Archive | entertaining

Celebrating the 4th of July

. . .

Happy Birthday America!

The weather forecast looks great for the up coming 4th of July celebration.  I have already brought out our flags to decorate the house and the yard.  Some preparations are underway to help save time and make the day as stress-free as possible. Here are a few ways I have incorporated simple and easy ideas for this festive occasion.  Store bought donuts sprinkled with patriotic colors is a fun treat to serve at anytime of day.  In addition, the classic root beer float is another great treat.  Scoop the vanilla ice cream into individual glasses and store them in the freezer until ready to use.  All you will need to do later is to pour the root beer into each glass and serve.  When it comes to activities, kids love to make noise and pop things, a good supply of pop-its will keep them busy throughout the day. Last but not least, sparklers are always a great way to light up the night.

.

Forth of July - sparklers

.

Bring out the sparklers, pop-its, and lots of US flags.

.

Forth of July - sparklers

.

Forth of July - backyard

.

Forth of July - backyard

It’s nice to spend some time outside….sit and relax…enjoy the summer weather …have a glass wine…and good company (Bill).

.

Forth of July - root beer floats

.

Forth of July - root beer floats

Ice cold glasses filled with vanilla ice cream and root beer.

.

Forth of July - root beer floats

.

Forth of July - donuts

red-white-blue donuts

.

Forth of July - Glory

Our French brittany, Glory, enjoying the day with us.

.

Forth of July 7-4 fireworks

No matter what the plans may be for the day, to end the night with fireworks is something our family always look forward to.  As the sun starts to set, we pack up a bag with blankets and fill the cooler with drinks and some snacks then set out on a drive to a nearby park and wait for the display of lights to begin.

I hope you and your family will have a great fourth of July!

.


Posted by Kay

1 comments

Lemon Pound Cake

.  .  .

A classic pound cake by itself is basic and simple to make, but with the addition of lemon and lemon-glaze topping will transform and elevate it to another level of deliciousness.  The cake is moist with a subtle lemon flavor and the sweet/tart glaze rounds it out well.  Pair it with coffee or tea for a late morning or an afternoon snack will be wonderful.  The following Lemon Pound Cake recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food magazine.

· print recipe ·

.

A quick tip before assembling the ingredients, grate the lemon zest first, then squeeze out the lemon juice.

.

Makes 2 loaves

Ingredients:

Pound Cakes
1    cup {2 sticks} unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
3    cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
¾   cup low-fat buttermilk
finely grated zest of 2 lemons
⅓   cup fresh lemon juice
1½ teaspoon salt
½   teaspoon baking powder
½   teaspoon baking soda
2     cups sugar
5     large eggs

Lemon Glaze
2    cups confectioners’ sugar
2    tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2-3 tablespoon water {depending on the desired thickness of the glaze}

.
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°

1.  Butter and flour two 4½-by-8½-inch loaf pans or similar size.

.

2.  With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

.

3.  In a liquid measuring cup, combine buttermilk with lemon zest and juice.

4.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

5.  With the mixer on low, add flour mixture in three parts and buttermilk mixture in two, beginning and ending with flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Beat just until smooth {do not overmix}.

.

6.  Divide batter evenly between pans and smooth the top.

.

7.  Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.  Cool 15 minutes in pan.  Turn out cakes onto a rack to cool.

.

To make the lemon glaze:

1.  Place 2 cups confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl.

.

(Caleb was my assistant in whisking the icing)

2.  Whisk in 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 or 2 tablespoons of water until smooth, thick and pourable.

.

3.  While the loaves are slightly warm, spread the icing over the top and let it drip over the sides.

.

.

Cut the Lemon Pound Cake into thick slices and serve.

.

Mother’s Day is not too far away, make the lemon pound cake a day ahead and it will be a lovely addition to serve on this special occasion.

.

.

.

.

 

.

.

· print recipe ·

.


Posted by Kay

1 comments

Flourless Chocolate Cake and Fresh Pink Roses

Valentine's Day Cake and Misc

.  .  .

This is a rich and decadent chocolate cake that you will want to make for Valentine’s Day or any other occasion.  There is no flour added and with just a few basic good quality ingredients you will be able to make this light and very moist cake. As it bakes, a thin crust will form on the surface and break apart slightly for a pretty and delicate appearance.  Enjoy the cake with a light sprinkling of confectioners’ sugar or a dollop of whipped cream on the side.

Continue Reading →

1 comments

Poached Pears with Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

 

recipe- poached pears

A simple and delicious dessert to make this fall season is Poached Pears.  Serve it as is or with whipped cream, chocolate/caramel sauce, ice cream, or a sprinkling of nuts and honey.  These are wonderful combinations. Make it a day ahead and store the pears in the refrigerator with the syrup until ready to serve.

While I was preparing the pears and prepping the ingredients to be added to the pot, the scent of cinnamon, vanilla, and citrus filled the kitchen.  Fall was in the air.   It intensified as the pears slowly simmered over the hot stove. For the rest of the day, my house had a lovely sweet scent as if I’ve been busy baking all day.  I discovered this Poached Pears recipe in Baking With Julia cookbook and have been using it for many years.

Continue Reading →

0 comments

Donut Birthday Cake and a visit to Georgia’s Bakery & Cafe

Donuts - white gunpowder

I can’t help but smile seeing this pretty donut birthday cake.  It is an actual donut, just slightly larger than the normal size.  I made a special order for two extra-large donuts one with white icing and the other with chocolate at a local bakery, Georgia’s Bakery. They came with no other decorations as requested and with very little effort one was transformed into a birthday cake with a handful of colorful sprinkles and candles.  Love that!

. Continue Reading →

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...
3 comments