Food for thought…

04 May Food for thought…

Since ‘impractical dreaming’ has not been dubbed a “foodie blog” or a “photography blog” or even a “music blog” I am lucky enough to share all of my above passions with you…and tonight that is exactly what I plan to do…allow me to taunt you with all that my stomach has been feasting on the past couple of weeks.

Passion # 27 (since #01 would be boring and food can’t be my absolute first passion 😉 )

Orange-Almond Cake…(from Better Homes and Gardens, but it is a recipe from last year so I can no longer find it online) it is always a hit… the recipe:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar
1 ½ tsp. vanilla
¼ cup orange liqueur, rum, or milk
1 Tbsp. finely shredded orange peel
1 recipe Easy Crème Fraîche Frosting (bottom)
⅔ cup whole cranberry sauce
½ cup orange marmalade
¼ cup coarsely chopped toasted almonds

1. Allow butter, eggs, and 1 cup milk to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, grease and lightly flour three 8×1½ – or 9×1½ -inch round cake pans; set aside. In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. Preheat oven to 375º F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add granulated sugar, about ¼ cup at a time, beating on medium speed until combined. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes more. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Beat in vanilla. Combine the 1 cup milk and the orange liqueur. Alternately add flour mixture and milk mixture to beaten mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. (Batter may appear curdled after each addition of milk.) Fold in orange peel. Pour batter into prepared pans; spread evenly.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes for 8-inch cakes, 15-18 minutes for 9-inch cakes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks. Prepare Easy Crème Fraîche Frosting.
4. To assemble, place one cake layer on a platter. Spread with cranberry sauce. Top with another cake layer. In a small bowl, stir together orange marmalade and almonds; spread onto second cake layer. Top with the third cake layer. Frost top and side of cake with frosting. Cover loosely and store cake or any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Makes 16 servings.

***The key, just like most baking ‘ventures, is to take it out a little early. No one likes a dry cake. Happy baking!***

Passion #33: Bunny Cake
 …and Passion #15: Cupcakes

Remember I told you my sister turned 21? …Well no 21st birthday would be complete without one Ginormous margartia glass, right? So we celebrated with margaritas and, my favorite, sangria, and the always preferred Mexican food…

Have you heard of  Highland Bakery because if you live anywhere near the surrounding Atlanta area and have not visited you should probably be ashamed of yourself. Well maybe that is a little harsh but…now you’ve have been made aware so do yourself a huge favor…and go treat yourself. After a week of finals the aromas of sweet baked pastries, fresh bread, and baking breakfast goodies has never made my nose so happy. My sweet and wonderful friend Kimberlie shared this little treasure with me and it could not have been any more wonderful! ….Fresh avocado, tomato, lettuce, and bacon sandwich…croissants with honey…and a crisp spinach salad with fresh strawberries, red onions, and candied walnuts…my tummy flips just thinking of it.

Passion #03: Home cooked meals by the boy

And last we have one of his own creations. One, of the many, thing that I love about his cooking is that he can remember a recipe so well and not only that, when he doesn’t remember something quite right he tweaks his prepared food to taste exactly as it should. (While I stand in the corner reading the same line of my cake recipe 357 times to ensure I didn’t measure out 3 Tbsp. of salt instead of 3 tsp. Gr. With this ability he has the incredible talent of making recipes his own. A few months ago his aunt from Kansas visited and he made Chicken Curry. For his mom’s bday she requested the same Curry and well…he couldn’t find the recipe. We worried he wouldn’t be able to make the same dish…and he didn’t. He made one even better. I was not a Curry fan until…his Curry came along. Yum.

Here’s to the blessings of being able to not only find and/or cook any food you would like…but to the company to share it with as well. What a beautiful gift.

(Note: This particular list of passions is generally only of the food variety, so please do not be offended at my fatty priorities.)