Becca Porter

This recipe also has an Elvis reference at the bottom. I don't know if the recipes are similar. All I can tell you is that my sister and I had a massive pound cake bake-off and this recipe won by a landslide. PLEASE try it and report back it will be well worth it. Really try it now . P.S. Make sure you start it in a cold oven as written! Perfect Pound Cake 1 cup unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon salt 3 cups granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder *5 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1 cup whipping cream (Sift 3 times before measuring) Butter and flour 2 9by5 inch loaf pans. Whisk salt and baking powder into presifted flour. Set aside. Cream butter and sugar together in an electric mixer until light, fluffy and almost white, 4 to 5 minutes, stopping mixer once or twice to scrape down sides. Add eggs one at a time slowly, beating well after each addition. Add one third of flour mixture into the mixer set at low speed. Add half the whipping cream. Continue alternating flour and cream, ending with flour. Add vanilla. With rubber spatula scrape down sides and bottom until completely mixed. Pour into loaf pans, up to 2/3 full. **Start in a cold oven**. Place pans on middle rack of oven. Turn oven to 325 degrees. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. (Note: It only took mine 55 minutes, so check early) *You can also do a variation. You can add up to 7 eggs. I did 5 eggs and an extra yolk. Supposedly the 7 egg version is Elvis’s favorite pound cake.

As stated above, anything cultured like yogurt or buttermilk can be kept long after their expiration date. I have gone at least 2 monthes over before I've used it up. If you have extra buttermilk the easiest way to use it is to make buttermilk biscuits or pancakes. -Becca

My favorite dumplings are from Cook Illustrated. Instead of cutting in the butter you melt it with the milk. Then you pour the hot milk into the flour. I cut them into 1/2 inch thick 2 by 3 rectangles. My husband prefers them that way. Personally I would never turn down a dumpling. These are really fantastic though. I do not agree with the carrots and peas in the CI recipe though. Thats for pot pie.

I would URGE you to try Cooks Illustrateds recipe. It is absolutely fantastic. It is the Jan & Feb 2005. It uses semi or Bittersweet choc + dutch cocoa. It would be well worth the $3.95/1 month fee if you are not a member.

I am cooking dinner for my sisters birthday Saturday night. I was wondering if anyone has made the chicken and pork adobado. It looks great but, I'd love some reviews. Also what would you serve with it? Thanks.

I am so glad to find I am doing it right. I have a 2 tablespoon coffee scoop. I usually make 12 oz. at a time, with 2 heaping 2 T scoops. Delicious. Has anyone tried Costco in-store roasted coffee? I have ordered from the best named roasters across the country and none compete. Its just so fresh. Their house blend is amazing. I prefer darker roasts, but even for me Starbucks is overroasted.

The lard discussed here is pork lard. The vegetable shortening you recieved has been hydrogenated to stay in a solid state. The recipes you have sound like they call for the vegetable shortening. I am unfamiliar with what you were given. What you describe does sound like what Crisco vegetable shortening looks like. You can store it at room temp. or in the fridge. I hope this helps. Where are you located?

I used to not like quite a few of the ones mentioned above. Meringue: soft or hard, coconut, anything really eggy. Then I found recipes or dishes that made me LOVE them. Especially meringue. I'm still not really into soft meringue, but I'm trying. The main things I don't like are pecan pie filling, custards, rice pudding, banana desserts.

Vinegar is common in candy recipes because it cuts down on the sugariness. I look for recipes that include it. This looks great thanks.

The worlds best recipe is in the December 2005 issue of Cuisine at Home. It is incredible. It makes a cherry compote out of cherry juice, dried tart cherries, cherry preserves and frozen dark cherries (I used canned tart because I couldn't get frozen, worked great.) It also stabilizes the whipped cream filling with a cornstarch "pudding". It uses their wonderful chocolate cake recipe. Moist and delicious. It also has grated chocolate and chocolate curls between the layers. I cannot imagine a better one. -Becca

I got my issue yesterday. The pretzels are calling to me. Where is a good place to get lye? Is there a certain food grade? What kind of stores would have it. Should I buy it online? Thanks.

I use a recipe from Great Cookies. They are really wonderful. Surprisingly addictive. -Becca

You describe mendiants. You have to make sure and temper the chocolate though. Otherwise, you would have to keep them refrigerated and they wouldn't look or taste as good. Use good quality bittersweet chocolate. They can be topped with nuts or dried fuits as well. Just keep it simple. -Becca

I wanted to tell all of you that the new December 2005 Martha Stewart has a recipe for pistachio-cranberry Torrone. Which is described as nougat. It has honey, pistachios, dried cranberries and coconut. It also utilizes rice paper. You all made me obsessive about this nougat. I've never tried it before. I was so excited when I saw this recipe. I am off to order rice paper now. Thanks for the inspiration.

Every day eggs are at room temp is equal to 5 days in the refrigerator. Thats about all I can tell you. Oh also, even though the bacteria is killed by the oven, the toxins the bacteria created do not die. I do not know much more than that. I have read it in various food safety discussions. -Becca

I would use expresso powder instead of Kahlua. That way you wouldn't worry about throwing off the balance of liquid/solid. Plus it is delicious. I use one from King arthur, but I know Medaglia de Ora (sp) is popular. -Becca

In Alice Medrichs Bittersweet, she has her Queen of Sheba cake. It is a plain Chocolate torte recipe she got from france. She talks about how she built her business Cocolat around it. She includes a few variations and a ton of information. It tells you how you can change basically anything about it. I highly recommend the whole book. I am making cold, creamy truffles today. Its an award winner. -Becca

All the kolaches around here, Texas and LA, are a yeast dough filled with a little sausage and/or cheese. They are delicious. I never knew they could be fruit filled. Which is the original? -Becca

I made the Grand Marnier cake with just vanilla. After that I saw some in the Bakers Catalogue and bought it. Since then I haven't ever used it. I guess I need to break out that 50 dollar bottle of Grand Marnier and make it properly. -Becca

The new Gourmet Cookbook has an incredible cake doughnut recipe. They are coated in granulated sugar or cinnamon sugar. They call them sugar doughnuts. I don't believe I could ask for a better recipe. They also have a viennese filled doughnut recipe. I fill with strawberry or raspberry jam. They bake into these beautiful spheres that you top with powdered sugar. Their method of filling them works great. You should be able to find both at Epicurious. Sugar Doughnuts and Viennese Jelly Doughnuts

I use a traditional bun recipe from King Arthur. White flour, egg, butter. They are beautiful and delicious. I think they are perfect for pulled pork with a little vinegary coleslaw on top. I think a soft bun is important. Crusty bread would make it too easy for the pulled pork to ease out. Whole wheat might be nice as an alternate option. Edited to add: I think the shape should be round, with a 4-41/4 inch diameter. Sesame seeds are good on this kind of bun as well. I would do some of both. I also include 1/4 cup of sugar in my recipe.

Well, kind of along different lines, but who is tired of having to name every single piece of produce to the cashier. You should see the look on their face when I haul my countless bags on the checkout line. I usually have to explain what it is and what I'm gonna do with it too. .

There was a very informative Good Eats about cabbage. It seems that cabbage has been around for a *very* long time. Cabbage was first and then people bred out the characteristics they didn't like. That is where we got broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, chinese cabbages, the list keeps going and going but I can't remember. It really was fascinating. They all started out as cabbage. -Becca

CIs Glazed Lemon Cookies are amazingly good. They have that sandy crumbly texture that is very easy to chew. The only problem would be the glaze. You are supposed to glaze the day you serve. However, I think they would still be delicious without it. -Becca

The new CI recipe is incredible. It adds in some fresh or frozen raspberries in addition to the preserves. Get a copy of the mag. Its also got an awesome fajita recipe.