Old Fashioned Pound Cake

I had often thought about making a pound cake. I mean the recipe is simple enough, one pound each of flour, sugar, eggs and butter.  What could be simpler than that?

Researching "Pound Cake History" made it much different.  Most sources did agree that pound cake originated in Europe in the 1700s.  The basic recipe is attributed to the high rate of illiteracy at the time, so a recipe where the amount and ingredients were easily memorized was prized. Many recipes from the period called for adding other items (rose water, brandy, orange or lemon zest and/or juice) for flavor.  Later recipes differ in whether it should be made with regular or cake flour and whether it should be made in a loaf pan or bundt pan.

Since cake flour is generally attributed to have been invented in the mid 1800s and in the 1700s when the recipe was supposedly started I think most folks used whatever flour and pan they had. I decided to use all-purpose flour as that is probably the closest to what they had then. I also decided to use a more modern pan, a Silicone Loaf Pan. If I had either a copper or cast iron loaf pan I would have used that, but I am trying to stay as true to the basic recipe as I can.

A couple items I noticed in my research was that while the basic recipe called for one pound of each of the ingredients most homes in that day only had one or two cooking pots so the amount of the ingredients would be tailored to the pot while keeping the 1:1:1:1 ratio. Another was that no leavening was added. The rise of the cake was determined by the amount of air whipped into the batter. I'm glad I have a power mixer.

On a final note, since I am using a loaf pan to test this I'm going to make an "Old Fashioned Half Pound Cake" in that I am going to use only a half pound of all the ingredients.

Let's get baking!

Preheat your oven to 350*F

First you need 2 sticks of room temp butter. If you forget to get them out with enough time to soften, you can soften them in the microwave. Beat them at low speed with your mixer until thoroughly creamed.

Next add the confectioners sugar. 1 - 3/4 cups worth. Again beat at low speed until thoroughly creamed together. I use a silicone spatula to scrape the sides down and make sure everything is mixed well.

5 eggs are next. I crack the eggs one at a time into a clear glass custard cup and check for any shell fragments before adding it to the mix. Once all 5 are in the bowl, mix thoroughly.

One side note. Keep the spatula away from the beaters when mixing. Once I got it a little too close (like in the beaters) and ended up with chunks of silicone in the mix. As you can guess, that ended that mixture right then.

Now add 1-3/4 cups all purpose flour. Mix it very well, scraping the sides down into the mixture.

I was also baking dinner as I was mixing this, so I neglected to take photos of each step after the mixing was done.  I'll do that next time and add them here.

Pour the mixture into the loaf pan, leveling it with the spatula. If you're using a Silicone Loaf Pan you'll need to place it on a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper between the baking sheet and Silicone Loaf Pan.

Bake at 350*F for 50-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool for 15 - 20 minutes in the pan on a rack and then carefully remove to the rack to finish cooling.

Slice, top with fresh fruit or ice cream or your favorite topping and enjoy!

Easy Moist Banana Bread

Mmmmm ... Fresh Banana Bread!

Everyone loves Banana Bread. I think it's pre-programmed into our genetic structure! A little twist on this recipe makes it nice and moist!

Preheat your oven to 325*F

For each loaf you'll need:

2 or 3 ripe bananas
1 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup oil (I use coconut oil)
2 eggs
1 cup vanilla yogurt (or plain yogurt and 2 teaspoons vanilla)
1-1/2 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour




Optional: Add 1/2 cup chopped nuts or raisins or chocolate chips


In a medium bowl start with the bananas. Blend with a hand mixer on low speed until thoroughly mashed. Add the remaining items one at a time, mixing well between each item.

Place your Silicone Loaf Pan on a cookie sheet (I'm glad I didn't throw that old thing away!) with a piece of parchment paper under loaf pan (You can reuse the parchment paper until it starts getting discolored and brittle). Fill to about 1" from the top.

Ready for the oven!

Bake at 325*F for 55-60 minutes. Start checking at 50 minutes for doneness.

When done remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.

It's so hard to wait for them to cool!

When mostly cooled (who can wait for them to cool all the way? Besides, I want the butter I put on the slice to melt!) turn out onto the wire rack. Slice and enjoy!

Spin to a Clean Floor!

Special Prices Good 10/07/15 thru 10/09/15
 

 

This is the mop I use. It is basically the same as the Fiesta Red Spin Mop without the large bucket. That works for me as storage space is at a premium in my house. I use two ice cream buckets with mine, one with the cleaning solution and the other with the spin basket to remove the excess cleaning solution. No more hand wringing!

The Fiesta Red Spin Mop head rotates as you work, quickly and effectively cleaning up dirt, dust and other messes off hard surfaces. It's nano-technology microfiber material is ultra-absorbent and can be used dry to dust around the house! Hands free mopping system allows you to use a clean mop head every time without touching dirty, soapy water. Mop head has special microfiber woven yarn strands to absorb wetness and prevent fraying. Leaves no streaks, trails, drips or smears and easily grabs liquids, dirt, dust or hair. Won't scratch hard surfaces including no-wax vinyl, laminate, linoleum, tile, marble, slate and sealed wood wet or dry. The 360 rotating mop head can easily be attached or removed for easy washing. The adjustable head can fit underneath furniture or between narrow places. Microfiber Stands with nano-technology is ultra-absorbent for your messiest spills.

The spinning basket easily fits into sinks, bathtubs, showers, and more. As the mop head spins, the specially designed basket drains excess water back into your sink or bucket, allowing you to control the wetness of your mop head. Hands-free mopping system, use a clean mop head every time without touching dirty, soapy water. Suction cup feet for stability. 

This video will show how well the spin mops do the job, just remember this offer is for the Spin Mop Junior, which comes with the spin basket instead of the large spin bucket. If you prefer to have the bucket, the Fiesta Red Spin Mop can be ordered here.




What I really like about these mops (besides the fact they work great!) is that I don't have to hand wring the mop head to get the cleaning solution out. These mops can be used wet or as a dry mop to do a quick dusting of hard floor surfaces.

Buy single Spin Mop Juniors at $27.99 (30% off!) each by clicking here (Limit 3)

If you are planning to order more than one Spin Mop Junior you'll want to use one these offers:

Buy a set of two Spin Mop Juniors for $47.98 ($23.99 each - 40% off!!) by clicking here. (Limit of 3 up to 6 mops total)

Buy a set of three Spin Mop Juniors for $59.98 ($19.99 each or 50% off!!!) by clicking here. (Limit 3 or up to 9 mops total)

If you prefer to order by phone you can do so by calling 1-800-522-0499. Please give the operator Distributor ID#532600. The item number for single mops is 56024. For sets of two it is 5602402 and for sets of three it is 5602403.  The Fiesta Red Spin Mop is Item #56019.


Things to remember when you order from Fuller Brush:

• All Fuller Brush products are satisfaction guaranteed
• Fuller Charges a flat $7.95 shipping per order*

Thank you!

* $7.95 flat rate shipping applies only to orders shipped to the contiguous 48 states. AK, HI and APO/FPO orders may be higher. Call 1-800-522-0499 for estimated shipping charges and please give them Distributor ID #532600.

Fire Prevention Week

Did you know that according to FEMA:

• 2,900 home clothes dryer fires are reported each year and cause an estimated 5 deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss.
• The leading cause of home clothes dryer fires is failure to clean them (34 percent).
• More home clothes dryer fires occur in the fall and winter months, peaking in January.

Also, A full load of wet clothes placed in a dryer contains about one half gallon of water. As water is removed, lint is created from the clothes.
 

To clean your dryer's vent, consider the Fuller Brush Clothes Dryer Vent Brush. 

What causes some clothes dryer fires? Lack of maintenance is a contributing factor. People just aren't cleaning lint traps as often as they should nor are they checking and cleaning vent systems on a periodic basis. Reduced airflow resulting from lint buildup in the screen or other areas around the dryer can cause the dryer to perform poorly, operate at elevated temperatures and possibly overheat.

Fire departments, electric companies, and appliance dealers will tell you to use this brush in your dryer and refrigerator. Do an internet search for “house fire clothes dryer” and see for yourself how often a clothes dryer will burn a house down. Most people don’t think beyond cleaning the lint screen. A LOT gets past that trap, building up underneath or behind the dryer drum. Our unique long-reaching #323 Clothes Dryer Vent Brush, gets the lint trapped in your dryer to make it work more efficiently and safely. It will also pay for itself in electricity savings because a clean dryer will dry your clothes much more quickly.  

OTHER USES – STEAM RADIATORS, REFRIGERATORS, 

DUSTING TIGHT SPOTS

This 27”-long #323 Dryer Vent Brush is terrific for those old fashioned steam radiators, as the only practical way to clean the dust and pet hair out of all those crevices. Great for vacuum cleaner hoses too. Great item for antique stores to sell!  Also great for fishing out dust and lint and lost treasures underneath or between any tight spots, like under the washer or dryer or refrigerator, or between them and the wall or cupboards.

This brush is also a Refrigerator Coil Brush to clean your refrigerator coils to help them run more efficiently so it doesn't overheat. Save BIG MONEY with a clean smooth running refrigerator, cleaning out the oily dust from the coils that a vacuum won't get. Some refrigerators have coils on the back and some are underneath, or both. UNPLUG your refrigerator before sticking the brush underneath it or you may hit and bend your cooling fan. Having a vacuum handy to suck the dust off the brush helps. If you stick your vacuum nozzle under your refrigerator, you’ll see why you need this brush; that oily dust clings to the coils.

“If everyone in America used our Refrigerator Coil Brush, enough energy would be saved to run all the households in the State of Colorado for at least one year!” – The Fuller Institute

The #323 Dryer Brush is a “one brush does everything” solution. The cost of running your refrigerator comprises about 10% of your total electric bill. The Refrigerator Coil Brush makes your refrigerator run more efficiently and use less power, and can pay for itself within one year! It also prevents the need for repairmen, who typically only need to clean the coils, like you can do for free. Clean coils can save energy and natural resources (and lessen oil imports).         

2 or 3 times a year, pull your refrigerator away from the wall and brush off the layer of dust on the coils at the back, underneath, and around the motor area. Also clean the grill area underneath. When you push your refrigerator back, leave 4-6 inches between it and the wall to allow excess heat to ventilate fast. Cleaning the coils improves air circulation, allowing the coils to cool much easier. When there’s less stress on the motor, your refrigerator operates much more efficiently and uses much less energy, and keeps the repairman away.

You can lessen the chances of a dryer fire and save money on utilities and repairs by using the Fuller Brush Clothes Dryer Vent Brush. 

Whether you use our brush or not, please do use the information to make your home safer and save $$$!