I don’t know how or why but the weeks fly by faster and faster. I’ve always been told, “The older you get, the faster time goes by.” Well, there’s truth in that statement. Do you remember when you were a young teenager and it seemed like forever till you reached 16 and could get your driver’s license? And then it was 18 so you could be legal? (that tells my age)
I am always going to slow down, enjoy and appreciate all the time I get to spend with my children, grandchildren and family. My intentions are sincere and I maybe attempted that fate in some small fashion but not as much as I’d like. I don’t know about you, but I’m not getting any younger for sure.
Speaking of slowing down and enjoying something, how about a red velvet cake? My favorite time to eat cake is at night when I can wind down and savor the flavors slowly, hoping I don’t eat it too fast so I won’t have to go back and get another slice! It doesn’t always work that way, though! I have always had a sweet tooth and it has become the downfall of all my dieting efforts over the years. In the summer it’s homemade ice cream time! My grands call me “The Queen of Cream!” I reminisce about the times when I was at my Grandpa’s house, sitting on the ice cream churn to hold it down while it was hand cranked! My Grandpa always had pineapple ice cream, which is my favorite, and he ate it with soda crackers. I still do that! It’s the sweet with the salty. Try it sometime!
Let’s all slow down and enjoy our Summer 2024! It will fly by quickly!
Red Velvet Cake
½ cup shortening
1 ½ cups sugar
2 eggs
3 teaspoons cocoa
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
Dash of salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring
2 ounces red food coloring
1 tablespoon of white vinegar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine shortening and sugar and beat till fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. In a separate bowl, combine cocoa, flour, baking soda and salt, sifting or whisk til combined. Alternate buttermilk and flour mixture, beating at medium speed. Add in red food coloring, vanilla flavoring and vinegar at the end. Pour batter into 3 cake pans that have been greased and floured. Bake for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Cream Cheese Icing
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1 box or (3 ½ to 4 cups) of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla flavoring
Cream together butter and cream cheese till fluffy, then add powdered sugar slowly to mixture, blending well after each addition. Add vanilla flavoring. Spread on cooled cake layers and sides as desired. You can add pecans to your icing or sprinkle on top, if desired. **I usually double my icing because I like lots of icing!
Vanilla Ice Cream
4 quart churn
3 eggs, beaten
3 cups sugar
2 cans evaporated milk
1 quart of whipping cream
Whole milk
1 tablespoon of vanilla flavoring
***(any fruit can be added but adjust the sugar as needed)
Beat eggs, add sugar and cream til fluffy. Add evaporated milk and combine. Pour into churn, add whipping cream and then fill with whole milk. Stir in vanilla. Churn!