Pound Cake

I took Pound Cake to my cousin's birthday bbq last weekend.  Next to my mini-cheesecakes, it's my most requested dessert.  I usually bake it in a 9x13 inch pan and then cut it into equal squares (1.5 in.x 1.5 in) and place them in white muffin cups.  I get about 36 servings this way.  It's convenient at party time, not having to worry about slicing the cake.

I have had this recipe for years now.  I'm not sure where I got the recipe, but it's been my go to Pound Cake recipe forever.

Pound Cake

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup shortening

3 cups sugar

6 eggs, room temp.

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 9x13 in. pan.

Combine dry ingredients.  Beat butter and shortening at medium speed.  Gradually add sugar.  Add eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.  Alternately add flour mix and milk to sugar batter, ending with flour.  Stir in vanilla. Pour into cake pan.

Check after 30 mins. Use toothpick test to check. I usually bake it between 30 and 40 mins in a 9x13 inch pan.  A 10 inch round pan takes about 1hr. 15mins. Let cool 5-10 mins. and remove from pan.

Enjoy!

Linked To:

It's So Very Cheri
Sumo's Sweet Stuff
I'm Topsy Turvy!
Today's Creative Blog
Crazy Daisy
Someday Crafts
Sew Much Ado
Blue Cricket Designs

Mini-Cheesecakes

My sister's co-worker asked me to bake some mini-cheesecakes for her when she visted her family a few weekends ago.

  

I have become pretty popular because of these.  They are cute and light and delicious. Everyone thinks I work so hard on these cheesecakes, but the recipe is so simple.

Ingredients:

2 8oz. pkgs. of cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup of sugar

2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbls. butter or margerine, melted

1 1/2 - 2 cups crushed cookies.  They can be Ginger Snaps, Oreos, Bourbon Creams or Graham Crackers.

1 pkg. foil cupcake tins.  I stress that you use foil.  The cheesecakes hold up better and they are more attractive.
Toppings of choice: cherry, strawberry, pineapple, blueberry etc.

This makes 1 1/2 dozen.

Directions:

Mix Cookie crumbs and butter.  Press onto bottom of foil cupcake tins.  Put cupcake tins in refrigerator while preparing the mix.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Cheesecakes bake better at a lower temperature.

Mix cream cheese and sugar until creamy.  Add eggs and vanilla. Mix until smooth.  Try not to over mix.
Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, fill cupcake tins.  Bake for 15 mins, or until just set.
When you take the cheesecakes out of the oven, make sure there is no draft.  The cheesecakes will crack or sink.  I usually keep them in the warm kitchen with the window closed until cool.  Then I move them to a cooler area until completely cool.  Refrigerate until cold.  You may add various toppings.

You can serve them in or out of the foil tins.

Linked to:

Sumo's Sweet Stuff         

Blue Cricket Design
It's So Very Cheri
Tatertots and Jello
A Little Lovely
Funky Junk Interiors
Keeping It Simple
The Girl Creative
Making The World Cuter
I Heart Naptime
Skip To My Lou
Someday Crafts

Never Thought I'd be a Fan.....

As previously mentioned, my laptop power cord died and I had to wait for  a new one. The Hubby provided me with a temporary replacement desktop, but it's not the same.  Where's the portability?  I can't take a desktop in the kitchen and surf while I'm cooking.  I can't sit on the couch and visit my favorite blogs while pretending to watch "Fanboy and Chum-Chum" with my six year old.  Try curling up with desktop in bed.  Not possible.  They just don't do it for me.

So, since using the replacement was out, I decided to pick up a book.  Truthfully, I haven't read for pleasure in years.  I usually pick up a book, read a third of it and never finish it.  The last great books I read were One Hundred Years of Solitude and The Red Tent: A Novel.

We bought our daughter The Twilight Saga Collection for Christmas of last year. With all the excitement around the Twilight Movies which she enjoyed, we thought it would make for a good gift.  She screamed with joy when she saw the books Christmas morning!!!  Seven months later, she still hadn't read them.

I had never seen the Twilight movies so I only knew about them from media and what others had told me.  I knew that it was a teenege-girl-in-a-love-triangle-with-a-vampire-and-werewolf kind of book. I picked up the first book, 'Twilight'.  Initially, I was not impressed, but I kept reading on.  About a 3rd of the way through, the book gets really good. 

Now let me clarify something here.  "The Twilight Saga" of books are a great read, NOT great literature.  I think Bella is a silly little girl with low self esteem.  If I had a daughter like her, I'd cry myself to sleep every night.  It can make impressionable young girls think that love can conquer all.  Even if the boy they love has a darkside.  It's not for kids or even tweens.  I would take it so far to say it's not for immature teenage girls.  That being said, I finished the whole series in two weeks.  If I could have read non-stop without having to pause to bathe, eat, take care of the kids, cook dinner and have conversations with my husband I would've done it.  It is attention grabbing.  Read it if your not offended by a fictional vampires and werewolves. 

I'm Ba-a-ack!!!

It's been a few weeks since I've posted anything.  But I have a few good excuses:

• The power cord on my laptop died.
• I'm allergic to desktops.
• I read the Twilight Series. (This is worth a separate post coming soon.) 
• I was in a water balloon fight.
• I went to a BBQ.
• I'm planning a birthday party for a 5 and  7yr. old.

Those are good right?

Happy Independence Day Bahamas

The Bahamas is 37 years old today!!!

March on Bahamaland!

Watermelon Lemonade

Summer is here and that means, heat, heat and watermelons.  I absolutely love watermelon.  I have memories of visiting my aunt in Brooklyn in the Summer as a kid having all the watermelon I could eat.  You see her "friend" at that time was a manager at a grocery store. He would bring us lots of watermelon, I guess to get on our good sides. So I always look forward to watermelon season.

 My daughter and I are the only watermelon lovers in the house.  Usually a large watermelon can last for days.  Sometimes I'm over zealous and end up buying too much watermelon.  I never want it to go to waste so I make Watermelon Lemonade.

It's cool, refreshing and just another great way to enjoy the watermelon.  Although my husband and son are not fans of watermelon, they are fans of Watermelon Lemonade.

You just need the following:

1. 1/2 - 3/4 Cup Lime juice.  (I know I said lemonade but I use limes.  They are locally grown and are cheaper than imported lemons.)
2. 1 1/2 Cups Watermelon Juice. (Put the watermelon in a blender, then strain.
3. One Gallon of water.
4. 1 1/2 Cup Sugar.  ( I know, alot right?  But I like sugar...dont judge me. Adjust the sugar to your liking.)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and chill several hours. 

All ingredients can be adjusted to taste.  You may like yours more tart so use more limes or prefer to have the sweetness of the watermelon to dominate so adjust to your liking.

Linking to:

Creations by Kara

It's So Very Cheri

Blue Cricket Designs

 

The Produce Exchange

I went to The Produce Exchange on Friday.  It is a government run facility that helps farmers from the Family Islands sell their produce here in Nassau.  A variety of fruits and vegetables are sold there at wholesale prices.  Fruit and vegetable vendors come and purchase from them.  However, the public is welcome, even encouraged. You never know what they have there as the produce are seasonal and fresh.  

First, let me say that it is pure chaos in there. The facility is small, so there is barely walking room in there.  The Exchange is only open from 8am-12 noon, so it's crowded and hot. Everyone's yelling trying to be heard above all the noise.  But it's a great experience. 
I really went there in the hopes of getting some mangoes, but look what I scored:

Papaya

Watermelon

Onions

Thyme

I had some of the papaya and watermelon with breakfast this morning.  I'm thinking of making some Watermelon Lemonade later.  It was a hit last summer with the kids.

Onions and thyme are a staple for me as I cook with them regularly.

I don't go as often as I should. I really prefer to eat locally grown produce. I'll make a trip once a week.  Hopefully when I go next week, the mangoes will be in.