Category: BLOG 365
NEAPOLITAN CAKE ~ BLOG 366.362
Why have one flavor when you can have three? Neapolitan bundt cake is a tribute to nostalgic classic Neapolitan ice cream from childhood. It was a family favorite with a flavor for everyone in the family. I was never a single flavor girl. I always ate a mix of all three flavors together.
This bundt cake is dense but soft, similar to a pound cake in texture with strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate layers of soft and fluffy cake and all three flavors – strawberry (sweet), vanilla (basic), and chocolate (deep and rich) are all made from the same batter, making this cake much easier than it looks. But, with just a few additions for the sweet strawberry layer and the deep rich chocolate layer combined with the base vanilla flavor it all balances out! Not the best picture, but the flavor made up for it!
VANILLA CAKE
1 cup or 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla extract
3 LARGE eggs, room temperature
2 and 1/4 cups AP flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup full fat or whole milk
2 tablespoons full fat sour cream
- Grease and line three 6-inch round baking pans.
- Preheat oven to 350 (320 convection).
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla together until smooth and creamy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
- Sift in flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add milk and sour cream and beat on a low speed until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX!!!!!
- Divide batter evenly into three bowls.
STRAWBERRY CAKE
1 teaspoon strawberry extract
Pink food gel or food coloring
- Add strawberry extract to one bowl and a few drops of pink food gel and stir together.
CHOCOLATE CAKE
1 tablespoon cocoa powder, sifted
1 tablespoon milk
- Add the cocoa powder and milk to another bowl, stirring until smooth.
- Leave the final batter as is for the vanilla layer.
- Carefully pour each batter, one layer at a time, into prepared cake tins.
- Bake cakes 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Carefully remove the cakes and set on a wire rack to cool completely.
VANILLA BUTTERCREAM
1 cup or 2 sticks butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
5 cups powdered sugar
3–4 tablespoons WHOLE milk, room temperature
- Beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Add the vanilla.
- Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
- Add a tablespoon of milk as needed.
- Continue until you have used all the icing sugar and milk and the frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Use a serrated knife to trim tops of cakes to even them out.
- Place one cake on a small cake board, then cover the top with buttercream.
- Place the second cake on top. Cover top with buttercream.
- Place the third cake on top.
- Cover the entire cake, top and sides, with remaining buttercream.
- Use a cake scraper to remove excess buttercream on the sides.
WORDLESS WEDNESDAY ~ BLOG 366.360
BLOGMAS 2024 ~ day 25 ~ MEANING OF CHRISTMAS ~ BLOG 366.358B
Christmas is the most important holiday to me and not because Santa comes, though that is pretty important to the kiddos, but more importantly, it’s a caring spirit, a sharing feeling, an attitude that I try to practice all year long. I truly feel good about giving – whether it’s the Angel trees I select gifts for or the smile from the Salvation Army bell ringer as you put your money in their red bucket and wish them Merry Christmas.
For 10 years I chaired an Angel Tree Program for FISH and I loved doing it! I prepared for it earlier and earlier every year and I truly believe each year got better and better because of that preparation. The night before we distributed the gifts I would go shopping for the teenage girls and boys that always seemed to fall through the cracks in the donations. We were ALWAYS lacking in gifts for the teen girls no matter what we tried to boost things up for them. So, now when I choose the angels from the trees in the community I seek out the teenage girls specifically. And the past few years I have helped chair a committee and shop for foster kids in need.
Christmas means lots and lots of memories of family, some no longer with us, but ALWAYS in my heart when I hang an ornament that reminds me of that person or a recipe that they always prepared like my dad’s, Oatnut Sourdough Herb Dressing, crazy Aunt Louise’s Holiday Wreaths or Gram’s Christmas box full of goodies picked out just for each one of us or…
One of the things I try to practice each year is to make at least one homemade gift – nothing too extravagant, but just something that says “I MADE THIS with LOVE JUST FOR YOU“.
The years that we host the Christmas holidays we include a lot of family recipes. But, more importantly, Christmas is the spirit of Love and Giving and it must be felt and shared. Christmas is a gift from above and each year as I grow older I realize more and more that Christmas is about Love, Peace, Sharing, Caring and just being together.
I can only answer for myself, but I assume for those that are not religious, the meaning of Christmas is still a celebration, but one of celebrating friendships and family by gathering to eat together, share their time and share tokens of appreciation in the form of gifts with others.
May we ALL carry the spirit of Christmas in our hearts all throughout the year by remembering the REAL reason for the season.
HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY week 51 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.358
Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
WEEKEND RECAP
GOOD MORNING dear friends! Here we are in the FINAL STRETCH of holiday preparation! Are you ready? I hope you are taking the holiday week by storm and crushing it, BUT also going slow enough to REALLY enjoy it!! One thing fell through the cracks for me this year, mainly because Thanksgiving was so late. I normally have my cards ready before Thanksgiving, but didn’t this year. I have been working on them amongst all my other commitments. So, if you normally get a card from me, they are almost ready, but this year they will be a between Christmas and New Years card 😀
I stay connected by doing BLOGMAS each day to get me started in the right spirit. That said, I often do multiple posts ahead of time and schedule them while we are watching football or a Christmas movies throughout the month of December. I think next year I’ll combine many posts together and go with an every few days approach.
Last week was a SUPER BUSY one for me! There was something BIG literally every day – dinners in with friends and neighbors, dinners out with girlfriends and going to see a play, A Christmas Story at the local community theatre, parties at some of our favorite places with some of our favorite people…
I have FINALLY learned how to slow down a bit and enjoy it even more! I have a girlfriend who comes over every few months and I usually make a “SPECIAL” drink and dinner for us. She has finally convinced me to make it “simpler” and you know what? We had an even better time with bacon cheeseburger balls, super creamy mac and cheese and a simple green salad. I did splurge and make mini raspberry cheesecakes 😀
Have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS my friends. Enjoy your families and remember the reason for the season! And here’s a clue, it’s not perfection or commercialism.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
We’re in the beginning stages of an atmospheric river back-up of storms here. According to a NY Times article, there is going to be one right after another for the next 10 days or so. So, wet weather attire will be worn at all times as we head into this first full week of winter!
TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS
|
THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
|
|
DVR/TV TIME
|
WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
|
|
READING TIME
I’m reading The Last One at the Wedding by Jason Rekulak for book club. I’m really hoping to have more time for reading soon.
FUNNIES
MENU PLANS
BREAKFAST is always (and probably always will be) a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
|
MONDAY
|
TUESDAY
|
WEDNESDAY
|
THURSDAY
|
FRIDAY
|
SATURDAY
|
SUNDAY
|
|
|
DINNER
|
LEMON CHICKEN & RICE SOUP
|
MARINATED FLANK STEAK, FRIED POTATOES and MUNCHIES
|
CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
|
CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
|
PEASANT STEW, BUTTERMILK BAKED BISCUITS
|
CORN/YOYO clean out refrigerator night or you’re on your own
|
HAM TETRAZZINI, GREEN SALAD |
|
DESSERT
|
|
|
RASPBERRY TRUFFLES, MOCHA BANANA RUM BALLS
|
CRANBERRY CHEESECAKE
|
FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA
Here are a few pictures from last week’s girl’s night for dinner and the play and the UGLY Sweater Christmas party at the Offyce.
INSPIRATIONS
LIFE TIP
RECIPES TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEK
- ROAST CHICKEN with APRICOT HABANERO GLAZE
- NEOPOLITAN CAKE
RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK
WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS
SILENT SUNDAY ~ BLOG 366.357
RB’S BAKED BEANS ~ BLOG 366.354
As everyone knows I am NOT fond of fast food of ANY kind, but I do love me an occasional Beef ’n’ cheddar with some Arby’s sauce. I recently was FINALLY able to recreate the Arby’s sauce on a homemade level and have now made a baked bean dish around it.
Now for a little trivia to go with the recipe. The name Arby’s is a phonetic representation for the brothers Forestt and Leroy Raffle, aka the Raffle Brothers because the name they wanted, BIG TEX, for their business was already taken.
RB’s BAKED BEANS
2 cans white beans (navy or cannellini), drained and rinsed
1 jar dried beef, diced
1 Vidalia onion, chopped small
4 slices bacon, diced and cooked crisp
1 package ALL beef hotdogs, cut into bite sized pieces
Double batch Arby’s sauce (see below)
Corn Bread, optional
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cook hotdog pieces until crisp on the edges.
- Add onions to pan and saute until softened.
- Mix everything together in a prepared 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish.
- Bake 1 hour.
- Serve over corn bread.
NOTE: Dried beef can be traded out for 1 pound lean ground round that has been browned and drained of excess grease.
ARBY’S SAUCE
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4-6 tablespoons water
4-5 drops Tabasco sauce
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- Combine all together in a small sauce pan.
- Simmer on low 20 minutes, whisking periodically, especially the last 10 minutes.
- Keep refrigerated.
WORDLESS WEDNESDAY ~ BLOG 366.353
HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY & MENUS & RECIPE LINKS week 50 of 2024 ~ BLOG 366.351
Be sure to join Happy Homemaker Monday with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom
WEEKEND RECAP
LONG AND BUSY weekend here. Friday was a chaotic and odd day putting out fires for the Eagles. Saturday we helped an elderly friend get rid of her moving boxes and trash and then I spent a good amount of time getting presents wrapped as well as preparing the chicken wings and doing some baking for the Christmas party at the Eagles yesterday. The Christmas Party was a success, but super busy! It was a lot of work and I was exhausted!!! I still am, but have A LOT to do this week so need to get on with it!!!
And I have my first delayed package of the season. It originated about 500 miles away and almost made it here, but then somehow ended up on a plane to Kentucky! It was supposed to be delivered yesterday, but they’re now saying Friday! As long as it’s here by Christmas I guess it’s all part of the season. I hope you all have a blessed and productive week.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
THE WEATHER OUTSIDE
Can you spell W E T? or even C O L D? It’s our normal Pacific North West winter that’s quite gray, wet and cold though not as cold as normal, but wet enough to make it feel even more cold. 😀 I prefer a dryer cold. Snow is preferable to ALL this rain!
12/16 MONDAY 49°High 37°Low Rain
12/17 TUESDAY 49°High 40°Low Rain
12/18 WEDNESDAY 49°High 47°Low Rain
12/19 THURSDAY 47°High 43°Low Clouds & Rain
12/20 FRIDAY 48°High 46°Low Clouds & Rain
12/21 SATURDAY 48°High 44°Low Rain
12/22 SUNDAY 47°High 43°Low Rain
TO DO LIST, APPOINTMENTS & PROJECTS
|
THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
|
|
DVR/TV TIME
|
WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
|
|
READING TIME
Book club met yesterday, but no one had much time to read the new book so that made me feel better. I’m about to start the book now, THE LAST ONE AT THE WEDDING by Jason Rekulak
FUNNIES
MENU PLANS
BREAKFAST is always a work in progress for me – it will generally be hot water and a fruit yogurt 😀
|
MONDAY
|
TUESDAY
|
WEDNESDAY
|
THURSDAY
|
FRIDAY
|
SATURDAY
|
SUNDAY
|
|
|
DINNER
|
TARRAGON CHICKEN & PASTA
|
APRICOT HABANERO ROAST CHICKEN, ROAST CARROTS and CREAMY MAC & CHEESE
|
BACON CHEESEBURGER BALLS, CREAMY MAC & CHEESE
|
GIRL’S NIGHT OUT to DINNER AND PLAY
|
CHRISTMAS PARTY POTLUCK
|
OUT
|
LEMON CHICKEN & RICE SOUP with BUTTERMILK BISCUITS |
|
DESSERT
|
|
CRAN CHERRY CHEESECAKES
|
CRAN CHERRY CHEESECAKES
|
|
FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE CAMERA
The first batch of foster gifts has been delivered! Niki and I tried out the photo booth before the dance and I found this adorable cow chowing down when I went to retrieve a donated tree for the Eagles.
And here are a couple of alternate trees from girl’s night. I didn’t get a picture of Lu’s finished one, but as you can see she has a fun eye for color as does Dana. 😀
INSPIRATIONS
LIFE TIP
HOMEMAKING / COOKING TIP
RECIPES TO LOOK FOR THIS WEEK
- ROAST TURKEY BREAST
- RB’S BAKED BEANS
- PUMPKIN PULL APARTS
RECIPE LINKS FROM LAST WEEK
WEEKLY FEATURED PARTY LINKS
SILENT SUNDAY ~ BLOG 366.350
SATURDAY COFFEE ~ BLOG 366.349
CLASSIC OLD FASHIONED OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES ~ BLOG 366.348
CLASSIC OLD FASHIONED OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES adapted from Melissa Clark
Chewy, slightly spicy, yet crisp around the edges with a hint of butterscotch from the DARK brown sugar makes these a fall favorite for our family.
1 cup (2 sticks) UNSALTED butter, softened
1 cup packed DARK brown sugar
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 LARGE eggs
1 tablespoon PURE vanilla extract
1 ½ cups AP flour
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon QUALITY ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon FRESH grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cardamom or ground ginger
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
¼ cup MALIBU coconut rum
1 ½ cups golden (or regular) raisins
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Pour rum over raisins and let sit 10-15 minutes.
- Butter two large cookie sheets, or line them with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a large bowl until creamy.
- Add brown and granulated sugars, then beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated.
- Add vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom.
- Set mixer on low speed, and beat flour mixture into the butter mixture.
- Drain excess rum from raisins.
- Stir in oats and raisins.
- Spoon out dough by large tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets, leaving at least 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake until cookie edges turn golden brown, about 9 to 13 minutes. Centers will still be quite soft, but they will firm up as the cookies cool.
- Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.