You know it is good....(Recipe: A Rustic Strawberry Cake)

I have been making this Strawberry Cake for a couple of years now.  Every summer it seems to make its way back on to the table.  And why not?  It is simple and simply delicious.  And you know it must be good when you find it here and here.  Hence, this recipe has been waiting in the wings for its debut on this blog.  Serve this strawberry cake with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

And since our temperatures have hit the 90's this week....happy summer-make this cake!

Strawberry Cake
Martha Stewart Living, June 2005

makes one 10-inch cake

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pie plate
1 ½ cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch pie plate. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.
2. Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla.
3. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered pie plate. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.
4. Bake cake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool in pie plate on a wire rack. Cut into wedges. Cake can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 2 days.

This week has brought us....(links to GF Brownies & Raspberry Lemonade Smoothies)

photo credit Delightfully Tacky

Raspberry Lemonade Smoothies was this weeks pinterest find.  They are delish and a smashing hit with the Baking Tot.  I filled my mason jars with whatever was leftover and froze them.  I set them in the fridge over night (about 7 hours) and woke up to slushy goodness the next morning.  Try it-it is very good. 

Flowers are going strong in my.....um, garden?  Zinnias & Daisies, Morning Glories popping through the soil, tiny buds on my tomato & jalapeno plants.  We shall see what the future and heat of the summer holds.

RIP little flower, you held up a brave fight with a three year old wielding a football

Gerber Daisies are displaying quite a show this year

Playing with Caterpillars

David Lebovitz's Gluten Free Brownie

and...Brownies!  Gluten Free.  I had to try them, out of curiosity.  Of course I used a viable source.  You can never go wrong with his recipes!  Link up and try!

A Perfect Lunch (Recipes: Potato Chips & French Dip)

Potato Chips

1 Russet Potato
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Pepper

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Drizzle olive oil on two sheet pans and lightly coat the surface using a paper towel.  Place oiled pans into the hot oven and preheat pans for 10 minutes.
2. Using a mandoline, slice the potato into 1/16" rounds.  Take pans out of the oven and lay potato slices in a single layer, making sure not to overlap.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Bake for 10 minutes and then rotate pans.  Bake for 10 minutes more or until they are lightly golden.
4. Flip potato rounds and bake for 4-6 minutes more or until golden and crisp.
5. Drain on paper towels.

For a perfect lunch...In a saucepan heat leftover sliced Pot Roast in its leftover juices (au jus) until warm.  Meanwhile find a good crusty baguette.  Cut a 4-5 inch piece.  Slice it horizontally.  Slather it with mayonnaise.  Rest warm leftover roast onto baguette.  Place it on a plate alongside homemade potato chips.  Ladle au jus into a bowl.  Dip sandwich into au jus and take a bite.  Enjoy the day.

Colorful Days (Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cookies)

Texas Bluebonnets

March is one of my favorite months in Texas.  The weather flirts with the heat but for the most part it is quite pleasant.  This could be a factor in my lack of posts last month as I've found myself outside a lot!  But it is the fields of bluebonnets, flecks of yellow and red that rest alongside the roads and a sea of purple highlighting pastures that make me truly enjoy a Texas spring.  We here are very lucky to be amongst the wildflowers this time of year.

Neighbor's flowers peeking over the picket fence

Crossvine (smells deliciously similar to coffee)

Huisache

Poppies...poppies...poppies will make them sleeeeep

Gopher Plant

Chocolate Chip Cookies

yield:  3 dozen

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment.  In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
2. Drop Heaping tablespoons full onto parchment lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
3. Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.  Cool on baking pan for 2 minutes before transferring cookies to a wire cooling rack.