Angel Food Cake with Strawberries and Whipped Cream

Yes, it was as good as it looks! Thanks Betty Crocker!

A bowl full of YUM!
As my two year old niece used to say..."More?"
(She's old enough now to just help herself)

More please!

Angel food cake was a popular dessert when I was a little girl. I never liked just a plain slice of angel food cake, Blah! It was just that, too plain, spongy and a bit sticky.

Oh, but that plain, spongy, sticky slice of cake all dressed up became a tender, moist piece of deliciousness that left my palate and taste buds begging for more. What annoying sponge quality feel I would ask myself? I quickly discovered that so called annoying sponge texture was nothing but a bonus. Quicker picker upper, you betcha! With a feeling of satisfaction I swirl my last bite of angle food cake around in my bowl soaking up every last drop of topping because let's face it, it's rude and annoying to clang your spoon around in an empty bowl wanting more. A good host wants you to eat. Seconds? Well, yeah!

So many decisions. Chocolate sauce or strawberry sauce. Slices of fresh strawberries or pureed apricot. Whipping cream or ice cream. One, two or three toppings, it is just as Betty Crocker promised, "light as air...fluffy as a cloud".

Angel Food Cake (Key Recipe)
Betty Crocker, Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book, 1950
Preheat oven to 350F
Bake time: 30-35 minutes

Set out but do NOT grease:
10" tube pan, 4" deep

Measure the following two items and sift together 3 times, set aside:
1 cup sifted SOFTASILK (or 1 cup sifted GOLD Medal Flour)
7/8 cup sugar (granulated)

Measure the following into a large separate mixing bowl, then beat with wire whip until foamy - frothy.
1 1/2 cups egg whites (12)
1 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Once the above mixture is frothy, Gradually add to it 2tbsp at a time:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Beat on high speed until meringue is very firm and holds stiff straight peaks when wire whip is pulled up. Then,

Gradually sift the 3 times sifted flour-sugar mixture (from above) over firm meringue. Add 3 tbsp at a time. Cut and fold in gently with a spatula until it disappears each time.

Carefully place meringue into tube pan using a rubber scrapper. Even up surface of batter.

Gently pull a table knife through batter, in a wide circle to break air bubbles.

Bake cake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until no imprint remains when lightly touched. When cake tests done, invert. Turn the cake upside down and let it hang in the tube pan until cold. An empty quart size glass pop bottle works perfectly.

When cool, use a knife to loosen sides of cake from pan. Serve with your favorite toppings!

Happy summer!

Weights and Measures

Liquid = glass (right)
dry = metal (left)

The two fun things everyone likes to discuss out in the open: weight and measurements.

Oh please, I'm talking about weights and measures of ingredients not you. Phew! So put down that tape measure, get off that scale and wipe the sweat from your brow. My other site is about YOUR weight and measurements.

I cannot tell you how many times I have referenced the little chart below. I hope this quick reference will be just as helpful to you.

1 Gallon = 128 fluid ounces = 4 quarts
1 Quart = 32 fluid ounces = 2 pints
1 Pint = 16 fluid ounces = 2 cups (see what I am doing here...)
1 Cup = 8 fluid ounces = 16 tablespoons
2 Tablespoons = 1 fluid once
1 Tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
Note: Volume Ounces are Fluid Ounces

Water

Summer: Hot, humid, lots and lots of activity... need water!

I used to NEVER think twice about drinking water from my tap. Now, it would never cross my mind to drink water straight from my tap. My brain immediately thinks filter first please, then drink the water.

Years and years ago, I thought Kent, Ohio had the best water straight from the tap and I wasn't alone. I know, shocking! Does anyone drink water straight from the tap anymore? Kent city water was refreshing and odor free. Not the case now. Now, it has an odor, chemical taste and is not real refreshing straight from the tap in my opinion.

Kent is a small town, and used to be known for great tasting water. No kidding! In 1996, David Letterman and Jay Leno praised Kent, Ohio for having such tasty water based on the Berkeley Springs national water tasting competition. If I am not mistaken, one of them came into town and did their own little study and maybe even enjoyed a glass or two of Kent's cool, refreshing tap beverage.

In 2004, Kent won the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Bronze Award for municipal water and the Silver in 2006. Did you notice, bronze to silver! I'm not certain but I think the bronze in 2004 was a step down from 1996, I'm just saying. I do not know what happened over the last few years, but the city water tastes like gutter water and not a single award in sight. Kent should have bottled and sold the tap water back in 1996.

Well anyway, I was thirsty the other day, real thirsty. Digging and laying brick in hot, humid weather - well, you get the idea. Here's a few ways to jazz up water.

My favorite vegetable to add to water is cucumber, and I'm out, so no picture. I don't think you need me to paint you a picture here do you? Try it, you'll really like it, maybe even straight from the tap, but my tap water always filters through my Brita filter first.

Orange, Frozen grapes, Fiji apple, Watermelon, Lemon

After my third glass of water I have more fruit than water, and then I call it lunch.

A tall glass of cold water
I was out of cucumber, but try it...it's fab! and the reason why I'm out!

Summer Project #1

Flying solo...

On your mark, Get set, DIG!

Being single sometimes is for the birds!

I miss doing home projects of some sort with a spouse. Another warm body helping with this project would have been nice. We wouldn't fight, we would work together like two peas in a pod, (wink)! But then I wouldn't own 100% of the bragging rights to this little number!

I laid this little brick walkway all by myself, thank you very much! Did I mention I did it ALL in ONE day? Yep, one day. Minus all the neighbors stopping by to see what I was up to, I would say it took me about 4-6 hrs. Working around the tree roots was a royal pain, but worth the effort. I really like how it turned out so far, and I am almost finished. I still need to plant a few bulbs, add pea pebbles and river rock. The 40# rock bags are still sitting in the driveway, right were I dropped them.

Oh, and on a side note...my arms are shaping up nicely. Load and unload 40# bags of sand, stones and a stack of bricks does a body good.

Hot diggity, diggity

Notice my nice stacking job

Short a few bricks (ha), and too many roots!

Decided to split a hosta and fern to add more green.

The middle spot is missing a brick because of a huge root knot.
Lowe's sells a 1"depth brick that I am hope will do the trick.

Blue, Black, Red...

Red Raspberry

Blueberry

Blackberry

Blue, black and red! No, I'm not talking about the bruises I acquired over the weekend doing yard work, I'm talking about my berries bushes!

I planted 12 blueberry bushes last year. 8 survived the winter. The mailman stomped a few to broken twigs, and the cold winter temps zapped the other two.

The blackberry brush times 2 is more like a flowering oak tree! It's huge and has a bit of a lean. The red raspberry bush times 4 are spreading, flowering and look healthy, phew! I need to get a handle on the spreading thing, I don't want encourage disease only healthy growth! Now to cover them all with yards and yards of netting, because the birds have been circling!

Cinco de Mayo

Good Food, Friends and Drink!

Black Bean Soup, topped with Monterey jack cheese, homemade salsa, guacamole, and sour cream

Corn filled tortilla with tasty toppings!

hmmmmm!

This black bean original recipe is so versatile, easy and DELICIOUS! Enjoy it as a soup, filling in a tortilla or let it thicken a bit, and eat it up as a dip! I hate to toot-toot my own horn, but without naming names, certain friends will stand over the bowl and eat it ALL if you let them, and I do (let them), because it is that good and I have been known to do it myself.

A little snap-shot of how the same great food can be served up a few different ways. I baked a few flour and corn tortillas in the oven to serve with the black bean soup. The tortilla chips added just the right crunch!

Black Bean Recipe

1 can black beans
The juice of 1/2 an orange (secret recipe part, shhh...don't tell anybody)
2 cloves garlic, chopped or minced
Dash of sea salt (it's just what I use)
A grind or two of black pepper
1 tsp cilantro, chopped
1 T parsley, chopped (I usually use flat leaf)

In a small saucepan, medium heat, add 1 can of black beans (do not rinse) to sauce pan, the juice of 1/2 a ripe sweet juicy orange (really squeeze it, the pulp is welcome to jump into the black beans), 2 cloves of chopped or minced garlic, the salt and pepper. Stir. Leave the lid off and the let the beans come to a boil for a minute or so, stir so they do not burn or stick to bottom of saucepan. Using a potato masher, mash the beans leaving some larger pieces (need a visual, reference the picture above).

Reduce heat to med-low setting, slightly cover with lid. Let it cook for about half and hour. About 10 minutes prior to serving, add the cilantro and parsley, stir. Feel free to add more cilantro if you're a fan, adding too much over powers the other flavors.

Here's a few tips I think are helpful: By leaving the lid off while cooking the beans will steam some, reducing the liquid making a perfect dip or base for a black bean taco! Keeping the lid on, (see where I am going with this) reduces loss of liquid and you have yourself a tasty soup. If your beans thicken up too much (after they have cooled and you decide to re-heat) add a bit of OJ or water.

This can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator until ready to use. It will thicken up a bit, cooler beans tend to thicken...let me know if you really want to know why.heat on the stove top or in an oven safe bowl and serve.

Add some fresh SALSA! And don't be afraid to mix and match fruit, send me a note if you need suggestions.

Mango-Pineapple Salsa
1 ripe mango, chopped
1 c fresh pineapple, chopped
The juice of a 1/4 of a lime
1/4 c flat leaf parsley, chopped
1T purple onion, diced
A tad of jalapeno diced suits me just fine (because I like a bit of heat, but not too much. I'm leaving it up to you on how much to add)
A wee bit of salt, a real tiny pinch

Combine above ingredients into a glass bowl, and stir for a bit. It should get juicy, cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve. The more ripe and in season the fruit is, the sweeter the salsa! Stir before serving.

Use as a salsa, and top as pictured above or serve over bake salmon (recipe follows).
This salsa is great with fish (salmon) tacos with shredded purple cabbage. Sometimes I use the salsa on top of a plain salad v. salad dressing. It jazzes it up a bit.

Tomato Salsa
3-5 fresh juicy tomatoes*, chopped and seeds removed (I don't always remove the seeds)
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1 green onion or scallions, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 smaller onion, chopped (purple, or sweet)
1/4 c chopped parsley, roughly chopped
1 T cilantro, roughly chopped
Dash of sea salt
grind or two of pepper
Jalapeno to your liking

Combine above ingredients into a glass bowl, stir. Cover and refrigerate. Try to make it a few hours ahead so flavors maximize and blend. Stir before serving.

My brother likes A LOT of cilantro in his salsa, so when he is coming for Mexican night, I use every sprig of cilantro.

*If using Roma tomatoes, use 5. If using larger beefsteak tomatoes 3-4 should be fine.

Salmon
Enjoy your OMEGA-3 Fatty Acids, your body will!
Note to self: fish should NOT smell like fishy! Don't buy it if it does and don't buy it from someone telling you that's just the way fish smells.

Don't ever be afraid to ask questions about the food you are buying. If delivery date and other product information is a big secret, find a new place to shop.

Place fresh salmon, skin side down, on a broiling pan. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the salmon fillet, then sprinkle it with a bit of taco seasoning (yes, the stuff that comes in a little pouch by McCormick) and parsley. Bake at 350F until done, flakes with fork.

Once done, remove the skin and flake into chunks. Place a few pieces of salmon in a warmed flour or corn tortilla, then desired amount of shredded purple cabbage and top with mango-pineapple salsa. Try not to drool while eating this and refrain from talking with your mouth full, "yes, it is delicious!"

Prior to serving, remember to warm the tortillas. Preheat oven to 350F, place tortillas on oven racks for 3-5 minutes.

My sister Marcia used to make corn tortillas years and years ago. She shared the recipe with me and now I am sharing it with you. It's quick, easy, and economical! When you see her, be sure to tell her thanks! XX,OO!

Corn Tortillas
1 bag frozen corn (around 2 cups)
1/8 - 1/4c water
1-2 T fresh honey
1 T sweet Hungarian paprika
2 t chili powder, or to suit taste
1.5 c Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Small or large flour or corn tortillas

Place the corn in a medium size saucepan with about 1/8-1/4 cup water, you don't want to burn-scorch the corn. Let cook a bit then add the honey, paprika, and chili powder. Cook until corn is tender.

Using medium heat, heat a tortilla in a cast-iron skillet. Cover tortilla with a single plus some layer of the corn mixture, then a helping of with Monterey jack cheese, top with another tortilla. Let slightly brown, then flip and brown the other side. Slice with a pizza cuter and serve with your favorite toppings.

NOTE: I like to use the small tortillas, easier to flip. Makes about 6-10 small tortillas and 3-5 large. Prep time 5 minutes. Prep-service time: 20-30 minutes. If you make them in the oven all at one time, my goodness you could be eating in 15 minutes!

Guacamole
1 avocado, cut and scooped out
Juice of 1/2 a lime
Pinch of salt

You can always add and mix in or as a garnish:
1tsp parsley, roughly chopped
1tsp cilantro, roughly chopped

Cut and scoop out meat of avocado into a glass bowl. Add the juice of 1/2 a lime. Mix together. Serve immediately or cover with plastic wrap, store and chill until ready to use. Plastic wrap should touch the guacamole mixture to reduce browning, less air. The lime juice will also reduce browning.

Best in health!
Helen