Cream Cheese Poundcake

courtsey of Southern Living

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 300˚.

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Do not over beat. Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs one at a time, beating until combines.

Sift 3 cups flour. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture beating at low speed after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

Pour batter into a greased and floured bundt pan. Smooth the top of the cake batter with a spatula to even it out.

Bake for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Lunch Options

inspired by Starbucks

#1
hard boiled egg
gluten-free crackers
honey peanut butter
grapes
cheese

#2
yogurt
apples
peanut butter
chocolate chips
granola

#3
carrots/cucumbers
ranch dip
cheese
honey peanut butter
gluten-free crackers

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Ingredients
2-3 whole vanilla beans
1 cup Brandy, Vodka or Bourban

Split vanilla beans lengthwise with a knife, leaving the seeds inside intact.

Place beans in a jar, cover with alcohol and cap tightly.

Agitate the mixture by shaking the jar once each day for 4 to 6 weeks.

The mixture will turn dark brown and become stronger in flavor with time. You can infuse the vanilla beans for as long as you like and can also add new vanilla beans to the jar to make a stronger or more concentrated extract.

Once the flavor of the extract has reached the desired strength, strain the liquid from the beans and bottle. Use cheesecloth or coffee filter to strain.

Amber colored bottles are best for preserving the flavor, but any glass bottle will do. Vanilla extract will last indefinitely and will become even more pronounce in flavor as it ages.

Strawberry Pomegranate Smoothie

Ingredients
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup carrot juice
1/4 cup water
1 cup pomegranate juice
1 cup frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen blueberries

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Makes 4 smoothies.

Mama's Pound Cake

courtesy of Paula Dean

Ingredients
1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening, softened
3 cups sugar
5 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp fine salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350˚.

With a mixer, cream butter and shortening together. Add sugar, a little at a time. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir dry ingredients together in a bowl and add to mixer alternately with milk, starting and ending with flour. Mix in vanilla.

Pour into a greased and floured tube pan and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Garden Pizza

courtesy of Alexis Riffle

Ingredients
2 pkgs crescent rolls
2 pkgs (8 oz) cream cheese
1 cup mayo
1 envelope ranch dressing mix
ready-to-eat bag of carrots, broccoli and cauliflower, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 medium red and/or green pepper, chopped
any other veggies, chopped
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350˚.

Spread crescent rolls to cover a baking sheet. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes.

Blend cream cheese, may and ranch dressing together. Spread onto cooled crescent roll crust.

Top with chopped vegetables. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Thumbprint Cookies

courtesy of Kraft Foods

Ingredients
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 1/4 cups raspberry or blackberry preserves

Beat cream cheese and butter together in a large bowl until well blended. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla. Gradually add flour, beating until well blended after each addition. Add baking soda; mix well. Add pecans; mix just until blended. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350˚. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Indent centers with thumb. Bake 10 minutes.

Fill each cookie with about 1 tsp preserves. Continue baking 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on wire racks.

Cafe Mocha Latte

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 cups strong brewed coffee or espresso
1/4 cups chocolate syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup whiskey (optional)

Heat half-and-half in a saucepan over medium-high heat. (Do not boil) Remove from heat, stir in brown sugar, next 3 ingredients, and, if desired, whiskey. Serve warm or over ice. Makes 4 cups.

Peanut Butter Smoothie

Ingredients
1 cup milk
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 banana
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp water
ice cubes

Mix all ingredients in a blender.

Toasted Almond

Ingredients
1 part Kahlua
1 part Amaretto
2 parts milk
ice cubes

Mix all ingredients in a blender. Pour into a glass. Serve with a dollop if whip cream and sprinkling of cinnamon.

Option
Instead of milk and ice cubes, use ice cream.

Frozen Mudslide

Ingredients
1 oz Kahlua
1/2 oz Vodka
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
3-4 oz milk

Mix all ingredients in a blender.

Swirl chocolate syrup in a glass. Pour mixture into glass.

Power Packed Yogurt

Add even more protein to snack time by mixing a spoonful or two of your favorite all-natural nut butter into plan or vanilla greek yogurt. Then top with banana slices.

Monkey Business Smoothie

Ingredients
1 cup vanilla almond milk
1 banana
dash of cinnamon

Blend all ingredients together. For a thicker consistency, use a frozen banana.

Banana Bread

courtesy of Food Network Kitchens

Ingredients
1 cup sugar (white or brown)
8 tbsp (1 stick) butter, softened
2 large eggs
3 ripe bananas
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 325˚. Butter/spray a loaf pan.

Cream sugar and butter together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a small bowl, mash bananas. Mix in milk and cinnamon. Add banana mixture to the creamed mixture until well combined. Mix in baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add flour and mix together just until the flour disappears.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Gluten-free option
Instead of all-purpose flour, use gluten-free flour.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

courtesy of Jeanne Lynn

Ingredients
2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
12 oz chocolate chips

Cream together butter and shortening. Add sugar and brown sugar; mix until smooth.  Beat in eggs one at a time; then vanilla. Mix in salt and baking soda; then, flour. Add chocolate chips.

Drop spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake at 350˚ for 8-10 minutes or until edges are browned.

Pancakes

courtesy of Food Network Kitchens

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour  [2 1/4]
3 tbsp sugar  [4 1/2]
1 tbsp baking powder  [1 1/2]
1/4 tsp salt  [3/8]
1/8 tsp nutmeg
2 large eggs  [3]
1 1/4 cups milk or buttermilk  [1 3/4 to 2]
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract  [3/4]
3 tbsp butter, melted  [4 1/2]

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. In another bowl, beat eggs, milk and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture and whisk until batter is just formed. Whisk in melted butter.

Options
In place of 2 eggs, use 1 egg and 1 cup unsweetened applesauce + 1/2 tsp cinnamon.