Red Velvet Cake

Makes 12 servings

One 9-inch 4 layer cake

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

 1 ½ cups sugar

4 large egg yolks

3 T red food coloring

1 ½ t vanilla extract

¼ cup cocoa

1 t salt

1 cup buttermilk

¼ cups sifted cake flour

1 t baking soda

1 t white vinegar

Make the batter: Preheat oven to 350°F.  Using a small brush, lightly coat two 9-inch cake pans with butter or vegetable-oil cooking spray.  Dust the pans with flour, tap out any excess, and set aside.  In a large bowl, using a mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugar until light.  Add the yolks and continue to beat for 1 more minute.  In a small bowl, stir the food coloring, the vanilla, and the cocoa together.  Reduce mixer speed to low and add the cocoa paste to the batter.  In a glass measure, mix the salt with buttermilk and add it to the batter by thirds, alternating with the flour.  In another small bowl, mix the baking soda with the vinegar and blend into the batter.

Bake the Cake: Divide the batter equally between the pans and spread evenly.  Bake on the middle rack of the oven until a tester inserted in the center of each layer comes out clean – about 30 minutes.  Cool in the cake pans on a wire rack for 15 minutes.  Using a knife, loosen cake layers from the sides of the pans and invert the layers onto wire rack to cool completely.

Ice the Cake: Use a serrated knife to split each layer into 2 even layers.  Line the edges of a cake plate with 3-inch-wide strips of waxed or parchment paper and place a cake layer, trimmed side down, on top.  Evenly spread 1 cup of icing over the layer and repeat with 2 other layers.  Top with the final layer and cover the top and sides with remaining icing.

Cooked Vanilla Icing

Makes 5 ½ cups

¼ cup plus 2 t all-purpose flour

2 Cups whole milk

2 cups unsalted butter, softened

2 cups confectioners’ sugar

2 t vanilla extract

Make the icing: In a medium saucepan, whisk the flour and milk together until smooth.  Place the saucepan over medium heat, cool to room temperature, and set aside.  In a medium bowl and using a mixer set on high speed, beat the butter and sugar until light.  Add the vanilla, reduce mixer speed to medium, and slowly add the cooled milk mixture.  Beat for 1 more minute.

 Apple Carrot Crunch Salad

 A great year round salad since apples, celery and carrots are always available even during the winter months.  The addition of the sugared nuts makes this salad a special treat!  This is a tasty way to get the kids to eat all their veggies. 

 Topping:

 ¾ cup coarsely chopped nuts, pecans or hazelnuts

2 tablespoons sugar

 Place nuts and sugar in sauté pan on medium heat.  Continually stir nuts until sugar is melted and light brown in color.  Approximately 5-7 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool on a sheet of aluminum foil. After the nuts have cooled, break into smaller pieces for salad topping. 

 Salad:

 The salad should be prepared 2-3 hours ahead and chilled in the refrigerator.  It can be even made the night before serving.  The nuts can be made ahead, but placed on the salad right before serving, as they will get soggy. 

 3-4 large stalks of celery, finely chopped

3 medium carrots, peeled and grated

2 apples, cored, and chopped in ½ inch pieces

½ cup golden raisins

½ Hellmann’s Best Foods Mayonnaise, (this brand makes a difference)

  Combine celery, carrots, apples, and raisins with the mayonnaise.  Chill before serving.

 Garnish for Serving Platter:

 One red and one green apple cored and cut into slices, tossed in 1 Tablespoon lemon juice.

 I will be having new designs for sale during the Blackberry Junction Show in Albany Oregon, November  12-20, 2010.  If you can’t get to the show, check out my items for sale on Esty.com

New Pinot Noir painting is now available at Inside Out Garden Visions in Corvallis, Oregon, and prints will be available at the Blackberry Junction Show, or order prints at PaulaLaMont.com and Etsy.com

 "A forest lies within an acorn..."

Fall garlands will also be available at the Blackberry Junction Show, or purchased online at Paula LaMont.com or Etsy.com

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!!

I am displaying my artwork at Cardwell Hill Winery in Philomath, Oregon this weekend. Come by and enter the drawing being held for one of my prints. I will also have free postcards and trading cards available while they last. If you live in the area, love wine, art and music, plan to spend some time with us over the weekend.

Cardwell Hill Winery invites you to join us over the Memorial Day weekend for our traditional open house to be held May 28th-31st from noon to 5:30 in our tasting room at 24241 Cardwell Hill Dr., Philomath.  We will be releasing our much-anticipated 2008 Pinot Noir.  One of our long-time wine shop clients stated that this is our best vintage ever. In addition, we will be pouring our Wine Spectator 90 point 2007 Pinot Noir and the recent Gold Medal Winner, the 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir.

On Saturday, May 29, we will be featuring the Skaar Jazz Trio.

Complimentary hors d'oeuvres.  Tasting fee: $1 per taste.

I am overpowered by the sharp sweet fragrance of white lilies stacked in a pyramid for the celebration of Mother’s Day.  This tempting display invokes memories of my annual Mother’s Day gift. I want to rush to the checkout stand, flowerpot in hand, but stop and remember that the woman who loved them planted along the borders of her yard,  isn’t with me now. I forget what I intended to buy, and return to the car empty handed.   I give thanks for all the lilies I had purchased and given to my mother Mary Grace over the years and wonder if they are still growing among the flower borders of my childhood home.

Every woman needs a special day, but thank God since 1914 here in the United State we have an official Mother’s Day.   Anna Jarvis didn’t intend for Hallmark and the rest of the gift products industry to reap financial benefits, but what the heck this special day still means we can take it a little easier, or spend some effort to acknowledge those special women, mothers and grandmothers we love and day in day out give to us.

I have included some recipes for brunch or dinner, plus my pansy bookmark you can download and print on card stock.  Hope you and yours have a Happy Mother’s Day.

Mother's May Tea

 Fresh Strawberry Mint Spread

Serves 8-10

2-8oz cream cheese

½ pint fresh strawberries, sliced

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons rose or white wine

Garnish with fresh mint leaves

Allow the cream cheese to soften at room temperature.  Place all the ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.  Chill before serving.  Add the mint garnish before serving.  The mint flavor blends with the cheese.

Asparagus with Soft Polenta

Polenta

4 cups whole milk

1 cup coarsely ground cornmeal

½ cup grated Parmigiano cheese

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

To make the polenta bring the milk to boil in a large saucepan.  A non-stick pan is a good choice for this dish. Add the salt, then add the cornmeal very slowly, stir constantly with a spoon until mixture is starting to thicken.  Cook the mixture for approximately 30 minutes or until bubbling and thick.  If the mixture starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, lower the heat and continue to stir.  When the mixture begins to pull away from the bottom of the pan, it is done.   Add parmigiano cheese, stir.  The polenta should be the consistency of a thick pudding. Spoon the polenta unto serving dishes. 

Asparagus

1 bunch fresh asparagus trimmed and washed (see page 31)

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

½ cup grated parmigiano cheese

Heat the oil in a sauté pan until hot.  Lower the heat and add the asparagus, salt and lemon zest.  Stir until the oil has covered the asparagus.  Cook on low heat until tender when pierced with a fork, approximately 5-7 minutes. To Serve:  Top the polenta in serving dishes with spears of asparagus, top with grated cheese.

Real Lemon Cake

Cake:

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

4  large eggs, room temperature

3 cups all purpose flour

½ teaspoons baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

2 ½ tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest (3 large lemons)

2 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 large lemons)

Glaze:

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 Tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 10 inch tube pan, line the bottom with parchment or wax paper and grease again, then lightly dust with flour.

Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, allowing the eggs to be incorporated into the mix each time.  Sift together the flour and baking soda. Add these to the butter/sugar mixture, alternating with buttermilk. Stir in the lemon juice and zest. Pour the batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean and the cake has begun to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool for 10 minutes.

While cake is cooling, prepare glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the juice, sugar, and lemon zest.

Invert the cake onto a serving plate or cake stand, prick the surface numerous times with a toothpick or cake tester. Brush the glaze over the surface of the cake. Repeat several times, letting the glaze sink into the cake each time. Cool to room temperature. This cake will keep, if it lasts that long, several days.

Everywhere I look there are signs of an early spring in Oregon.  Camellias, daffodils, crocus spread their jewel tones over my garden beds.  I can’t wait to pick up my paint brush and put these images on paper.  On Friday, February 26^th   at Inside Out Garden Center in Corvallis, Oregon from 3pm-7pm, I will be showing a bit of spring myself.  I will have my new paper garlands to share as well as  new paintings.  The garlands are just the right touch of whimsy for the door way or mantel.  These garlands make you feel like you have “feathered your nest” a little too.  If you live in the area come by and see me.  

I wanted to give you a taste of spring for dinner too. This makes a light first course for Easter dinner, but quick to make for everyday meals.

Grapefruit and Avocado Salad on Bibb Lettuce

The tart grapefruit sections and creamy avocado slices on lettuce with orange dressing just looks like spring in presentation. This salad is loaded with vitamins, tastes good and is good for you.  Serves four.

Salad:

2 ripe avocados, must be soft to touch sliced

2 large Texas Ruby Grapefruit

1 head Bibb lettuce, washed and separated into leaves

Dressing:

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup plain yogurt

2 ½ tablespoons orange juice concentrate

1 teaspoon sugar

Peel and section the grapefruit.  Then carefully remove any of the white pith from the grapefruit sections.  The sections should be free from any peel.   You can buy fresh grapefruit sections in the produce section of the market too.  Peel the avocado and cut into ½ inch slices.  Arrange lettuce slices on a large platter. Arrange grapefruit and avocado slices on lettuce and pour dressing over top. 

Irene Subasavage’s hands are never idle. At 93 years old, she’s an inspiration to everyone who knows her. All those years raising a family, holding down a civil service career and doing volunteer work are impressive enough. But what I find really incredible is the fact that Irene has crocheted over 300 afghans! Her family still debates that number. 

Our family alone has received seven of Irene’s custom homemade treasures in a variety of colors and patterns. My personal afghan is blue and white, my daughter’s is red and turquoise. For my husband, who is six feet eight inches tall, Irene crocheted the longest blanket she’s ever made in his favorite shade of green. And you know what? I could still use a few more.  Here are a few of my well loved collection.

Cozy and Kitschy afghans represent real nostalgia. They reflect a time when our mothers, grandmothers, aunties and in my case, my father, provided décor items for the home. These hand crafted blankets were thrown over couches, armchairs, rockers and placed in basinets for newborn babies.

 Irene has been providing this kind of warmth and comfort to people all over the United States and beyond for decades. I am pretty sure her nephew packed his blanket to take with him for his new job in Chile. Even her building contractor’s dog received his very own hand made blankie recently.

Irene has provided me with instructions for her basic afghan pattern. I have crocheted my own in two shades of white and cream. Her yarn of choice is Red Heart, although any yarn of your choosing will work. The instructions below are for a white, green and navy ripple, but feel free to substitute your favorite colors.  Get going, you will have this blanket done before the snow stops falling.

The Easiest Afghan in the World-Ripple Afghan

Approximate Size:  42 x 60 inches

Materials:

12 ounces White

12 ounces Green

16 ounces Navy

Crochet Hook J or any size hook required for the gauge below.  Gauge: 3 sc = 1 inch

With Navy ch 183, sc in 2^nd st from hk, *1 sc in each of next 14 sts of ch, 3 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of the next 14 sts of ch, skip 1 st, repeat from * across row ending with sc in last st, ch 1, turn.

2^nd Row:  Working in back loop of sts throughout, sc in 1^st sc, skip 1 st, *1 sc in each of the next 14 sts, 3 sc in next st, 1 sc in each of the next 14 sts, skip 2 sts, repeat from * across row ending last repeat with skip 1 st, sc in last st, ch 1, turn.

Repeat 2^nd row throughout working 4 more rows Navy, 6 rows Green, 6 rows White.  Repeat these stripes 6 times then work 6 rows Navy cut yarn. Finish ends.

Hazelnut Puff Pancake with Cherry Topping 

This recipe has two of my Northwest favorites, cherries and hazelnuts.  The puff pancake can be served at breakfast, brunch or for a simple and quick dessert.  Have all the ingredients ready and place the skillet filled with batter into the oven before sitting down to dinner.  Serve a piping hot dessert. 

Pancake:

2 eggs

½ cup milk

½ cup all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup butter

½ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts

Sauce:

1 jar Trader Joe’s Morel Cherries, if you don’t have a Trader Joe’s nearby, you can substitute unsweetened canned dark cherries. 

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon  cornstarch

 ½ cup sour cream or whipped cream for topping (optional) 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Prepare sauce ahead of time, it can be refrigerated a day or two ahead and reheated on a simmer while the pancake is baking.  Combine the sugar and cornstarch together, whisk the dry ingredients into the cherries.  Heat in a small heavy bottom saucepan until sauce thickens and is glossy.  Reheat after pancake has baked.

Beat eggs lightly in mixing bowl.   Add milk, flour and cinnamon and beat together until blended.  Batter may be a little lumpy.  Melt butter into a 10 inch skillet over medium heat until the butter begins to foam.  Stir in nuts.  Pour batter into the hot skillet over the nuts.  Bake at 425 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until pancake is puffed and golden brown.   Remove pancake from oven.  Pour warm cherry sauce on top of pancake.   Cut pancake into wedges and top with a tablespoon of sour or whipped cream.  Garnish with whole cherries.   Serve immediately.

Harvest Spicy Applesauce Cake

2 cups golden raisins   1 cup butter softened
2 cups flour 2 2/3 cups sugar
4 cups flour, sifted   2 eggs
2 teaspoons cinnamon     2 cups applesauce
2 teaspoons ground cloves ¼ cup hot water
2 teaspoons allspice     ¼ cup apricot brandy
2 teaspoons baking soda 1 cup orange juice
1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine water and orange juice and warm in microwave.  Cover the raisins with liquids and let sit for a few minutes, then drain.  Dredge raisins and nuts with a little of the sifted flour.  Sift flour four with cinnamon, cloves, allspice and soda. Beat butter and sugar until creamy.  Add eggs; beat.  Add applesauce;beat. Add flour, nuts, raisins, water and brandy. Pour into a greased and floured tube pan.  Bake 1 hour. Cool and release from pan.

This cake gets even better the next day.  Freezes well.

Bright red, inside and out, sweet but not too sweet, strawberries are my objects of desire this time of year.   Many other people share in this early summer berry worship.  Proving this as fact, Taste of the South put this picture of strawberry pie on the cover, knowing that the sight alone will sell magazines to thousands of  us strawberry lovers.

I confess, this photograph caused my heart to flutter! This wasn’t just any pie-it was the Shoney’s Restaurant pie recipe. Within seconds, I was riding a tsunami wave of pie eating memories.

 For those of you north of the Mason-Dixon line, Shoney’s is a southern down- home style restaurant famous for their strawberry pie.

 The recipe also prompted  a phone to my childhood friend Cheryl to talk about eating Shoney’s strawberry pies.   On our trip down memory lane, we recalled how we would scrape together all the spare change in the house and car.  We would buy a whole pie and pass it back and forth with one spoon while driving to a day at the beach.

Every May, the radio ads proclaimed a sale on Shoney’s Strawberry Pies causing our family stampede down to buy, yes a whole pie which came with a  free can of whipped cream.  “How can we pass up a deal like that”? Mother would comment,  nestling  back into the car holding our dessert for the night. You just can’t.  To me, it was as good as a ride on a giant yacht or a big diamond ring because you can’t eat either one of those things.  Yes, it is affordable luxury.

You probably expect me to say that the pie I made from the Taste of South recipe couldn’t compare with the pie I remembered, BUT it did.  It was garnet in color, luxurious in texture, and just like Shoney’s version topped  with whole berries.

I just this morning had a piece of this pie for breakfast, so you know how good it is! I am trying to be a decent mother and save the last piece for my daughter. 

 Below is the recipe with a few minor adjustments. (I never can leave well enough alone, so I adapted the Taste of South recipe in this way; I crushed 1 cup berries and folded them into the gelatin mixture.  I didn’t use the strawberry flavoring because I never could find it. I made a layer of sliced strawberries, but topped the pie with whole berries.

Strawberry Pie

Adapted from Taste of the South Magazine, April 2009

Old Fashioned Pie Dough

Yield one single shell pie crust

1 ½ cups all purpose flour

2 ½ tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup unsalted cold butter, diced

2 ½ tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon cold water

In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt.  Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.  Add water, stirring until moistened.  Knead until dough forms a ball, approximately 10 turns.  Wrap tightly in plastic wrap; refrigerate for one hour.

Remove dough from refrigerator and bring to room temperature.  On a lightly floured surface roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness.  Place dough in 9 inch pie pan, trimming the edge or if desired make a decorative edge. For decorative edge visit:  www.tasteofthesouthmagazine.com.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line bottom and sides of pie shell with parchment paper.  Place pie weights on parchment paper.  Bake 20 minutes.  Remove pie weights and parchment paper.

Cool on wire rack for 20 minutes before adding the filling.

Strawberry Pie

1 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch, sifted

1 cup boiling water

1 teaspoon strawberry extract

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (3oz) package strawberry-flavored gelatin

2 quarts fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced in half **

**Paula’s note, I used about ½ this amount as whole berries.  Placing the sliced berries on the bottom of the pie crust and then covering them with the whole berries.  I thought it made the pie prettier with the berries showing on top of the pie.

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch, whisking well.  Add boiling water and extracts.  Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens, whisking often.  Remove from heat.  Add gelatin, stirring until smooth.  Let mixture cool to room temperature.

Arrange strawberries in baked pie shell. (see Paula’s note). Pour cooled filling over strawberries coating completely.  Refrigerate pie until the filling is set, approximately 2 hours.  Cover and store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.