Southern Creamed Corn, Baked in the Oven, Summer in the South

Creamed Corn, Summer in the South

My grandmother made creamed corn in an iron skillet. She would start cooking it on top of the stove and then finish cooking it in the oven. Unfortunately, there is no exact recipe, because most old timey cooks didn't use one, but this is the way that I try to replicate her creamed corn, remembering that the corn has something to do with the flavor as much as my cooking does.

Like my mother and my grandmother, I use Silver Queen corn if I can find it. Back in my grandmother's day it was easy to find in a farmer's field or at the Farmers Market, but not so much these days. The flavor of the cooked corn will depend on how fresh it is and how much "milk" it has. It's difficult to find corn that is fresh from the field, which is the way it should be eaten.

So, what I do to get the maximum benefit of the corn is to cut the kernels off the cob. Then, I slide the back of my knife down the cob to get out the "milk".  I puree half the amount of corn I'm using in the food processor. If the corn is dry, add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water to the food processor as you are pulsing (this makes "corn milk"). Now, add the pureed corn back to the whole kernels.

Melt a spoonful of butter in an iron skillet set over medium high heat and add the corn, stirring and sautéing for several minutes. Add enough half and half to make it the consistency of a thick, creamy soup. Add salt and pepper to taste. Continue to cook on the stove top until the added half and half is hot.

Place the iron skillet into a preheated, 350 degree oven. Check the corn after 15 minutes, stirring to make sure that it isn't too dry. Add more half and half if needed, and continue to bake until the corn is tender and creamy. Remove the corn from the oven and add more butter, salt and pepper to taste. Again, cooking time depends on the freshness and tenderness of the corn you started with.

If you want to make it even more delicious, add strips of uncooked bacon to the top before you put it in the oven. Oh my Gracious almighty, is that good.

Pears, Onions, Cheese & Pastry, Summer in the South

 

Savory, Caramelized Onion & Pear Tart

 

This pear tart is not about sweet, but savory. Delicious, and flavorful with balsamic vinegar, caramelized onion reduction, and fresh Bosc pear, in a ready made puff pastry crust and just oozing with smoky gruyere cheese. (From my e-book, Seasoned in the Kitchen on Amazon.com).

Prepare the Caramelized onions:

½ tablespoon unsalted butter

½ tablespoon mild olive oil

2 ½ cups thinly sliced red onion

3 (2-inch) sprigs of fresh thyme

½ tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste 

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat until sizzling.

Add the onions, thyme sprigs and salt to taste.

Turn the heat down to medium, and cook, stirring often, until onions are golden brown.

Add balsamic vinegar and cook for another minute, add salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from heat, take out the thyme stems and set the onions aside until assembly. 

 

Puff Pastry:

Pre-heat the oven to 400º

½ of (17.3 ounce) package frozen puff pastry thawed in the fridge according to package directions.

 

On a floured board, roll out the puff pastry until it is about 10” x 10”. Place the pastry on a parchment lined baking sheet and put back in the fridge until ready to use.

Assembly:

1 teaspoon Country Dijon mustard

1¼ cups freshly grated smoky Gruyère cheese

Caramelized onions

Fresh Bosc pear, cored and cut into cubes

1-2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Fresh thyme, finely chopped, to taste 

Remove the prepared puff pastry from the fridge.

Brush the Dijon mustard on the bottom of the tart, to within 1/2 inch of the sides.

Sprinkle the grated Gruyère over the mustard.

Add the caramelized onions over the cheese.

Bake for 20-22 minutes depending on your oven.

Before removing from the oven, make sure bottom of tart has lightly browned.

While the tart is cooking chop the pear into 1-inch pieces and place in a bowl. Pour the orange juice over the pears to keep them from turning brown. Drain.

Remove the tart from the oven and place as much pear as you would like on the tart. If you have pear leftover, save for another use.

Sprinkle the tart with a small amount of sea salt, chopped fresh thyme and freshly ground pepper before serving.

 

Peas with Snaps, Cornbread & Onion, Summer in the South

 

Oh, Glory!

 

I do love summer in the South. So many good vegetables to cook. So much good food to eat. These field peas with snaps served over a piece of good cornbread can be a meal all by itself with a little chopped onion or a big spoonful of piccalilli.

 

To make the peas a little cleaner and fresher tasting, and cut the fat amount, I used my mother's method of cooking vegetables, as she did in her later years. That is with a touch of olive oil to season instead of pork, but keep in mind that if you want to use a piece of ham, then go for it. You'll have great pork flavor.

 

Field Peas with Snaps

 

2 cups field peas with snaps, fresh or frozen

cool water to cover

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt to taste

 

Cover the peas with cool water. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to medium low and cover. Cook until almost tender. Add one tablespoon olive oil and salt to taste. Continue cooking, covered for about 15 more minutes until peas are very tender. Check the seasoning and add more salt to taste. Keep in mind that because peas and beans have a longer cooking time, you may need to add more water during cooking to keep them covered. You also want some "pot liker" to use on your cornbread.

 

Now, put your cornbread in a bowl, add peas and "liker" and chopped onion or piccalilli. Enjoy!

Orzo, Summer Vegetables & Lemon Pepper Chicken

                 

 

Whew! It's too hot to cook. So, I make one of Steve's favorite pasta meals using a supermarket rotisserie chicken, and rice shaped pasta, orzo.

 

It's so easy. I break the rules a little bit with the orzo. I use less water than it calls for on the package. It still comes out just fine. I hope you will enjoy this summer dish as well as Steve does.

Serve chilled, at room temp, or warm.
 

 

 Orzo, Summer Vegetables & Lemon Pepper Chicken

Orzo:

1 quart water

2 chicken bouillon cubes

7 ounces orzo

Add water and bouillon cubes to a saucepan large enough to cook the pasta. Bring the water to a boil, add 7 ounces of orzo and cook until tender, following package directions for time. This will take only a few minutes. Remove from the heat and drain. Set aside.
 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

½ onion, thinly sliced*

1 yellow squash, quartered and sliced thin*

1 zucchini, quartered and sliced thin*

½ red bell pepper, sliced thin*

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest, plus extra for garnish

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or to taste

3 cups shredded or chopped (already prepared) lemon-pepper rotisserie chicken

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesano or Romano cheese 

Add the vegetable oil to a large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add the vegetables, and garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are crisp tender, or al dente.

Check for seasoning, add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.

Place the cooked vegetables into a large bowl.

Add the chicken, basil, parsley, orzo, lemon juice and lemon zest to the cooked vegetables, and mix well.   Check for seasoning, and add if needed.

Pour the mixture on a large platter to serve. 

Garnish the top with a sprinkle of chopped parsley, a few grates of lemon zest, and 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese. Optional, but it makes it even better- drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
 

*Note: I used about 5 cups of vegetables mixed with the orzo and chicken.

Cool Food for Hot Summer Days

Gazpacho with Avocado & Shrimp
Chilled Cream of Squash Soup
Tomatoes, Feta, Kalamata Olives with Fresh Basil Dressing


The other day, I promised to post a summer soup with vegetables and shrimp that I created a couple of years ago for The Christian Science Monitor blog, The Gardener and the Chef. Well, that afternoon I cooked squash and meatloaf and I got carried away and posted those instead. So, here is the cool, refreshing soup recipe along with a two other "cool" recipes. I hope you enjoy them and stay cool.

 

 

Gazpacho with Avocado and Shrimp
 

This soup is not spicy, but light and clean on the palate. Adding fresh corn and cutting the vegetables into small dice gives great texture to this salsa style soup. The avocado and seasoned shrimp add another dimension in flavor.

 

1 teaspoon vegetable oil 

1 cup fresh corn kernels 

1 cup peeled, seeded cucumber, cut into small dice 

¼ cup finely diced mixed green and red bell pepper 

2 tablespoons finely chopped red spring onion 

½ jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped, or to taste
 

2 teaspoons minced garlic 

1 cup peeled, seeded, chopped black tomatoes (heirloom) 

1 ½ cups tomato juice 

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin 

1/8 teaspoon chili powder 

1-2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro, or to taste 

1 lime wedge 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

Salt and pepper to taste  

Garnish:  

4-8 medium shrimp 

Chili powder 

Cumin 

Salt 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

1 large, ripe avocado (chopped, as garnish)  

Sauté the fresh corn in 1 teaspoon of oil in a small skillet over medium heat until corn is tender. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.

Add the cucumber, bell pepper, onion, jalapeño, garlic, tomatoes, tomato juice, cumin, chili powder, and cilantro together in a large bowl. Add corn. Squeeze the lime wedge into the soup, then add the 1 tablespoon olive oil. At this point, taste and adjust with seasonings if needed. If you need to add more cumin, chili powder, or salt then by all means adjust the recipe to your taste.  Chill for at least 2 hours so that flavors can blend. Just before serving, add chopped avocado to the top of the soup as a garnish. Place seasoned shrimp on top of the avocado. Add a cilantro stem.

Shrimp- Just before serving the soup, make a small mixture of equal parts chili powder and cumin with a dash of salt. Dip the peeled shrimp into the mixture and fry in 1 tablespoon olive oil until pink and cooked through.

 



Cream of Squash Soup

 

2 cups leftover, sautéed summer squash with onions*

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon chicken granules

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ cup sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

touch of nutmeg to taste

Sour cream garnish

Thyme flower, or freshly chopped chives for garnish

*If you have leftover squash from the recipe in the last blog, then by all means use that. If you don’t, then sauté squash and onions in olive oil to equal 2 cups. That should be about half the recipe from the previous blog. Make sure that you cook the squash until completely done, otherwise your soup will taste like raw squash.

Place the 2 cups cooked squash mixture into a medium size saucepan. Add the chicken broth, and granules. Cook at a simmer for 3-4 minutes, or until heated completely through. Turn heat to low. Using a hand held emulsifier (or if using a food processor, carefully remove from pan and when pureed, put hot mixture back into pan), puree the squash until smooth. Add the heavy cream and cook on low until heated through. Remove from heat and gently whisk in the sour cream. Serve hot or cold.  To serve, place in a bowl or cup and add a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of thyme with the flower, or freshly chopped chives. Makes about 4 cups.

 

Tomatoes, Feta & Kalamata Olives with Fresh Basil Dressing

 

 

This recipe makes a great party salad, and it’s easy to make ahead. Follow the guidelines below to make a little or a lot. A few years ago, I had to prepare this salad for 50 people, so the day before, I washed the tomatoes, and put them in plastic bags, then into the fridge. I also made the dressing the day before and stored it in a glass jar in the fridge. Directions for assembly are below. You may need to make additional dressing depending on how many people you are serving.

The salad above has 3-4 servings, and I used half of the dressing recipe.

Salad

4-5 grape tomatoes per person, depending on size

 

3-4 (1-inch) blocks of feta cheese per person

 

3-4 Kalamata olives per person

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh Basil Salad Dressing

 

½ cup vegetable oil or olive oil*

½ cup white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a jar and shake until well mixed. Store the dressing in the refrigerator until ready to assemble the salad. Shake vigorously before adding to the salad. * I like to use olive oil, but it will congeal when refrigerated, so I have to remember to take it out in plenty of time for it to become liquid again.

Salad Assembly

Mix the grape tomatoes, feta cheese, and olives together in a large bowl. Add enough of the dressing to moisten the salad well. When ready to serve, place the salad on a large deep platter and garnish with basil leaves.

 

 



A Real Taste of Summer in the South

A Real Taste of Summer in the South

Savannah Cream Cake with stewed berries

 

Oh, Glory!  Summer is that time of year when we have the bluest skies, the highest corn, and the sweetest, reddest tomatoes on earth. And, for most of us that harvest is a bounty for the southern table that weighs fresh and healthy.

Each meal has a memory that goes with it of days that have long passed, sitting at the table with family and talking about everything under the sun. The memory of family being together. It leaves a lump in my throat, and a song in my heart at the same time. 

Saturday night supper.

This is our Saturday night table where we have devoured fresh, sautéed summer squash with onions, simple and delicious. Individual meat loaves, with sun-dried tomato gravy over rice, and my grandmother's recipe for sliced cucumbers and onions, and then on the side, sliced tomatoes. Now, I ask you, what could be better than that, unless it is more of that? I know, delicious Savannah Cream Cake.

 

The recipe for this delicious cake is not mine, but I hope that Elizabeth Terry won't mind that I borrowed it and shared it with you. I've used the recipe from the Atlanta Magazine, but before that it was in her wonderful book, Elizabeth's on 37th, located in Savannah. Hence the name, Savannah Cream Cake. You will love it.

Remember, this could be good for any Sunday dinner, or any weeknight dinner. It's easy to put together.

 

Mommy's Cucumber and Red Onion with Rice Wine Vinegar

 

My grandmother's recipe for cucumbers with (red or white) onions and rice wine vinegar is the perfect side dish for any summer supper. Rice wine vinegar has its own sweetness, so no need to add sugar. I remember a big bowl of this on the round oak table at Mommy's home in Mobile.

Cucumber and onion with rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper.

1 large cucumber, peeled and slice thin

Onion, chopped to taste

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

 

Place all ingredients in a small bowl and stir. Chill until ready to serve. Serves 4.

 

 

                                            Sautéed Squash and Onions

 

Some of the best squash I've eaten is just plain and simply cooked in an iron skillet with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, chopped onion and seasoned well with salt and pepper. And, that is exactly what this is below. It takes a little time, but it's worth every bite.

Sautéed squash and onions.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1-3/4 pounds fresh yellow squash, sliced thin

1 large onion, roughly chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add squash and onions. Reduce heat, and sauté until squash is very tender, and starts to caramelize. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

 

 

Meat Loaf

I do love meatloaf. I also love having leftovers for sandwiches or for dinner two nights from now. This recipe has sun-dried tomatoes, and thyme, as well as milk to tenderize the beef. It's made with ground sirloin, so you'll see very little fat when you lift it out of the muffin tin that it was cooked in. I used a large ice cream scoop and scooped up the meatloaf mixture, and then turned it over so the smooth side would be on top. It only baked for about 30 minutes before it was ready. You can put the extras in the freezer if you like, then reheat them in gravy. This recipe will make 10 individual meat loaves. Each is about 3.60 ounces before cooking. One and a half would be a good serving.

 

Individual Meatloaf and sun-dried tomato gravy.
 

1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
3/4 cup finely chopped onion

1 teaspoon salt

5 grinds pepper

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1 egg

1/3 cup milk

2 tablespoon catsup

20 Club crackers, finely crushed

3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes (drain olive oil), finely chopped*

 

Mix all ingredients together with your hands. That way you are sure to get it completely mixed. Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray. Using a large ice cream scoop, measure out one scoop for each muffin cup. You should have 10 muffin cups filled to the top. Bake in a 350 degree, preheated oven, for approximately 30 minutes. Test with an instant read thermometer for 170 degrees. *Sun-dried tomatoes are Sun-dried tomatoes in herbs with oil. Suggestion: I used a baking tray covered with foil to put the muffin tin on, so if it should spill, it would not spill into my oven.

 Sun-dried Tomato Gravy

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1-1/2 cups beef broth or 1-1/2 teaspoons beef granules in 1-1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes (drain the oil)*

1 tablespoon catsup

 

In a medium skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the flour and stir to blend. Continue stirring until flour reaches a light brown color. Add the beef broth and whisk to remove any lumps. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the catsup. Stir until thickened. Serve over rice and meatloaf. If you've cooked the meatloaf prior and need to reheat, place the individual servings in the gravy while you are waiting for the gravy to thicken.

 

 

Savannah Cream Cake 

 

This cake is wonderful. I know it looks complicated, but it's so easy to make. All you have to do is to buy an angel food cake- unless you want to make one and if you do, just ask for the cake recipe, otherwise, most grocery stores sell angel food cakes in the bakery- and mix it with custard made with sherry and whipped cream. Then, a layer of whipped cream around the cake and you are set!

 

My grandfather loved stewed berries, and so do I. I think they add a depth that fresh berries don't. So, I'll give you my directions. Hope you will love this as much as I do.

 



Savannah Cream Cake with stewed berries.


The Sherry Custard:

1 1/2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup warm water, plus 2 tablespoons tap water (divided)
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup good dry sherry
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar (divided)
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Angel food cake (9-inch bakery cake, cut into 1-inch cubes)

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the 1/4 cup warm water, and set aside.

In a mixer, beat the egg yolks until pale, then stir in the sherry, 1/4 cup sugar and the 2 tablespoons water, and pour into a medium saucepan. Stir constantly over medium heat until large bubbles appear on the surface and the custard is thick, about 4 minutes.

Remove from the heat. Whisk in the gelatin mixture, and continue to whisk vigorously until the gelatin is completely dissolved. Place the pan over a bowl filled with ice, and stir until the mixture is cool but the gelatin has not set.

In a separate bowl, whip the cream, the remaining sugar, and the vanilla. Fold into the cooled custard.

In a large bowl, fold the custard into the cut-up cake pieces. Spoon the cake into an 8-inch springform pan, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to set.

To top the cake, Remove the sides of the springform, and invert the cake onto a serving plate. Frost with the whipped cream (recipe below).

The Frosting:
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
2 tablespoons sugar (I do this, not in the original recipe)

Whip the cream with the sugar until it forms stiff peaks. Frost the cake.
Serve with stewed berries.

Stewed Berries:
2 cups mixed berries
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water

Simmer berries in sugar until soft and tender. Chill before serving.

 

 

 

 

Strawberry Shortcake, Strawberry Cobbler, Strawberry Brûlée, Sour Cream Pound Cake with Almonds 



OLD & NEW FASHIONED SOUTHERN STRAWBERRY DESSERTS

Mother's Strawberry Shortcake

My first memory of an old fashioned dessert begins with my mother's fresh strawberry shortcake. In the spring, when the strawberries were at peak, mother would serve this luscious dessert as the finale to a long and sumptuous Sunday dinner.

 

My sister and I would remove to the twig chairs on the lawn and there, with bowl and spoon in hand, devour the plump berries in the sugary syrup of sweetness as the pecan trees above us blew a cool breeze. I can remember it like it was yesterday, even though it was more than 60 years ago.
 

The shortcakes were made with shortbread biscuits such as those on the Bisquick box, or mother would use those little shortcake cups that she bought from the Piggly Wiggly in Linden, Alabama. 

Although the shortcake cups have fallen out of favor with new chefs, I still buy them locally and use them quite often when making shortcakes. I've often used Sour Cream Pound Cake from my cousin Joyce Kimbrough's recipe as well. The pound cake makes the perfect sponge for the syrupy berries. I've included the recipe for the cake below. 

 

Mother would cut the strawberries into a bowl and add enough sugar to sweeten them. If the berries were really dry, she would add a little water. The bowl of berries and sugar would macerate in the fridge until the bowl was full of syrup around the berries. Then, mother would put the shortcake cups into each bowl and spoon a generous amount of strawberries and syrup on top.

 

A large scoop of ice cream went over the cake and berries, followed by more berries and syrup over the ice cream. And, then.... A huge spoonful of whipped cream (top photo).

I still make my strawberry shortcakes the same way that mother made them, except that now I add a little amaretto and no water.  
 

Another family favorite is Strawberry Cobbler. It is the second "life can't get better than this dessert", behind the strawberry shortcake. 

This recipe from a family member makes the most delicious cobbler. The dough is so easily made in a food processor, and then it's even easier from there. You won't give this recipe up once you have it. It's a great one to make before company arrives.

 

  Old Fashioned Strawberry Cobbler

 

6 cups strawberries, washed and hulled, if large cut in half

1/3 cup sugar, for berries (use ½ cup if berries are not too sweet)

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup cold butter, cut into small pieces

1 cup buttermilk 

 

Preheat oven 375°. 

Prepare a 2-3 quart (au gratin type) oven-proof baking dish by spraying with non-stick spray. Place the strawberries in the prepared baking dish, and sprinkle with the 1/3 to ½ cup granulated sugar. Set aside.
 

In a food processor fitted with a steel blade add the flour, 2/3 cup sugar, baking powder, salt and butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly. Add buttermilk and pulse until the batter is well blended. Place spoonful's of batter over the strawberries and spread to cover the top of the berries. Or, do what I do and make the dough into biscuit like rounds. Just place the dough on a floured tea towel, dust the top with flour and cut with a biscuit cutter. Place "biscuits" on top of the strawberries.
 

Bake the cobbler for 35-40 minutes or until batter has cooked through. Cool slightly before serving. Serve with almond flavored whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream. 
 

Note: To make sure the batter has cooked, place the tip of a knife into the center. It’s cooked when the knife blade comes out clean.
 

Almond flavored whipped cream 

1 cup heavy cream

1/3 cup sugar

½ teaspoon almond extract
 

Add heavy cream to the bowl of electric mixer. Using a wire whisk attachment, whip the cream until it begins to thicken. Gradually add sugar, then almond extract and beat until soft peaks form. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

 

 

Strawberry Cobbler is a dessert that I love to make. It's quick, it's easy, it's delicious. I won't go on and on about this special dessert, because if you make it, you will love it.

 

Strawberry Brûlée
 

I imagine this recipe has been around as long as sour cream,  brown sugar and strawberries. It's the most elegant of the desserts listed here.  Not a guests in the house would turn this dessert away. Sweet, tangy, fruity. Delicious. Try it for breakfast too!

Strawberry Brûlée

 

For one serving, you will need as many strawberries as you feel you can eat. Cut them into quarters and put them in a broil-proof dish or skillet. Add a layer of sour cream, and then sprinkle with a heavy layer of brown sugar.

 

Place the skillet under a hot broiler and cook until the sugar has melted.  
 

 

The sugar should "crack" when hit with a spoon. Now, slip the brûlée out into a shallow serving bowl. Scrumptious.
 

 

Sour Cream Pound Cake

 

When I was writing my cookbook in 2006, my cousin, Joyce Kimbrough in Tuscumbia, Alabama, provided me with a  recipe that she had been using for more than 45 years. It was left in her milk box on a flyer from the State of Alabama Department of Agriculture & Industries. Mr. A.W. Todd was the commissioner at the time. I'm so glad that she shared it because I have used this recipe more often than any other pound cake recipe in my collection. 

Joyce Kimbrough's Sour Cream Pound Cake with Almonds

 

Cake:

2 sticks butter

1/2 teaspoon lemon flavoring

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

1/4 teaspoon almond flavoring

3 cups sugar

6 eggs

3 cups flour, sifted (I used the scoop method)

1/4 teaspoon soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 ounces sour cream
Sliced almonds (this is my addition, and optional)

 

Cream butter and add sugar one cup at a time. Add eggs, one at a time mixing well after each. Add flavorings. Sift together flour, soda and salt. Add flour mixture and sour cream to butter mixture, alternating each. Beat well. Place in a 10-inch greased and floured tube pan and bake at 350 degrees about an hour.

 

I add sliced almonds to the top of my cake. I'll also tell you a little secret, what ever you want the predominant flavor to be, add a teaspoon of that flavoring instead of the small amount called for in the recipe. This cake reminds me of old fashioned birthday cakes, if you can remember the taste of those. Boy, I sure do!

Some of these recipes have been made by our mothers, grandmothers, and great grandmothers, but to me, they never get old. Always good to the last little spoonful. And with each bite, a loving memory.