Lemon Pound Cake

The other day, I had a large Sweets job. Wonderful. Everything tasted fantastic and looked great. The customer was very happy. SO.... the next day I tackled my kitchen. OMG. I had ran the dishwasher, so I emptied that, put away the clean dishes in the sink. Wash the rest of the dishes and totally cleaned my kitchen. Countertops, cabinet fronts and the floors. WOW.. The kitchen was clean and no one was making a mess in there. .... Well except for me. This pound cake recipe was just calling my name. MAKE Me Please. I am Delicious and you love pound cake... So I slightly mess up my kitchen. I did clean it all up after I was done. There needed to be proof for my Husband when he came home...

There are a million pound cake recipes out there. This was an easy recipe and worth it.

But this little hot gem, screamed MAKE ME. 

I am glad I did. YUMMY..

Lemon Pound Cake
slightly modified from afamilyfeast.com
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

Spray an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Set aside

In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. (I had a brain fart, and sifted into my wet ingredients) JUST MAKE SURE you Sift.

In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on a high speed for 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one until totally blended. Add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla extract to butter mixture until completely combined. Scrape down the sides.

On a low speed, slowly add in the dry ingredients until well combined. Scrape down the sides again

Add in Lemon zest and Lemon juice until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan Bake for 60-65 minutes. Top should be golden brown. Check if done with a toothpick. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then turn out until a wire rack to cool completely.

The Halloween decorations are out, a little kitty 

found this scary orange spider. 

She had loads of fun playing with it.

Fresh lemon zest, and soon, fresh lemon juice

Sifting the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients

A nice pan of batter. A perfect size for a pound cake

The new dishes in the sink

They never seem to end

Look at that lovely color of Golden Brown

I really need to get a hobby.

Look at that cake. 

Texture is perfect, Moist and delicious

I had to take a bite for the photo opportunity. 

ACTUALLY, I ate both of these pieces and another on. 

DAY time photography. There are several differences

between natural and evening light.

Green Cleanse - 7

If you were wondering, I am still drinking my Green Cleanse drinks. I have not ventured outside my box on these lately. If I like it, I stick with it. OR I am just boring. Whatever. I think they are doing something. There may or may not be a glow, but my skin is clearer. I do not feel bloated. My colon is definitely cleansed....

I also feel that I am adding all these nutrients to my body in a refreshing drink. That is one of the main reasons why I like them. They taste great. I am not saying you have to bail on the Easter candy, but if you work a bit, you can still lead a very healthy life.

This Green Cleanse was not as dark green as normal. With the pear and cucumber, it was lightened up. BUT, it sure did taste delicious. Fruits and Vegetables co-mingling together. Fun and healthy.

I was working on my photo styling. I need so much work and more time.

Pale color of green, but it tasted amazing

Green Cleanse - 7

adapted by ME

Ingredients

1 cup water

1 pear, chopped

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 cucumber 

1 sprig mint

1-2 spring mix or spinach

1 cup ice

Directions

Place all ingredients in a mixer, blend until smooth. Drink up.

Nice mix of greens

my sprig of mint

nice shade of pale green

this is just delicious.

Spring Green Cleanse

Holy cow thunder and lightening. From 1:00 am on last night, we have been up. Windy and Rainy like you cannot believe. If you ever wondered about Chicagoland weather, just live here for awhile. HIGHLY unpredictable and forever changing. As I made this delicious beverage, I watch it just pour outside. There is no running for me today. I would be hanging out in the basement with Shaun T doing some type of Insanity workout. Over the winter, I have not lost any weight, (depressing) but I have lost inches. My jeans still fit. I can actually do several big girl push-ups, (NO Knees) and jumps. My feet will leave the ground. I am grateful to have ran 4 days this week. That is the most since last November. WOW. Yoga is still a large part of my fitness routine. I have spread myself out to three different Yoga studios. Different teachers, techniques, and philosophy's. I keeps me from getting bored and betters my mind.

So why am I selling this drink as a Spring Green Cleanse. Well, it is green and it SO reminds me of Spring. Winter has lasted somewhere close to forever here this year. Usually with a green cleanse, I only use water, but today, I went with Almond Milk. I also used plain non fat Greek Yogurt in this recipe. I am going outside the Box with this recipe. So unsure, but it TASTE Delicious. A bit of Orange Sherbet, but way healthier. This recipe is a keeper, and this is why I am sharing it with you.

Green creamy goodness

Spring Green Cleanse

adapted by ME

Ingredients

1/2 cup of Almond Milk

6 ounces of Greek Yogurt, plain

1 cup of Spinach

1 Green Apple, cored and chopped

1 Tangelo or Mineola, peeled and quartered

1 piece Fresh Ginger, size of fingernail

1/2 Avocado, peeled

Juice of 1 lemon

1-2 cup of Ice (optional)

Directions

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until completely smooth. Drink up or place in the refrigerator and drink tomorrow. 

Very basic ingredients. 

The Almond Milk was not present for the picture

Rough chop and peels. 

This was a very simple healthy drink to throw together

The Vitamix was pretty full. 

I always mix everything first and then throw in the ice.

 This drink had a nice creamy texture. 

I think I will try to skip the Almond Milk next time and just use water

With both an Avocado and Yogurt, and all of the fruit, this drink is just delicious

I like my Lime Mint Drink, but this may be my new favorite.

GREEN Cleanse Smoothie

I finally did it. I went GREEN, and I loved it. Why do I procrastinate? This drink was fantastic. So full of flavors and goodness. My Husband thought it tasted "OK". He is still opting for a chocolate, nutty, fruity kind of drink. His drinks have also gotten healthier. It is funny how this had evolved in just a month in a half.  

Every year at the 15th of January, we start a major exercise - diet program. 1 month into the program, my Husband has lost 7 pounds. SHAYLA  - ZERO.  Down 2 pounds, Up 1 pound, Down 6 ounces, Up 1 pound. I have lost some inches, ("very Happy") but no weight. My flexibility has improved, and also my ability to jump higher and do more push ups. SO.... there are some changes that are working.

On Sunday, I found a couple of recipes for Green Cleanse. They were all almost the same. To the refrigerator I went. Pulled out my necessary ingredients and went from there. 

Do you see this beautiful color of GOODNESS

Smokey was my Supervisor. 

Actually she just wanted to look out the window and I was there in HER way

Green Cleanse Smoothie

adapted by ME

Ingredients

1-2 cups water

1 green apple, cored & cut into pieces

1 cucumber, peeled, cored & cut into pieces

1 lemon, juiced

1 stalk celery, cleaned, cut into chucks

1 piece fresh ginger, thumb nail size

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro

2 handfuls fresh spinach

Directions 

Place all ingredients in the blender, in the order listed. Blend until smooth

ADD ICE if you want a frothier consistency.

I do not know why I thought this was so difficult. 

These are all basic items, I have in the frig.

Tart Green Apples and Fresh Ginger.

Both bursting with flavors

There was part of an apple slice missing. 

Someone wanted to taste the Apple

Fresh Spinach and Lemons. I was ready to make a salad

That is one full Vitamix

I am drinking one of these a day. I will try to drink two a day.

The nutritional benefits are HUGE. 

It will also clean the junk out of my body.

Blueberry Streusel Bars

Do you ever come across a recipe you have not made in forever, and go Holy cow. I need to make this recipe. I have had this recipe since 2008. My Florida sister gave it to me years ago. It came out of the June July 2008 Fine Cooking. And like all their recipes, they are fabulous. I have made these bars a handful of times. These should be made more often.  They are always a hit and taste fantastic.

They are super moist and just melt in your mouth. 

Blueberries are a super fruit. Loaded with tons of anti-oxidants and other goodness

These bars have a few steps. It is not difficult, they actually come together somewhat quickly. if followed, perfection will come your way. People will rave about these bars.

Blueberry Streusel Bars
followed by Finecooking.com

Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups of old fashioned oats
1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg - separated
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3 cups blueberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x13 inch metal baking pan with foil. Either lightly butter or spray foil and sides.

In a large bowl of mixer, combine the flour, oats, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add in butter and start on low. Blend in completely. Transfer out 2 cups of the crumb mixture to another bowl and set aside. To the remaining mixture, blend in the egg white and then press into the pan to form a level crust. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Meanwhile in another bowl, whisk the sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, lemon zest and egg yolk. Let this mixture stand for 5 minutes. It will begin to thicken.

Sprinkle the blueberries evenly over the hot crust and then drop spoonfuls of the lemon mixture over the blueberries. Spread gently with a spatula to distribute more evenly. Do not crush the berries. Bake until the lemon mixture begins to form a shiny skin. 7 to 8 minutes.

Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the lemon blueberry layer. Pressing gently with your fingers into small lumps. Bake until the filling is bubbling at the edges and the topping is brown. 25 - 30 minutes.

Let the bars cool in the pan on a rack for about an hour. Carefully lift them out of the pan using the foil. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove foil and cut.
The bars may be stored for a few hours at room temperature, but otherwise should be refrigerated.

Foil just peels away. EASY clean up.

 These bars cut SO nice. They were perfect on a mixed tray. 

My Husband thought they were absolutely fabulous.