Strawberries, Cake and the South Beach Diet!

With strawberries in season soon, you may want to try this pound cake recipe, perfect with berries and cream. We enjoyed it topped with strawberries and real whipped cream on Easter.

I know! You remember a few posts back I began the South Beach diet. Well……..we just took a little break for Easter and now we’re back on it again.

By the way, Cigar Man, daughter and I weighed in last Friday. We usually will weigh in once a week, but this time we weighed 4 days after we began since we knew we’d be eating BIG on Easter. J Are you ready?

I lost 3 pounds!

Too bad, I gained 1 pound back after eating cake topped with strawberries and cream. Well, truth known, the cake wasn’t responsible for the whole pound. I hate plenty of other FAT foods over the weekend. Of well, what’s a girl to do!

I’m working on losing that pound again. Since, I’m beginning to think a big part of losing is to eat only when you’re hungry. I wasn’t hungry last night so no supper for me.

I was feeling pretty good about that till I found a half eaten bag of M&Ms and finished them off. L

Oh well, if you’re not on the South beach diet or you want to take a break, here’s the recipe. Sorry I don’t have the calorie count. I really don’t even want to know!

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter (YIKES!)

1/2 cup vegetable shortening

3 cups sugar (YIKES!)

5 eggs (YIKES!)

1 cup buttermilk

1 tbs vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. (I used an 8 1/2” pan and had enough batter to make a second cake in a loaf pan. I like to freeze one and eat one. If I’m going to take the time to bake, I want to make it worth my while.)
2. Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, shortening, and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk alternately to the butter mixture. Add the vanilla and mix well.
4. Pour the batter into a greased and floured pan. Bake for 1 3/4 hours, or until the cake is done. The cake will pull away from the sides of the pan when ready, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will come out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Invert onto a pretty cake plate .

Strawberries:

I like to sprinkle 1/4 cup of sugar over a cup of sliced strawberries in a bowl and let it stand for about 1/2 hour. It will make its on syrup that will moisten your cake and melt in your mouth!

Fresh whipped cream:

1 cup whipping cream

about 1/4 cup sugar

Beat together the cream and sugar with an electric mixture until stiff. Can’t beat it! hmmm…you actually just did. J

See ya later. I’m heading over to Gollum’s Foodie Friday. Who knows, I might find something I can still eat!

Monday, one day past Easter

 

While finding a place for those chicks and bunnies,

 

and washing and folding

the table linens,

 

my eye glances at the hostess gift of tulips

and I smile.

I find that I’m still at peace from the day at the farm.

and the gathering of friends…

on Daffodil Hill.

I’m still renewed by watching children happy…

and amazed when first their eyes behold

the life I so often take for granted.

(At mid-week, my mind’s stuck on the places and faces of this post so in lieu of another post, I’m sharing this with

Outdoor Wednesday.)

So how’s your week?

things aren’t always what they seem

Just had to show you this sequence of pics, I shot at an Easter Egg Hunt this weekend.

No, this isn’t Pretty boy, although he’s certainly pretty or maybe I should say handsome.

First he SEES the EGG in the shot above.

Next, he TASTES the EGG.

UGH!

Ever had this experience in life? J

I’m sharing at Mary’s Mosaic Monday.

Sunday Eve

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus,

the author and perfecter of our faith,

who for the joy set before him endured the cross,

scorning its shame,

and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

 Hebrews 12:2

sharing with Spiritual Sunday

WE’RE OFF….

 

to an

EASTER EGG HUNT!

~

Rocky is taking care

of the

home front.

Have a Happy Easter!

Celebrate your Risen Lord!

Easter Bread Basket Recipe

Tried my hand at this Easter Egg bread this week.

Even though it involves kneading and rising and kneading and rising, I think it’s worth making again for special occasions.

(By the way, notice the old cutting board? It belonged to my mother in law. She made many-a-biscuits on this board.

My daughter asked, “You’re not going to really use that, are you?”

Me: “Of course I am!”

Daughter: “Don’t you think it has germs from all those years!”

Me: “You watch too much Dr. Oz.”)

On a side note from the bread making,

you can see how to make this tag and others.

Just click here.

It makes sweet little Easter gifts for hostesses, neighbors, or whoever!

You can also make a large ring for Easter dinner.

• Scald milk; add sugar, salt, shortening, and lemon peel. Cool to lukewarm.
• Sprinkle yeast on warm water; stir to dissolve. Add to milk mixture with the 2 eggs, slightly beaten, and 2 1/2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth.
• stir in enough remaining flour, a little at a time, to form a dough that is easy to handle. Turn onto lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, 5 to 8 minutes. Place in lightly greased bowl; turn dough over to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place free from drafts until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch down; cover and let rise again until almost doubled, about 30 minutes.
• Makes 2 large braided rings or 12 individual rings.

For 2 Large Rings:

Divide dough into 4 parts. Form each part into a 36” rope. On a greased baking sheet, shape 2 of the ropes into a very loosely braided ring. Repeat with other 2 ropes of dough for second ring.

For Individual rings:

Divide dough into 12 parts. Form each part into a ring.

• Cover; let rise until doubled. (About 30 minutes)
• Brush evenly with beaten egg. Sprinkle with tiny decorating candies.
• Bake in moderate oven (375 degrees) 15 minutes for individual rings and 20 minutes for large rings, or until lightly browned. Serve warm.

Tips:

A boiled, colored egg nestled in the individual rings makes a sweet presentation.

Freeze ahead to avoid hectic holidays.

Let your dough rise in the laundry room while your clothes are drying. I know it sounds crazy, but it works.

I am sharing this recipe with other yummy treats at Gollum’s Foodie Friday.

glittery gift tags for Easter and more

The other day one of my dear blogging friends asked me how I got this gift tag to glitter so I thought that others might like to know too.  I’ll include a few Easter tags I’ve made this week for little hostess gifts too.

First of all, you use this clear embossing ink pad to stamp your design on to your card.  You can buy this and the other supplies I’ve use at any hobby/craft shop.

Next, press your stamp on to your card.  The ink is clear so don’t be alarmed when you don’t see it.

You will also need some embossing powder.  I bought this set with an array of pastel colors.

Sprinkle powder on top of your stamp impression and tap the excess onto scrap paper.  Don’t worry.  You won’t waste the powder.  Carefully pour it back into your jar.

You should have an impression of your stamp on your card now,  Next, you will need a heat tool.  Just blow hot air on the impression like you were blowing your hair dry until you see the powder melt and glitter in front of your very eyes.  This should only take a few seconds.  It’s just like magic!

Here, I’ve made several to cut for more than one tag.

Going to a coffee this morning so I’m greeting my gracious hostess with a mini Easter bread basket attached with my handmade tag.. 

Here’s a closer look at the individual Easter yeast bread basket I made.  You can find the recipe by clicking HERE.

 

These little girls, yes, they’re twins, are hosting an Easter Egg Hunt and have invited Pretty Boy so I wrapped them each a little hostess gift and personalized with a tag of their own photo from last year’s egg hunt.  

Hope my playing around has inspired you in some small way to create a Happy Easter at your house!

I sharing this with others at Cindy’s place for Show and Tell Friday.

Easter Past

Remember all those Easter pasts?

Ahh…yes!

The memories are as sweet

as pink marshmallow chicks,

pastel colored jelly beans,

and malted milk eggs

with speckled candy coating.

Well, we only have one week

to make this Easter holiday as nice

as all those in the past.

So have you gathered all your colored eggs…

and your Easter frocks?

Have you mailed your special Easter packs

so this year will be as nice as those of Easter past?

Well, don’t worry if you haven’t.

Just do your very best.

Because memories are always sweeter

as the years go past.

I’m sharing with many other mosaics you must see at

Mary’s Mosaic Monday.

Easter! (Are you kidding?)

My tulips are really opening up from last week's tablescape which means I don't have too much more time to enjoy them. :(

So one last tablescape with them for a parting gesture. (My family thinks I'm tablescape crazy, but I know you'll understand. :)


And yes, I know it's a little early for Easter, but I did have my tulips and there's a little Easter tablescape contest going on...so....here goes!

You know, I could have draped my tablecloth in a traditional way, but on a whim, I decided to gathered it down the center and tie with pink satin ribbons on each side of the centerpiece.

Crystal candle holders and topiary bunnies nestle in the valleys of the gathered tablecloth.



My place setting consists of two complimenting vintage patterns from Pope Gosser and rest on a mauve place mat and a bamboo look charger. The crystals are Lenox with a slight green tint.





A Lenox sherbet glass holds chocolate eggs and a plastic egg of a different pastel color at each place-setting holds a surprise for each guest.

A glass bunny of a different pastel color holds a place-card made of scrapbook paper at each setting.

If it's 25 degrees at your house like it is at mine, hopefully, this Easter scape warmed you up a bit. HA!

Check out some beautiful tablescapes at Susan's Tablescape Thursday and the cutest blog I discovered called Maddycakes Muse.

Easter Baskets

Happy Easter! Getting in late for this, but just finished my goodie baskets and wanted to share them with you for Pink Saturday over at How Sweet the Sound. I've got little ones like the one above in pink and green. You can't see what's inside, but it's filled with a Lindt lamb and little duck nestled under a PINK rabbit.
(OOPS..Way to late..missed the bunny trail for Pink Saturday...well maybe next week.) :)


Here's a couple filled with candies, nice smelling soap, personalized cards and notepads. The basket is PINK and green.



I made the tags below. Stamped this one with a pretty Easter stamp and topped it off with a vintage green button. Notice the PINK ribbon.

The tag below is topped with a little butterfly button and pink raffia.

Here they are between my PINK arrangements - ready for Easter dinner!

Wishing you lots of blessings for EASTER!!!