Black Girl Chef’s Whites

Meyer Lemon Tree

Life Happens…and it has been happening to me with a vengeance! In the past few weeks I threw my baby girl a 3rd birthday party, nursed her back to health after she got sick, then I got sick, then my mother got sick. But then my mother got sicker, and sicker and is now hospitalized.  She will recover, and is getting stronger every day, thank goodness!

But my other baby, Black Girl Chef’s Whites has been neglected.  I will be back with more of my original recipes soon, but for now I am re-posting a recipe for my fabulous pound cake, which is one of my mother’s favorite cakes to make and to eat.

Organic Meyer Lemons

Some may disagree with my rather opinionated title, but this really is a special pound cake.  I grew up eating this cake (and have the hips to prove it) and I have not tasted a more scrumptious pound cake.

Many years ago in Louisiana this pound cake recipe was handed down to my mother Vera Lee by her cousin Zephyr Stephens.  And years before it had been handed down to Zephyr.  And now it is mine.

Growing up in Pasadena, CA everyone had some sort of fruit tree in their yard.  We have Meyer lemons, so that is what I use to make the glaze for the cake.  Because Meyer lemons are sweeter and more floral than other lemons, it really makes a difference in the flavor of the cake.

The cake is called “Millionaires Pound Cake” and you can find variations on many recipe websites.  The common link seems to be that the recipe was passed down from one generation to the next.  If anyone knows the exact origin of the recipe I would love to know.

Best Pound Cake Ever

1  lb butter, room temperature

3 cups sugar

6 large eggs, room temperature

4 cups flour, sifted

3/4 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon extract

Glaze

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice (any fresh lemon juice will work)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Butter and flour 16 cup angel food/pound cake style pan.

In electric mixer cream butter and sugar.  Add eggs one at a time, beat until incorporated.  Add flour and milk alternately, ending with the flour.  Add extracts, beat well, making sure to scrape down bowl as needed.

Pour batter into prepared pan, bake for 1 1/2 hours until pick inserted in cake comes out clean.  Cool in pan on rack for 30 minutes, then remove cake from pan.

Mix glaze ingredients and pour over the cake while still hot.

Let the cake cool (slightly at least) then devour.  And you will devour it…

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When I lived in New York, occasionally (OK, at least once a week) I would stop by my favorite pizza joint for a sausage roll.  Inside the dough would be Italian sausage, peppers, onion, pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese.  Think of it as a pizza slice rolled up on itself.  Now that I am back in California, you don’t find them as easily.  In fact, I don’t think I’ve had one since I got back!  Oh the horror!

When I began developing recipes for Foodbuzz Family Bites I thought about making a pizza roll.  But then that idea began to morph into something similar, yet distinctly different.  Since these were to be family friendly recipes, I needed to make something that would come together easily, but still be a meal your family would want again and again.

Newman’s Own, which sponsors Family Bites, was my starting point.  I was sent some product samples to develop recipes with, but the product I used for this recipe was one I bought myself.  I really like their Black Bean and Corn Salsa, and thought it would be very tasty in a baked roll.  So once again, my idea morphed and began to get a more “South of the Border” feel.

This is basically a four ingredient (not counting spices) recipe, and would be great to make with your kids.  Prefer ground beef? Use it.  Have some shredded chicken in the fridge? Use it. Vegetarian? Dice up some tofu, toss it with the spices, and follow the rest of the recipe.

If you’re having a cocktail party serve this and watch your guests gobble it up!  They taste great whether you’re 4 or 40.

Baked Mexi-Cal Turkey Roll

1 pound ground turkey

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp red pepper flakes

¼ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp dried oregano

2 cans (8 ounce) refrigerated crescent roll seamless dough sheet

1 cup Newman’s Own Black Bean and Corn salsa

2 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, cook the turkey, salt, red pepper, cumin and oregano until well browned. Cool slightly.
3. Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Unroll the crescent roll dough onto the baking sheets.
4. Spoon half the turkey lengthwise on the dough sheet, placing it towards one edge.  Spoon ½ cup Newman’s Own Black Bean and Corn Salsa down the length of the turkey, then top with 1 cup of cheese.  Repeat layering on the other dough sheet.
5. Carefully fold the dough over the filling, tucking the edge under.  Press down on the ends to seal them, and tuck the sealed ends under.
6. Bake the rolls for 20 minutes, until golden brown.  Slice and serve with additional salsa for dipping.

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Winter means root vegetables…carrots, potatoes, squashes of all kinds, turnips, and parsnips.  Roasting root vegetables brings out their sweetness, making them a great side dish.  I developed this recipe to be featured on the Family Bites page from Foodbuzz, presented by Newman’s Own.  Please visit the site to more family friendly recipes using Newman’s Own products.

This salad adds a slight twist to your average roasted vegetable, by infusing them with a maximum flavor boost from vinaigrette while still hot, then allowing them to cool to room temperature before serving.

Roasted Vegetable Salad

1 bag (16 ounce) baby carrots

2 small sweet potatoes, cut into bite size pieces

1 package (8 ounce) crimini mushrooms, halved

1 large red onion, cut into bite size pieces

¼ cup olive oil

½ tsp salt

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 cup Newman’s Own Balsamic Vinaigrette

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place baby carrots, sweet potatoes, mushrooms and red onions into a large bowl.  Add olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat.
3. Spread the vegetables in a single layer onto a large baking sheet.
4. Roast the vegetables for 40 minutes, until tender.
5. Pour the balsamic vinaigrette over the hot vegetables, and let them cool on the baking sheet.
6. Serve the vegetable salad at room temperature.

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Honey Mustard Pork Salad

Recently I was honored that my blog was chosen to be featured on the Foodbuzz website Family Bites page, presented by Newman’s Own. If you are unfamiliar with Newman’s Own products, the company was started by the late Paul Newman in 1982.  All profits are given to charity, so not only are you buying a high quality product you are giving back to those who need help.

I developed nine original recipes using Newman’s Own products, all designed to be family friendly and uncomplicated.  But uncomplicated does not mean it should not taste great.

This recipe has only a few ingredients, but is packed with flavor.  If you do not eat pork, you can substitute with chicken or turkey cutlets.

Please visit the Foodbuzz Family Bites page to see more recipes.

Honey Mustard Pork Salad

1 pork tenderloin

1/3 cup Newman’s own Light Honey Mustard dressing

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 bags (7 ounces) butter lettuce and radicchio blend

1 package (5 ounce) crumbled feta cheese

1 package cherry tomatoes

1. In a large bowl or re-sealable plastic bag marinate the pork for at least one hour in the dressing.  When ready to cook heat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof skillet. Brown the tenderloin on all sides, then finish cooking it in the oven for 20 – 25 minutes.  Let the tenderloin rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing thinly.
3. Divide the lettuce among four plates.  Sprinkle ¼ cup of feta cheese and some cherry tomatoes over the lettuce on each plate.  Divide the pork slices among the plates, fanning them out.
4. Drizzle each salad with Newman’s Own Light Honey Mustard dressing and serve immediately.

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