 

 

My thoughts:

What a fun cookbook to add to my collection.  

 

If you know me, you know that I am obsessed with cookbooks and cooking, hence my food blog along with this main one.  When I got the opportunity to review this cookbook, I was so excited, not just for the recipes within in, but I am such a huge Golden Girls fan.

 

My childhood revolved around The Golden Girls, I remember watching the show as a teenager.  My favorite was always Sophia, I mean, who didn't love the feisty old lady Hahahah  And then Dorothy, of course.  I didn't dislike Rose or Blanche, but Sophia and Dorothy were my favorites. 

I got the cookbook in the mail and immediately browsed through it.  I thought it would be just recipes but it's not, it has sections divided by the different ladies in the show, and each contains funny tidbits, along with recipes for cheesecakes and cocktails.  I mean, what is there not to like?

There are also cast and show photos, with little stories and even dialogue between the characters.  It was so much fun to read through, and the recipes?  Oh my.

 

I have many that I'll be trying, but I asked my kids to pick one for me to make first, and they both picked the Key Lime Pie Cheesecake Squares.  They were not only super easy to make, didn't use many ingredients, but oh my word, they are divine.  

 

 

If you love cookbooks, love The Golden Girls, love cocktails and just want a really cool cookbook to add to your collection, or to gift over Christmas, this is definitely one to get.

 

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and National Geographic, for providing me with a copy for review.

 

 

 

Menu Plan for October 31st to November 6th

Good morning everyone.

 

It is Monday, and that means a new week of meals is before us.  Now, I haven't posted this in a really long time, but with the prices being so high lately, I've started being a lot more conscious of what I'm making, using what I have on hand, and trying to eat at home as much as possible.

 

We have never been a family that eats out a lot, just the occasional take out on payday.  But, the prices of take out are ridiculous at the moment, so when we have a craving for something, I try to make it at home as well.

 

With that in mind, I am cooking from my fridge and freezer the next two weeks, and really trying to use what is already available.  Here is this week's meal plan, and I'll be back next week with the new one for that week.

Monday October 31st
Breakfast:   Coffee, Toast with butter and liver spread
Lunch:   Clam Chowder, Oyster Crackers
Dinner:   Best Chili Ever, Rice, Homemade rolls

Tuesday November 1st
Breakfast: Instant Pot Oatmeal, Coffee
Lunch: Leftover chili
Dinner: Million Dollar Gnocchi, Salad, Garlic Bread

Wednesday November 2nd
Breakfast: Pancakes, Orange Juice, Coffee
Lunch: Salad
Dinner: Cracker Barrel Hamburger Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli

Thursday November 3rd
Breakfast: Toast with Apple Butter, Coffee
Lunch: Tuna salad
Dinner:  Bifanas (pork sandwiches), Air Fryer Potato Wedges

Friday November 4th
Breakfast: Cinnamon Toast
Lunch: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Sandwich
Dinner:   Copycat Uno's Pizza

Saturday November 5th
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs, Toast
Lunch: Leftover pizza
Dinner:  Breakfast for dinner - biscuits and gravy, hashbrown casserole


Sunday November 6th
Breakfast: Sausage Biscuits, Coffee, Juice
Lunch: Frozen Pizza
Dinner:   Onion and Potato Soup, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Fluffy Hamburger Buns

 

 

Imagine if you will, a light and fluffy hamburger roll that reminds you of store bought buns, but were made right in your home.  That is what I am bringing you today.  I am sharing these amazing, fluffy, delicious hamburger buns, from Alyona Demyanchuk.   I have made many a hamburger buns over the years, but none have ever been so light and fluffy, and so close to store bought, as these are.  They are going to be my go to burger bun.

 

At first, I thought about cutting the recipe in half, since this recipe makes 32 buns, but I decided to go ahead and make the full recipe and just freeze half of them for a later day.  Although, I did have them this morning with some ham and cheese, for breakfast, and they are so yummy.  So, so good.

I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

 

 

Fluffy Hamburger Buns

Yield: 32 rolls 

 

Ingredients 

Dough: 

 

2 cups warm water 

4 Tbsp dry yeast 

1/2 cup sugar 

1 Tbsp salt 

2 eggs 

1/2 cup shortening 

6 1/4 cup flour 

 

 

Instructions 

How to Make Hamburger Buns: 

 

 

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Whisk in the sugar, salt, eggs, and shortening. Stir in the flour and knead 7 minutes. Let rise 30 minutes or until doubled. 

 

Cut dough in half and then cut each half into 16 equal pieces. Roll all 32 pieces into balls and place onto a cookie sheet about 2-inches apart (9 rolls fit into a large 18x13 cookie sheet.) 

 

Let buns rise in the cookie sheet until tripled in size or the size of a hamburger bun. 

 

Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes on the lower rack of the oven.