How to Make Homemade Pound Cake from Scratch

    Pound Cake is a great dessert for the holidays, not only can you add any kind of topping you like but it is easy to make and to store until the big day.  Serve this dessert along with pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving or with the ham on Christmas.
    This is an easy dessert that most people have all of the ingredients on hand. Pound cake can be eaten plain or served with any number of sauces like lemon sauce. It is fun to make with young children who love to help in the kitchen. Historically pound cake was so named because there was approximately a pound of each ingredient that was added (butter, sugar, eggs, and flour). It is obvious that this recipe isn't in the truest sense a pound cake (only 1/2 pound of butter). If this recipe was doubled it would more closely resemble the pound cake of earlier times).


Things You'll Need:

* 1/2 lb of butter (bring to room temperature)
* 1 3/4 c. sugar
* 5 eggs
* 2 c. flour, sifted
* 1 t. vanilla
* pinch of salt


Step 1 - Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prepare loaf pan by greasing.

Step 2 - Cream the butter and sugar thoroughly (about 10 minutes).

Step 3 - Add eggs, one at a time, beating well between each egg.

Step 4 - Add salt, then flour gradually while beating.

Step 5 - Add vanilla and mix well.

Step 6 - Pour the pound cake mixture into your prepared loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees for 55 minutes or until cake pulls away from the side of the pan.  You can test the pound cake by inserting a paring knife into the top center of the pound cake if it comes out clean it is done, if it has uncooked batter you need to cook longer.


Pound cake is great served plain, or with fruit sauce drizzled over top. There are many varieties of pound cake (lemon, poppy seed, chocolate marble, etc...). I like it plain with a lemon sauce over top.


The first time I made this pound cake, I forgot to remove the pizza stone out of the oven before cooking and it was a flop. I've made it sense with good results.

Easy Egg Salad Sandwich

Here is a simple recipe I use for egg salad sandwiches. I also give some alternatives to the typical egg salad. Personally, I make it a bit different each time I make it. Sometimes using Coleman's mustard,other times just using my favorite prepared mustard. I have been know to add pickle relish, bread & butter chips, Indian curry spice mix, and so on. The egg salad sandwich takes on my mood of the day; that is what is so great about egg salad sandwiches, you can have fun with it. By adding lettuce, bacon,or tomato, the egg salad sandwich is really quite attractive.

Cut off the bread crust and cut into small triangles and egg salad sandwiches make a great finger food for the baby shower, bridal shower, or other gatherings. The cost is minimal and the taste "well", the taste is great.

Ingredients for Egg Salad

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
1/4 – 1/2 C. mayonnaise
1 t Coleman’s mustard powder (or 1 teaspoon of your favorite mustard)
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 stalk of celery finely chopped
2 T green onion finely diced
Dash of lemon juice
Mrs. Dash
Lettuce
Bread (toasted)

To Boil Eggs - Place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water by at least a 1/2-inch. Bring the water to a gentle boil and turn off the heat but leave the pan on the burner; cover the pan and let the eggs sit for 12 minutes. After 12 minutes, place the eggs into a big bowl of ice water bath for about three minutes to stop the eggs from cooking.

1. Peel each egg and place in a bowl. Mash the eggs using a pastry blender or a fork until finely chopped.

2. Add the mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice and mix thoroughly. Adjust mayonnaise, lemon juice, and mustard to your taste. (It is better to start with less mayonnaise and mustard and add more to your liking).

3. Add the celery and green onion and mix.

4. Season with salt, pepper and Mrs. Dash to your taste.

5. Toast your favorite type of bread and place a leaf of lettuce on the bread. Spoon the egg salad over the lettuce.
This recipe should make two generous portioned egg salad sandwiches.

Other Serving Suggestions:
• Add curry powder to egg salad mix for a more exotic taste.
• Add lettuce and thinly sliced or diced tomato.
• Cook Bacon and add bacon chips into the egg salad mix. Or just serve slices of bacon on the bread with the egg salad.
• Add a couple Tablespoons of sweet pickle relish or dices bread and butter pickles.
• Garnish with sliced olives.
• Mix in 1 – 2 teaspoons of capers.

Making Fresh Tahini Paste from Roasted Sesame Seeds

Tahini paste is a very versatile food and is used in a variety of dishes including hummus, used as sandwich spreads and in many soups. It is commonly used in Middle Eastern cooking. It is commonly served in sauces in Middle Eastern restaurants. To buy tahini in the grocery store can be quite expensive. Making your own tahini can be very cost effective. Sesame seeds can be bought in bulk in many grocery chains, Middle Eastern stores, Indian Stores, or online. You can check out my article on making Hummus.

By making your own tahini, you can control the freshness of the tahini. You can also reduce the roasting time to change the bitterness of the tahini (get it just the way you like it). Tahini can be made with white or black sesame seeds. You can make as much or little as you need, since the tahini will store in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.


What you need:
3-4 cups of sesame seeds
¼ -1/2 cup of olive oil
Baking sheets

If your sesame seeds are not already roasted, spread the sesame seeds out on a baking pan (for 4 cups of sesame seeds – two – 8 by 11 inch cake pans will work). Preheat oven to 350°F, place pans in oven for 10 minutes to lightly roast the sesame seed. Stir the seeds once at about 5 minutes and stir again when removed from the oven.

Pour the toasted sesame seeds into a high speed blender, pour in the ¼ cup olive oil and blend on high. Do not try this with your average blender. I use a Blendtec, but any very powerful blender should work. You might have to adjust the amount of olive oil.

• Can be spread on bread like peanut butter (although it doesn’t taste like peanut butter).
• Also great on vegetarian sandwiches as well as your cold cut sandwiches.
• Used in soups as a soup base
• Even used in sweet desserts
• Is becoming more common in European cuisine and found more often in American restaurants as well.