It is a SO GOOD recipe for Lemon Pound Cake

I have been baking just about all my life it seems.  My grandmother always let me into her kitchen and she was a very fine baker.  Her cakes were outstanding!!  So, I know that you almost have to be a chemist to put all the ingredients together to make it work.  Unlike regular cooking, baking must be exact.  I know this.

So here is my problem.  I have known forever that I have this problem and I have a very difficult time correcting it.  When I see baking soda and/or baking powder in a recipe, invariably, I always interchange them.  Not very smart.  I take the time to get out the baking powder and the baking soda, look at each product, figure out which one I need and then pick up the wrong one.  I know that baking soda is usually used when one of the ingredients is sour cream, sour milk or buttermilk.  It is necessary to help the batter rise.  Baking powder is used to help everything else rise.  So, it happened again today.  I always put my flour, salt and baking powder or soda in a separate bowl before adding to the batter.  There, all is not lost if I make a mistake.  So, once again, today, I ended up throwing out the flour, salt and baking powder....because it was not soda.

I honestly believe my baking days will soon be over.  I could contribute this flaw in my skill to old age, but believe me, I have been doing it forever.  Also, I have never gone ahead to bak with the wrong ingredient...maybe it would actually work.

Anyway, this is what came out of my oven today....with the first batch of flour thrown out.  As Pam says on her blog, Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner, this lemon pound cake is WONDERFUL!!  I am just thrilled she shared it.  Please check out her blog for the recipe.

Chicken Satay with Slaw and Peanut Sauce

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The Trout and I love Thai foods.  At one time we lived near a Thai restaurant and we loved it!  So since that time, we have been trying to find recipes that we love a lot.

One challenge has been a peanut sauce.  There are cooked sauces and uncooked.  We decided we really don't like the taste of the warm peanut sauces, so we experimented until we found a sauce we liked.  Then, some years back we found a cabbage slaw with a peanut sauce, so we finally put all this together into a great dinner.  This meal is perfect for the two of us with a little leftover salad and leftover peanut sauce for another salad.  Enjoy!!

Grilled Chicken Satay with Peanut Sauce and Cabbage Slaw

2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs brown sugar
2 cloves garlic
1 tbs minced fresh ginger
1 tsp Sriracha sauce

Cut the chicken breast into long strips, 3 or 4 from each breast.  Mix the rest of the ingredients and marinade chicken strips for about 45 minutes.

Thread the meat the long way onto skewers, sort of pleating it.  Grill over direct heat 8-10 minutes or until done.

Cabbage Slaw

1/2 head cabbage
1 large carrot
1/2 jalapeno
chopped mint leaves (optional)

Slice cabbage and carrots as thinly as possible.  Place in a bowl along with the jalapeno.  Pour peanut sauce over mixture and toss to coat.

Peanut Sauce

3 tbs. grated ginger root
1 or 2 shallots, minced
1/4 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, (Use a little less)
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil

In a large bowl, combine ginger, shallots, fish sauce, soy sauce and lime juice.  Slowly whisk in peanut butter and then sesame oil.

This makes more than you need, serve extra sauce on the side.  Unused can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator up to 4 days.

Toss the cabbage slaw with some of the dressing and use some of the peanut sauce for dipping the chicken satay.

We had a Magical Week!

We spent a lot of time this last week at Mickey's House.  In fact, we received our 5 year pin for volunteering at the Children's Miracle Network Golf Classic.  The best part is that we have worked with the same "crew" for all 5 years.  So, it really is a reunion each year to see each other again.

The Trout and I drive a wagon/cart which we fill with cases of bottled water and bags of ice.  We divide the golf course into sections and deliver the water and ice to the tee boxes in our section throughout the day.  The ice and water is only for the golfers and caddies, so we do get up close to watch some golf.  That is the very best part!!

Readers have been asking me how the Trout is doing.  He is doing quite well, seven weeks out from surgery.  In fact, he was lifting the ice and water without problems so he is definitely on the mend.  The difficult part is that he will probably have to wait another seven weeks or so until he can swing a golf club, but we are thankful he is feeling so well.

We are glad to be back in Florida, because the weather is gorgeous.  I love this time of year when you can turn off the A/C, open the windows and let the cool air flow through.  After living over 50 years in the Midwest, it is so refreshing to enjoy warmer falls and winter.  Yes, we do cheat and get out of Florida in the heat of the summer, but that is what retirement is all about.