This wonderful cake is so easy to put together and you most likely already have all of the ingredients in your own kitchen. It’s topped off with a delicious vanilla-butter sauce that gives extra sweetness and moistness to the already delicious buttery cake.

I guarantee that it will make you a star at your next get-together and everyone will be asking for the recipe!

Kentucky Butter Cake

Ingredients for the Cake

1 Cup unsalted butter, softened

2 Cups granulated sugar

5 large eggs

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract

Ingredients for the Glaze

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions for the Cake

Preheat oven to 325 Degrees

In a medium bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

Stir together the buttermilk and vanilla extract in a liquid measuring cup and set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and granulated sugar on a medium-high speed until light and airy, about 3-5 minutes.

Add eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating until incorporated. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl often.

Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture in thirds.

Mix until thoroughly combined, scraping down the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.

Generously coat a 10-inch Bundt pan with baking spray.

Transfer batter to the prepared Bundt pan.

Bake for 60-70 minutes until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, preparer the glaze. Add the sugar, butter, and water into a saucepan and heat until the sugar has dissolved, making sure not to let the glaze boil.

Stir in the vanilla extract

When cake has finished baking, remove from oven and place on a cooling rack. Using a large skewer, immediately poke deep holes all over the cake without removing from pan.

Slowly pour half of the glaze (about 3/4 cup) over the top of the cake, giving the cake time to absorb before adding more glaze. Allow the cake to rest for 10 minutes to allow the glaze to absorb fully.

Be sure not to let it sit in the pan longer than 10 minutes, or the glaze could cause the cake to stick inside the pan.

Loosen the sides of the cake, then invert the cake onto a plate or serving platter. Warm the remaining glaze up slightly, then slowly pour over the top of the cake.

Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.

(Recipe adapted from Southern Living)

As we are in the throes of Summer and the heat (and humidity!) is atrocious in Virginia it’s the perfect time to enjoy something cool and refreshing for dinner.

I’ve made this salad for years and it’s fun because you can add your favorite seasonal fruits and veggies – so you can really make it as your own – however you like it!

The homemade honey-vinaigrette dressing is the perfect topping for this bowl of deliciousness!

Delicious Summer Salad

Ingredients for the Salad

2 cups of green leaf lettuce

2 cups of fresh spinach

1 cup of cherry tomatoes

1 cup of strawberries (quartered)

1 seedless cucumber, chopped

1 cup of mandarin oranges

1 cup of blueberries

1 cup matchstick carrots

1 1/2 chopped pecans

1 cup of crumbled Feta Cheese

Ingredients for the Honey-Vinaigrette Dressing

1/2 cup Canola Oil

1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons of honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

In a large bowl, add the green leaf lettuce and spinach

Add the fruit and veggies

Add the crumbled feta cheese and chopped pecans

Mix and toss really well.

Directions for Honey-Vinaigrette

Add all ingredients to a small bowl and mix well. Put into an airtight jar with a lid and shake. Pour over each bowl of salad.

Store any leftover Honey-Vinaigrette in the refrigerator for a few days (if there is any left!)

I served the salad with cold rotisserie chicken. It made for a delicious dinner 😋

Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter have known each other basically all of their lives.

Growing up as next door neighbors in the small town of Plains, Georgia, their families were close friends. Jimmy’s mother, Miss Lillian, even helped bring Rosalynn into the world during the Summer of 1927. A young Jimmy, at three years old, met her for the very first time a few days afterwards.

When Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter became officially engaged he gifted her with an engraved compact that had the letters ILYTGwhich meant “I love you the goodest” (it was something his parents affectionately said to one another).

They were married on July 7, 1946 at the Plains Methodist Church in their hometown and as they say…the rest is history.

Happy 77th wedding anniversary to this wonderful couple.

Today in American history…Dwight and Mamie Eisenhower were married on July 1, 1916 in Denver, Colorado.

Former First Lady Bess Truman loved to cook for her family. The recipes were simple and good old homestyle cooking. One of her recipes was this delicious concoction of Candy Carrots.

The syrupy sweetness of the melted brown sugar and butter make a perfect vegetable side dish (or maybe even a dessert!)

Today in American history…Margaret Mitchell published the American classic novel “Gone with the Wind” on June 30, 1936.

Chess Pie and Buttermilk Pie are very similar…and then again they aren’t.

They are both classic Southern desserts and had often been referred to as “desperation pies” because the ingredients were usually available in everyone’s kitchen, economical and practical.

But what is the difference?

Chess Pie usually has cornmeal or flour as an ingredient (or use both). This would allow the filing to thicken and if you use cornmeal by itself – it gives the pie a beautiful yellow color.

Both pies include buttermilk, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract.

Buttermilk Pie includes lemon juice and lemon zest in the ingredients. You also won’t find cornmeal in the ingredients and use only flour – which (like Chess Pie) allows the filling to thicken.

Both pies are like a custard in a buttery pie crust and are absolutely delicious!

Chess Pie

Ingredients

9 inch pie crust, unbaked

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons flour

5 eggs

⅔ cup buttermilk

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Add the white sugar, brown sugar, salt, and flour to a large bowl and whisk together.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, melted butter and vanilla.

Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients bowl and whisk to form a smooth, liquid filling.

Pour the chess pie filling into the unbaked pie crust.

Bake for about 50-55 minutes. The custard should be set in the center of the pie and jiggle slightly when you touch it.

The top of the pie will no longer look wet but have a matte, golden brown color.

Make sure to let the pie cool for a few hours before slicing and serving.

Hello everyone! ❤️

And Happy National Chocolate Pudding Day!

Really…for you chocolate lovers out there… today is a special (and oh so sweet) day.

Since childhood I’ve always been about pudding. Everyone has there preference. My husband’s favorite is pistachio. Pistachio puffing…cake…pie…he’s all about everything pistachio.

Homemade chocolate pudding…it’s probably my favorite “go to” when I’m having a rough day and need a good old sweet treat that makes my heart happy. Netflix + pajamas + chocolate pudding = happy me.

I’ve always gravitated towards Hershey’s chocolate. The plain Hershey’s chocolate bars have been a favorite since as far back as I can remember. For Chocolate milk? My mom always used Hershey’s chocolate syrup too (sometimes I would eat it by the spoonful!)

So, of course, I used Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder to make homemade chocolate pudding as well as a Hershey’s traditional chocolate bar for chocolate shavings.

I hope that you take a moment out of your day and taste a bit of chocolate pudding. I guarantee it will make you smile 😊

Ingredients

2 Large Egg Yolks

2 TBSP Cornstarch

2 Cups of Whole Milk, Divided

1/2 Cup Sugar

1/4 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (I prefer Hershey’s but other brands work too!)

1/4 tsp Salt

2 tsp Vanilla or Chocolate Extract (I used vanilla)

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks for about 60 seconds until light yellow and increased in volume, then whisk in the cornstarch and about 1/4 cup of the milk. Once smooth and incorporated, set aside.

Place the sugar, cocoa, salt, and remaining milk in a saucepan, and bring to a scald over medium-high heat, which is when the liquid is about 180-190ºF. This is before the mixture comes to a boil, and in this stage you will see little bubbles start forming on the sides of the pan. Remove the pan from the heat and, while whisking constantly, dribble the hot cocoa into the egg cornstarch mixture very gradually. We are tempering so we don’t scramble the eggs. Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook over medium high heat, whisking constantly, until the pudding comes to a full boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and continue whisking for a couple minutes until the pudding is thickened.

Remove the pudding from the heat and stir in the chocolate or vanilla extract. Pour the pudding into a bowl and press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding so a skin doesn’t form. Refrigerate for an hour or two until chilled.

Scoop into small cups and add a dab of Cool Whip and Hershey’s chocolate bar shavings (if you desire) or just eat it plain. Yummy yummy 😋

Serve and enjoy!

I used/adapted The Pioneer Woman’s recipe which can be found here.

This is not your momma’s traditional Banana Walnut Bread 🤣 With a dash of Rum (or Bourbon) in the mix it’s just so tantalizing and tasty! I used Rum vs. Bourbon because Rum brings a subtle sweetness to the bread – almost like vanilla. So one can’t go wrong with that!

Ingredients

11/3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon baking_powder

5 1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 large eggs lightly beaten

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon of rum (or you can use bourbon). For more of a rum taste, add an extra tablespoonful.

Directions

Note: It is important to have all of the ingredients at room temperature.

Position the oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan. I use parchment paper to line the bottom and grease again just to make sure the bread doesn’t stick! Once this is done, set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda) in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream the butter until it’s lightened in color and texture.

Mix in the flour mixture until well blended and is like the consistency of brown sugar.

Gradually beat in the eggs.

Fold in the mashed bananas, walnuts, and bourbon.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 5 – 10 minutes before releasing from the pan to cool completely.

(Recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking)