Black & White Angel Food Cake

This cake is definitely one of my all time favorite recipes. It's a very easy cake to make and also pretty cheap as the main ingredient is just a dozen egg whites. After having this cake you'll never be able to go back to store bought angel food cake!

Ingredients

• 1 cup cake flour (I actually use 1 cup all purpose flour minus two tablespoons and it always turns out fine)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons unsweetened dark cocoa (Such as Hershey's Special Dark)*

Glaze

• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons tub light cream cheese softened
• 1 Tablespoon 1% low-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 teaspoon unsweetened dark cocoa*

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325°.
To prepare cake, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and 3/4 cup granulated sugar, stirring with a whisk; set aside.
Place cream of tartar, salt, and egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Add remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat in juice and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Sift flour mixture over egg white mixture, 1/4 cup at a time; fold in after each addition.
Spoon half of batter into an ungreased 10-inch tube pan, spreading evenly. Break air pockets by cutting through batter with a knife. Sift 2 tablespoons cocoa over remaining batter; fold in. Spoon cocoa batter evenly over top of vanilla batter; break air pockets by cutting through cocoa layer with a knife. Bake at 325° for 55 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Invert pan; cool completely. Loosen cake from sides of pan using a narrow metal spatula. Invert cake onto a plate.
To prepare glaze, place powdered sugar, cream cheese, milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Drizzle half of glaze over cake.
Add 3/4 teaspoon cocoa to remaining glaze; stir well to combine. Drizzle cocoa glaze over cake. Refrigerate 5 minutes or until glaze is set. Garnish with strawberries, if desired.

*Note: Sheldon and I always double the amount of chocolate in the cake and the glaze because we like it extra chocolatey and it also turns out a darker color. Add as much chocolate as you prefer!

Our little cat's all grown up

This morning Sheldon went to open our front door and let our cat Mickey in. He thought he saw a stick lying on our mat and almost picked it up, but as he looked closer he realized it was the bones of a mouse. Our cat killed a mouse and then ate it on our front porch and left us the bones as a present. It was kind of sad to realize that my little kitty is all grown up and killing his own food now. At least we will never have a problem with mice :)

Sheldon, the new stay-at-home-mom

Last weekend Sheldon and I stayed with his parents so we could see his sister and her 3-month old baby that we hadn't seen yet. This is a picture of Sheldon and Enoch.Sheldon is so good with kids it makes me jealous. It really makes me look like I'm going to be a terrible mom whenever he holds a baby after I do. Every time he holds someone else's baby they are just so happy and content to sit with him for hours! Whenever I hold a baby it freaks out, maybe babies are like horses and they can sense your fear. A huge horse doesn't really scare me, but sometime holding a baby does because they're so helpless. Whatever the reason, I am considering having Sheldon become the stay-at-home mom and I will become the provider for our family. I think it will work out much better this way.

HI

Elaine wanted me to put something on the blog... so here I am...
umm, not quiet sure what I should say...

hmm,

well here's a picture I found, can you see him?

Recipe of the Week: Creme Brulee French Toast

This recipe I made just barely today to celebrate Valentine's Day. It makes an excellent breakfast, but is so simple to make. I halved it since only Sheldon and I were eating and it turned out excellent. Make sure you use quality bread, not the cheap 99 cent french bread.

Creme Brulee French Toast

INGREDIENTS

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• An 8- to 9-inch round loaf country-style bread
• 5 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon Grand Marnier (I substituted Orange Juice)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS

In a small heavy saucepan melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth and pour into a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking dish. Cut six 1-inch thick slices from center portion of bread, reserving ends for another use, and trim crusts (I didn't and I think I like it better with crusts on). Arrange bread slices in one layer in baking dish, squeezing them slightly to fit.
In a bowl whisk together eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, Grand Marnier, and salt until combined well and pour evenly over bread. Chill bread mixture, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.
Preheat oven to 350° F and bring bread to room temperature.
Bake bread mixture, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed and edges are pale golden, 35 to 40 minutes.
Serve hot French toast immediately.

*So good and so easy!

Why should a Mormon support Obama?

I read an article entitled Why Mormons Should Consider Backing Obama, written by a good friend. I can't say it better than he can so I will refer you to his article at

http://denniswendt.blogspot.com/2008/02/why-mormons-should-back-obama.html

I hope this article encourages people to look at the candidates a little bit more closely and seriously think about who they are voting for.

The Ultimate Rocking Chair

Sheldon and I went window shopping this week. We actually went to Babies r' Us looking for a body pillow, but we got sucked into the rocking chair section. Of course, the store puts the nicest, most expensive rocking chairs right in the front. Sheldon and I unknowingly sat in the comfiest rocking chair I have ever sat in my life!

This chair is the Dutailer 943 and it does everything except feed the baby! It swivels for easy entry/exit, reclines so you can sleep while feeding the baby, and of course does all this in extreme comfort. After sitting in this chair I don't think I will be able to go down to lower quality. Donations are now being taken, all major credit cards will be accepted ;) Start saving now! My birthday is May 30 and that would be the perfect time to give this chair to me!

Recipe of the Week

This is one of my favorite cake recipes. It is a unique combination of flavors that blend surprisingly well. This cake is also very easy to make, but looks like you slaved hours over it.

Pumpkin-Orange Cake

Ingredients
1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin

1/4 cup egg substitute

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cups sifted cake flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 (12-ounce) can evaporated fat-free milk

3 cups sifted powdered sugar, divided

3/4 cup (6 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon grated orange rind

2 cups mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained

1 cup pomegranate seeds (about 2)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.
Place granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add pumpkin; beat well. Add egg substitute and vanilla; beat until well blended.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through nutmeg), stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Pour batter into 2 (9-inch) round cake pans coated with cooking spray; sharply tap pans once on counter to remove air bubbles. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans. Cool completely on wire rack.
Place 1 cup powdered sugar and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add remaining powdered sugar and rind; beat until fluffy.
Place 1 cake layer on a plate. Spread 2/3 cup cream cheese frosting evenly over top of cake. Top with remaining cake layer; spread remaining cream cheese frosting over top, but not sides, of cake. Arrange orange slices in a ring around outer edge of top cake layer. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over center of top cake layer. Store cake loosely covered in refrigerator.

*Note: You can also prepare this in a 13 x 9-inch pan (bake for 40 minutes, and cool in pan for 10 minutes) or a tube pan (bake for 55 minutes, and cool in pan for 20 minutes). For the variations, you'll need an extra pomegranate and can of oranges for the topping. This cake can also be made one day ahead of serving. Refrigerate and cover.