CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE!

   This recipe comes from www.elizabethsedibleexperience.blogspot.com . Enjoy!

Cake Cravings

   There is a hilarious scene in an episode of Sex and the City where Miranda makes herself a homemade chocolate cake. She starts off by eating one thin sliver of the cake and then walks away. The camera frame doesn't leave the kitchen the entire scene. You see her walk back into the kitchen just seconds later and help herself to another minuscule piece of the sinful treat. After she leaves the shot she is once again back within seconds and cuts herself a third helping. This time she is more realistic and portions out a sizable piece of the cake. After her third tasting she covers the cake in aluminum foil trying to make it less accessible. The tin foil wasn't strong enough to keep her out. After a short while she returns to the kitchen and has another piece. This time she covers it with foil and places it in the fridge assuming it to be the final resting place until a later date. Time elapses and she is back once more. She eats another piece; visibly frustrated with her lack of self control she throws the cake in the trash. Miranda thinks this will deter her from ever eating the cake again. In one last desperate scene, they show her back in the frame hovering over the trash can about to make a very dirty decision. She heads over to the sink, grabs the dish soap and pours it all over the cake making it unedible to her tempted tastebuds.
   It is a brillant scene and my paragraph above does it little justice. I think the will power struggle she goes through during the short 2 minute scene is captured perfectly and with so much humor. I never could relate to the scene on a personal level because I am not a chocolate lover. I have never had something so rich and decedant tempting me in my own kitchen - that was until this weekend. Although it wasn't the chocolate cake of the sitcom, this pound cake was addictive. I couldn't stop eating it. Everytime I passed the cake stand I lifted the lid and helped myself to a sliver. I felt like I was headed down the Miranda dish soap road very quickly. I made sure to cut up slices to bring to work on Monday in an attempt to get the cake out of my house so it didn't end up in the trashcan drowning in Palmolive.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Yield 1 (10-inch) cake

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened at room temp
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened at room temp
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preparation 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, 1 at a time, beating until combined. Crack eggs into a bowl first before adding to the mixture to make sure you avoid shells in the cake mix.





Sift 3 cups of flour. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla from the huge 1 liter Mexican vanilla bottle my mother in law shared with me.





Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan.





Smooth the top of the cake or bottom of the cake (depending how you look at it) with a spatula to even it out.






Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack. My pound cake had a crazy crusty layer on the bottom that I just peeled off. It was like candy, it was so sweet and cruchy but it wasn't pretty so I just threw it away.

CELEBRATE A HOLIDAY EVERYDAY IN JANUARY!!

• January 1st-New Year's Day- You already knew this one. Celebrate by getting ahead start on breaking your New Year's resolutions.
• January 2nd-55MPH Speed Limit Day-Observe the 55 MPH holiday by driving the speed limit in your state or country. Or if you don't like it just say "I can't drive 55"!
• January 3rd-J.R.R. Tolkien Day-Invite a Hobbit over for dinner! YAAAA!
• January 4th-World Hypnotism Day- Try to hypnotise your children into doing what you want them to do. (like that's going to happen).

• January 5th-Bird Day- Go out and pet a parrot and keep your fingers away from the beak.
• January 6th-Epiphany-Go to church and ring some bells.
• January 7th-I'm Not Going To Take It Anymore Day- Got a beef with someone, go up to them and yell this catchy little phrase to them.
• January 8th-Bubble Bath Day- When's the last time you've seen any man take a bubble bath. Women, go ahead and have a "calgon take me away night".
• January 9th-Balloon Ascension Day-This is the day you get to blow up a balloon with some helium, stick a note in it and let it fly!

• January 10th-National Cut Your Energy Cost Day-Go green! Turn the lights off and live by candlelight for the day.
• January 11th-National Clean Off your Desk Day-Admit, it, your desk could use a good cleaning.
• January 13th-Rubber Duckie Day-It's your lucky day. You get to take another bath this month, even if it's not time yet.
• January 14th-Dress Up Your Pet Day- Do we really think the dog or cat really likes to be dressed up!!

• January 15th-Humanitarian Day- Try doing a good deed for someone today.
• January 16th-Appreciate A Dragon Day-Dragons need to be appreciated, too....YES they're real!!
• January 17th-Customer Service Day-No matter how tempting it may be, do not allow yourself to do something weird to that persons food.
• January 18th-Thesaurus Day-Write a story, poem or a short note today. Use your computer's thesaurus to change all the adjectives to a synonym of that word.
• January 19th-Rid The World Of Fad Diets And Gimmicks Day- DVR a bunch of shows and then when you get home fast forward through the infomercials.

• January 20th-Camcorder Day- Today is the day to make a home video and submit it to America's Funniest Home Videos. Make sure you take your camcorder where ever you and your family go.
• January 21st-National Hugging Day-"Keep on Huggin".
• January 2nd-Answer Your Cat's Questions Day- This is for the people that can see dead people and skip where ever they go.
• January 23rd-National Handwriting Day-Write yourself a letter then learn how to analyze your handwriting. You might learn a little about yourself (Psycho!!).
• January 24th-Belly Laugh Day-Tell one of your good jokes to someone, just make sure it clean.

• January 25th-A Room Of One's Own Day- As a parent I wish I had one of these. (looking for plans to make a man cave!)
• January 26th-National Peanut Brittle Day-Try not to let it get stuck in your teeth.
• January 27th-Thomas Crapper Day- He was the inventor of the toilet. Try to use it at least a couple extra times on this day to salute Mr. Crapper.
• January 29th-Fun At Work Day- How many of us think a job is fun ? ......... Anyone?..... Anyone?

• January 30th-Inane Answering Message Day- I'll let you decide how to celebrate this one.
• January 31st-Inspire Your Heart With Art Day-Go to an art gallery and gaze at the paintings and sculptures.

NATIONAL FOOD HOLIDAYS IN JANUARY!!!

  When January comes along, you may think that the food holidays have come to an end, but you'd be wrong. January is filled with many food holidays. Here is a list of the food holidays you can look forward to in January.

• January 1st-Apple Gifting Day- This is such a fun day to celebrate. A fun way to enjoy this national food holiday is to bake an apple pie or some other favorite apple dessert that you may like. Christmas may be over, but it's never a bad time to bake a gift for someone.
• January 2nd-National Cream Puff Day- If you're tired of baking, never fret. You can always head to your local bakery and pick up some delicious cream puffs.
• January 3rd-Chocolate-Filled Cherry Day- Go out and enjoy a handful of some chocolate covered cherries. I can't seem to find any that are filled with chocolate.
• January 4th-National Spaghetti Day- Who doesn't love spaghetti (besides me)? On this food holiday, shake things up by making something different. Or at least make a homemade sauce or pasta!

• January 5th-National Whipped Cream Day- Whipped cream can be enjoyed in all kinds of ways. On this food holiday, why not have some strawberry short cake with lots and lots of whipped cream.
• January 6th-National Shortbread Day-On this food holiday, do something fun. Make a batch of shortbread cookies and take them to some of your co-workers.
• January 7th-National Tempura Day- Tempura is a batter that is usually found on Asian foods, such as sweet and sour pork. To enjoy this day, head out and pick up some Chinese food for dinner.
• January 8th-English Toffee Day- You can always make your own English toffee. But, if you want to celebrate this day, there is an easier way, just buy a Heath candy bar.
• January 9th-National Apricot Day- Apricots are tasty and healthy. On this food holiday, grab some dried apricots and mix them with some nuts and other dried fruit to create a trail mix.

• January 10th-Bittersweet Chocolate Day- Bittersweet chocolate makes some very good brownies. Do I need to say anything else?
• January 11th-Milk Day- I love milk, especially over ice! Have a glass with the leftover brownies you made a couple days ago.
• January 12th-Curried Chicken Day- Are you tired of the same old dinners every night? Then why not celebrate this food holiday and make something different!
• January 13th-National Peach Melba Day- Peaches, raspberries, and ice cream, does it get any better than that!!
• January 14th-National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day- On a cold day with a bowl of soup, nothing is better than soup and a hot pastrami sandwich, this is a food holiday that'll warm your insides.

• January 15th-Strawberry Ice Cream Day- January is the perfect time to enjoy a food holiday that brings out the summer when it's cold outside. How about a creamy, thick strawberry shake!
• January 16th-International Hot and Spicy Food Day- If you love spicy food, you'll love this food day. Prepare all your favorite appetizers, buffalo wings, jalapeno poppers and some spicy dipping sauce.
• January 17th-Hot-Buttered Rum Day- If you drink alcohol, this is a great way to warm up on a cold January evening. If you don't, just buy some buttered Rum Lifesavers.
• January 18th-Peking Duck Day- If you love Asian dishes, this is the food holiday for you. Take your sweetheart out for a nice Chinese dinner for two.
• January 19th-National Popcorn Day- Do you really need a reason to have some popcorn!

• January 20th-National Cheese Lover's Day- There are so many different ways to enjoy this holiday. You could serve nachos, cheeseburgers, or just go out an get a cheese pizza.
• January 21st-New England Clam Chowder Day- This is another great food holiday to celebrate on a cold January evening.
• January 22nd-National Blonde Brownie Day- Sure chocolate brownies are delicious, but blondies are also quite tasty as well.
• January 23rd- National Rhubarb Pie Day- I just want to know one thing...who's the one who ever thought of this kind of pie, especially one with strawberries in it....what a waste of some perfectly edible strawberries.
• January 24th-National Peanut Butter Day- This has to be one of the best food holidays. Enjoy some Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Maybe take a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch.

• January 25th-National Irish Coffee Day- If you don't drink alcohol, you can find Irish cream coffee creamer to enjoy instead.
• January 26th-National Pistachio Day- What better way to enjoy this food holiday than to sit back with a bowl of pistachios while watching some T.V.!
• January 27th-Chocolate Cake Day- Obviously, no one will have to be forced to partake in this food holiday!
• January 28th-National Blueberry Pancake Day- If you're looking for a healthy food holiday, make some whole wheat pancakes and sprinkle on your blueberries right before flipping it.
• January29th-National Corn Chip Day- Buy a bag of Frito's, some chili, add a little cheddar cheese and enjoy.

• January 30th-National Croissant Day- Enjoy this food holiday with some scrambled eggs and bacon.
• January 31st-Brandy Alexander Day- If you like to drink, you'll love this food holiday! Cheers!

PAPER FLOWER TUTORIAL!

   This comes from www.lorajeansmagazine.blogspot.com.  Have some fun a make a few of these for your party.

 

Paper decoration tutorial

I wanted to try my hand at making Martha's paper bag project from scratch. (Using book pages not paper bags.) And I thought I'd share my little adventure with you! You can make these with any kind of pretty paper that pleases you. These would make great party decorations so keep these in mind next time a birthday comes around.

The supplies you need are,

• 6 or 8 sheets of paper (I used 8 old book pages)
• double sided sticky tape
• scissors
• hole punch
• string

Fold each paper to create the paper bag-like fold in the sides. Tape the seam into place. Make 8 of these.

Punch a hole in the bottom of each one and cut the tops into a petal shape.

Tape them all together placing a piece of tape just above each hole.

Thread a string through all of them, then tie a knot. Not too tight though, so it can fan out later.

Leave a good length of string on the end so you can hang it up when your done.

Last, put tape on the top one and attach it to the back one. The middle ones will fan out nicely.

Hang it up and there you go! Feel free to ask any questions.

OREO COOKIES AND CREAM NO-BAKE CHEESECAKE!

   This recipe comes from www.bakersroyale.com .  Two of my favorite desserts together into one.  My Oh My!  Enjoy!


Oreo Cookies and Cream No-Bake Cheesecake ~ An adult dessert gets some kid lov’n with an Oreo crush.

Oreo Cookie and Cream No-Bake Cheesecake

What kid doesn’t love Oreos, right? But not every kid likes cheesecake. Please tell me I am not the only one that acquired a taste for cheesecake through the years.
In fact, I think my first bite of cheesecake was at a Cheesecake Factory when I was in high school. But maybe that had more to do with my parents being very strict, old world Asians. They convinced my siblings and me that American restaurants were for Americans, along with other weird ideas like makeup was to be worn when I was 30-something and boyfriends were had after college graduation. And by that I mean after I became a doctor.
Yeah, so much for parental influence. Eventually we westernized my dad but never my mom. She’s still wondering which cult abducted me every night and returned me to my bed before the sun rose.
My sweet tooth and baking obsession as attributed by her is an American influence that she hopes to wash away with fish sauce.
Uh, good luck! I’ve entered Willy Wonka’s world and I never want to leave.
I love this latest creation to come out of my Wonka factory: Oreo Cookies and Cream No-Bake Cheesecake. Seriously, one of my easiest desserts ever—ten minute prep, throw it in the fridge to set, and enjoy childhood bliss with every Oreo filled cheesecake bite.


A few notes:

• I made these as Mini Oreo Cookies and Cream Cheesecake, but the recipe will work just as well in a 9 inch cheesecake pan or springform.
• If you do not have vanilla powder you can omit it. I don’t recommend vanilla extract or it will end up coloring your cheesecake with a slight brownish color.
• For best results refrigerate overnight.
• Keep refrigerated up until 20 minutes before serving.
• Other no-bake cheesecakes you may like White Chocolate Tuxedo Cheesecake and SoNo’s No-Bake Cheesecake.

Oreo Cookies and Cream No-Bake Cheesecake

Makes 16 mini 2 inch cheesecakes or one 8 inch cheesecake.

Ingredients:


Crust:

 1 1/2 cup crushed graham cracker
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
7 tablespoon unsalted butter(melted)

Cheesecake:


2 ¼ cups heavy cream
1 pound cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoon vanilla powder
¾ cups Oreo Cookies, crushed



Instructions:


Crust:

1. Combine graham cracker crumbs with sugar.
2. Add melted butter and blend until combined.
3. Press into pan. Set aside.


Cheesecake:

1. Beat heavy cream until medium peaks form. Set aside.
2. Add cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla powder, lemon juice to a bowl and beat with a paddle attachment until smooth (approximately 3-5 mins). If you do not have a stand mixer or a paddle attachment a hand beater will work as well, but will take twice as long to achieve a smooth consistency.
3. Add cream cheese mixture to heavy cream and beat until incorporated.
4. Gently fold in Oreo cookies.
5. Fill chosen pan with a slight mound at the center, as the cheesecake will become slightly sunken at the center.
6. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours to set or overnight for best results.
7. Remove from refrigerator and smooth top to level with edges. Serve with whipping cream and garnish with mini Oreos.

TOURNAMENT OF ROSES PARADE!!

   This uniquely American event began as a promotional effort by Pasadena's distinguished Valley Hunt Club. In the winter of 1890, the club members brainstormed ways to promote the "Mediterranean of the West." They invited their former East Coast neighbors to a mid-winter holiday, where they could watch games such as chariot races, jousting, foot races, polo and tug-of-war under the warm California sun. The abundance of fresh flowers, even in the midst of winter, prompted the club to add another showcase for Pasadena's charm: a parade would precede the competition, where entrants would decorate their carriages with hundreds of blooms. The Tournament of Roses was born.

1958 U.S. Army Continental Band

   "In New York, people are buried in snow," announced Professor Charles F. Holder at a Club meeting. "Here our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear. Let's hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise."
    During the next few years, the festival expanded to include marching bands and motorized floats. The games on the town lot (which was re-named Tournament Park in 1900) included ostrich races, bronco busting demonstrations and a race between a camel and an elephant (the elephant won). Reviewing stands were built along the Parade route, and Eastern newspapers began to take notice of the event. In 1895, the Tournament of Roses Association was formed to take charge of the festival, which had grown too large for the Valley Hunt Club to handle.
   In 1902, the Tournament of Roses decided to enhance the day’s festivities by adding a football game – the first post season college football game ever held. Stanford University accepted the invitation to take on the powerhouse University of Michigan, but the West Coast team was flattened 49-0 and gave up in the third quarter. The lopsided score prompted the Tournament to give up football in favor of Roman-style chariot races. In 1916, football returned to stay and the crowds soon outgrew the stands in Tournament Park. William L. Leishman, the Tournament’s 1920 President,

1905 Chariot races

envisioned a stadium similar to the Yale Bowl, the first great modern football stadium, to be built in Pasadena’s Arroyo Seco area. The new stadium hosted its first New Year’s football game in 1923 and soon earned the nickname “The Rose Bowl.”
   The Tournament of Roses has come a long way since its early days. The Rose Parade’s elaborate floats now feature high-tech computerized animation and exotic natural materials from around the world. Although a few floats are still built exclusively by volunteers from their sponsoring communities, most are built by professional float building companies and take nearly a year to construct. The year-long effort pays off on New Year’s morning, when millions of viewers around the world enjoy the Rose Parade.
   Nicknamed “The Granddaddy of Them All” the Rose Bowl Game has been a sellout attraction every year since 1947. That year’s contest was the first game played under the Tournament’s exclusive agreement with the Big Ten and Pac-10 conferences. The 1998 Rose Bowl Game was the 52nd anniversary of that agreement, the longest standing tradition of any collegiate conference and a bowl association. Now, as part of the Bowl Championship Series, the Rose Bowl has hosted the National Championship Game between the top two teams in the nation in 2002, 2006, 2010 and will host the National Championship again in 2014.

Rose Parade History

   This uniquely American event began as a promotional effort by Pasadena's distinguished Valley Hunt Club. In the winter of 1890, the club members brainstormed ways to promote the "Mediterranean of the West." They invited their former East Coast neighbors to a mid-winter holiday, where they could watch games such as chariot races, jousting, foot races, polo and tug-of-war under the warm California sun. The abundance of fresh flowers, even in the midst of winter, prompted the club to add another showcase for Pasadena's charm: a parade would precede the competition, where entrants would decorate their carriages with hundreds of blooms. The Tournament of Roses was born.
   "In New York, people are buried in snow," announced Professor Charles F. Holder at a Club meeting. "Here our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear. Let's hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise."

   During the next few years, the festival expanded to include marching bands and motorized floats. The games on the town lot (which was re-named Tournament Park in 1900) included ostrich races, bronco busting demonstrations and a race between a camel and an elephant (the elephant won). Reviewing stands were built along the Parade route, and Eastern newspapers began to take notice of the event. In 1895, the Tournament of Roses Association was formed to take charge of the festival, which had grown too large for the Valley Hunt Club to handle.
   The Tournament of Roses has come a long way since its early days. The Rose Parade’s elaborate floats now feature high-tech computerized animation and exotic natural materials from around the world. Although a few floats are still built exclusively by volunteers from their sponsoring communities, most are built by professional float building companies and take nearly a year to construct. The year-long effort pays off on New Year’s morning, when millions of viewers around the world enjoy the Rose Parade.

History of the Tournament House


   Tournament House is the official headquarters of the Tournament of Roses Association, its staff and the 935 volunteers who work year-round to organize the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game.
The house was built by architect G. Lawrence Stimson in 1906 and his father, prominent builder George w. Stimson. The younger Stimson paid great attention to detail in his design and construction. Within the structure’s three stories are 22 rooms and 18,500 square feet of artistry; ornate molded ceilings, inlaid marble floors, and finely crafted woodwork. The interior’s full grandeur was restored in a renovation project completed in 2002.
   This elegant Italian Renaissance-style mansion was presented to the city of Pasadena in 1958 by the William Wrigley family for the exclusive use of the Tournament. Chewing gum magnate William Wrigley Jr. purchased the home in 1914 for $170,000. A year later, he paid $25,000 for the adjoining property, clearing the way for the 4.5-acre garden. In its time, the Wrigley’s winter residence was considered a more modest home on “Millionaire’s Row.” But of their six homes across the country, the Pasadena getaway was Mrs. Wrigley’s favorite. She delighted in watching the parade from her own front yard.
   The interior of the house features richly paneled rooms, inlaid marble floors and ornate molded plaster ceilings. Among the highlights of the tour are a one-of-a-kind Waterford rose bowl commissioned for the centennial of the Tournament of Roses; and the formal portrait of the reigning Rose Queen. Exhibited items of interest are crowns and tiaras worn by former Rose Queens and Princesses and Rose Bowl related trophies and memorabilia.
   Outside the House, the Centennial Rose Garden features the All-America Rose Selections (AARS) award-winning Tournament of Roses rose developed especially for the Tournament of Roses Centennial. Surrounding Tournament House are the Wrigley Gardens, which feature a 4½-acre floral display of more than 1,500 varieties of roses, camellias and annuals.
   Tournament House and its surroundings provide a majestic backdrop for many Tournament activities, including the highly anticipated announcements of the Grand Marshal, Rose Queen and Royal Court. The many treasures throughout the house recall past tournaments and highlight a rich history of grace and style.

THE HISTORY OF THE WATERFORD CRYSTAL NEW YEAR'S EVE BALL!!!

    The most famous ball in America will make it's decent into Times Square this December, ringing in more than just another "Happy New Year"! among fellow Americans. While it may be the largest New Year's Eve Ball ever to grace New York City. It may also be the most eco-friendly ball as well. The new ball is 20% more energy efficient than the previous one, which will make it a sure crowd pleaser for the many Americans who are becoming more eco-conscious. At 12 feet across and 11,875 pounds, the ball will be the largest ball to drop in Times Square since the beginning of the tradition. It also contains 2,668 Waterford Crystals and 32,256 LED's, which make the ball capable of producing more than 16 million colors and several billion patterns. It will be the most beautiful and breathtaking New Year's Eve Ball to date. But where did the idea for the ball come from? Who started this tradition, and when was the Waterford Crystal introduced into this famous past time?

the ball from 1978

The History of the New Year's Eve Ball and the Waterford Crystal

    In 1907, Jacob Starr created a giant ball combining wood, iron, and one hundred 25 watt light bulbs. The New Year's Eve Ball would become known as one of the most famous tributes tot he New Year in American history. Weighing in at 700 pounds and stretching 5 feet across, the new tradition was born. The first ball was used every year until 1920, when it was replaced with a 400 pound wrought iron ball. From the twenties to the mid fifties the ball remained unchanged.
    Unfortunately, during World War II, the New Year's Eve Ball did not make its usual descent to earth. In 1942 and 1943, the ball remained unlit in fear of war time enemies attacking. However, in 1944, the famous New Yorker returned to it's beloved place high atop Times Square.

2000-2007 ball

    In 1955, the ball was replaced yet again for a third time to a smaller, 200 pound aluminum ball. While the ball was lighter in weight, it was no less famous and no less elegant, and this ball reigned until the 1980's.
    1981 brought a new decade for the ball, while the original ball itself was not actually replaced, the light bulbs, were replaced with red ones. The pole from which the famous ball dropped was painted green-all of this was done to simulate a "Big Apple". This was being done to promote the "I Love New York" campaign-more famously known today as the "I heart NY T-shirts, coffee mugs and so forth that we see today. The ball was returned to its famous bright white bulbs in 1989, at the end of the campaign.

Aside from a few colored light bulbs and a new paint job, the New Year's Eve Ball remained the same for 40 years. In 1995, the ball was all but brought into the new century. It was updated to an aluminum skin with strobe lights, rhinestone gems and more-all generated by computers. This was also the beginning of the true Waterford Crystal that we know and love today.
    For the millennium, the ball was completely designed. Aside from the ball that will grace New York's Time Square this December, the ball form weighed in at over 1,000 pounds-making it the largest in both weight and width (at 6 feet across). It contained a mixture of 168 halogen bulbs and 432 light bulbs of red, green, blue, yellow and white-which were all used in different "Hope" campaign themes.
    This famous New Yorker has been around for over 100 years and will be making its drop from 475 feet above Times Square.