Pound Cake

For lack of anything else to write about,

I'm going to share this very very very best pound cake recipe.

It is actually Ann's and she got it out of Southern Living - It's a Cream Cheese Pound Cake - so many people have either the same recipe or a similar one - still - have to share this one and it is scrumptious to eat - and imagine the aroma while it is baking.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

3 sticks real butter, softened

1(8-oz) package cream cheese, softened

3 cups sugar

5 eggs

3 cups cake flour(or sifted, then measured, all-purpose flour)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour 10-inch tube pan.

In a large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese together until fluffy. Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla and almond extract.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour and salt.

Slowly add flour to butter mixture and beat until well blended.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes, invert onto wire rack, and cool completely.

That is the yummiest, soul satisfying, oh, and hunger/sweet tooth satisfying pound cake.

Make it for a friend.

An aside - let me tell you about this morning's simple events.

Notice how the font has turned blue. That's because I am about to talk about my hydrangeas. :-)

I was outside with damp around the edges hair, greeting Ellie and Luke and speaking with Sarah also, after Ann had just left for Wal-Mart. And a very nice looking lady in a nice looking car pulled into my drive. A bit older than I, so has my respect, immediately. She was asking about my hydrangeas!!! That thrilled me to death. She's a neighbor way down the street. I've never met her - but she wanted to know how I got them so blue and said that she has been seeing them everytime she passes. That was one of the ultimate compliments for me and made my day - First, that she'd ask about MY hydrangeas - and Second, that someone was comfortable and pleasant enough to just randomly pull in and we had a neighborly chat. She was delightful.

So - nice summer morning event and we stood under the shade of our maple tree - because it's SO HOT already. But I'm not complaining. It's summertime - and all the leaves are green and lush and we've had plenty of rain this summer - I'll take even more, gladly - and the grass needs cutting -

Who doesn't long for a more simple time when our culture moved more slowly and we could all enjoy simple pleasures.

Pound Cake

Quick Spontaneous Visits in the Yard

Cups of Coffee with Friends, Morning or Afternoon

Back Porch Swing in the late afternoon or early morning,

shared with family or friends.

Digging in the Dirt.

Not Spending Money, But Enjoying What I Have

Seeing Flowers in Bloom

Sitting on a small stool and weeding, slowly, a little at a time.

There are so many.

Anyone want to post a comment and tell a few of your favorite simple pleasures?

Oh - and the wild hugs I get from my grandchildren when they first see me - and the smell of Andrew - clean or spitup - either one. and his cute smiling face.

Someone go make that pound cake, right now. :-)