Somewhere in Middle America

summer strawberry cake

After our deliciously healthy dinner Sunday night, J decided he wanted to bake a cake. Not one to object to freshly made cake, I agreed to help. While he prepared the batter following the Martha Stewart recipe below, and I hulled and halved the strawberries. Our teamwork paid off in a big way–a delicious summer strawberry cake. If only we hadn’t forgotten to top it off with Cool Whip!

Ingredients

Makes one 10-inch cake

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pie plate
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch pie plate. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.
  2. Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla.
  3. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered pie plate. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.
  4. Bake cake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool in pie plate on a wire rack. Cut into wedges. Cake can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 2 days.

tastes like chicken…

… but it’s swordfish! Check out the gourmet salad my husband prepared for dinner last, which included fresh sweet corn from the Farmer’s Market and a homemade blueberry vinaigrette.

she’s got the look

I love everything about this look… the slouchy clothing… the crafty floral necklace… the summer fedora… the bright red lips. Wonder if I could pull it off?

(image via The Sartorialist)

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bill vs edward

During an interview with Marie Claire, Stephen Moyer, who plays Bill Compton on HBO’s “True Blood,” said this about Robert Pattinson of “Twilight” fame:

“He’s a pussy! He’s the Slim-Fast, Diet Coke of vampires.”

Hmm… Would you prefer to be bitten by Bill or Edward? I still think I’m Team Edward.

(image source)

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