CHERRY VANILLA POUND CAKE

This pound cake is perfect for the upcoming holiday season. It is a recipe from my Sweet Kathleen's Cookbook and it makes such a pretty presentation. It has a wonderful vanilla flavor and is very moist. Be sure to use pure vanilla extract. I think your guests will really enjoy it.

Cake

1 (10-oz.) jar red maraschino cherries

1 (10-oz.) jar green maraschino cherries

3 c. all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened

½ c. vegetable shortening

2 T. vanilla extract

2 2/3 c. granulated sugar

6 lg. eggs, room temperature

1 c. milk

Vanilla Glaze

2 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted

2 T. light corn syrup

4 T. milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan, or spray with nonstick baking spray with flour.

Drain cherries and cut in half. Cut each half into four pieces. Press between paper towel to absorb moisture.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Sift again. Stir in cherries. Set aside.

In mixing bowl, cream the butter, vegetable shortening, vanilla extract and sugar on medium speed 10 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour-cherry mixture by thirds, alternating with the milk and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just enough to blend the batter after each addition.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake for 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Remove pan and place cake on a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Drizzle vanilla glaze over cooled cake. Serves 16.

Prepare glaze: Put all glaze ingredients into a medium saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth. Remove from heat. If necessary, strain through mesh strainer to make the glaze velvety smooth. Cool for 1-2 minutes before using.

STRUFFOLI - (HONEY BALLS)

As I mentioned in my previous post, I am including some recipes that are not related to baking that I thought you might like. Growing up in an Italian family in New York it would not have been Christmas without Struffoli. For those of you who are not familiar with them, let me introduce you. They are small honey balls that are fried and are just yummy. I guess you can bake the dough, but they really wouldn't be the same without the deep frying. Living in Atlanta, if you want to have these little treasures you really need to make them yourself. Many Christmas's ago, my Mom and I just didn't have the time to make them. So we went to an Italian deli here in Atlanta to purchase them. They looked good all piled high on a plate so we said let's get them. Big mistake. They were like hockey pucks. Hard as a rock. When making Struffoli that could be a problem. But I always remember my Mom's and aunts were so delicious. I just couldn't wait to dig my fingers into that pretty mound. This recipe, I believe, is very similar to theirs. I hope you give them a try. I posted this recipe on my Italian blog, but I know many of you do not follow that blog so I thought I would post it here too. Let me know what you think and if you do make Struffoli is your recipe similar. If any of you would like to follow my Italian Blog too just click here. I plan to post lots of new recipes but I do have some recipes posted that you might enjoy.

1 c. all-purpose flour (more if needed)
1/4 tsp. salt
2 lg. eggs
1/2 tsp. grated lemon or orange zest
Vegetable oil for frying
1 c. honey
Multicolored candy sprinkles, diced candied orange peel, candied cherries or toasted sliced almonds (I just like to use the candy sprinkles)

In a large bowl, combine the 1 cup flour and salt. Add the eggs and zest and stir until well blended. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth. Add a little more flour if the dough seems sticky. Shape the dough into a ball, cover with an overturned bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.
Cut the dough into 1/2-inch slices. Roll each slice between your palms into a 1/2-inch thick rope and cut the rope into 1/2-inch nuggets. If the dough feels sticky, use a tiny bit of flour to dust the board or your hands.
Pour about 1-inch oil into a wide heavy saucepan or a deep fryer. Heat the oil to 370 degrees or until a small bit of the dough dropped into the oil sizzles, swims rapidly round the pan, and turns golden brown. Slip just enough struffoli into the pan to fit without crowding. Cook, stirring once or twice with a slotted spoon, until crisp and evenly golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with the slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Continue with the remaining dough.
When the struffoli are all fried, gently heat the honey just to a simmer in a large saucepan. Remove from the heat; add the struffoli and toss well. Pile the struffoli on a plate. Decorate with multicolored sprinkles.

MUFFIN FRITTATAS

I know you are probably thinking if you have come to the right blog. Yes, this is Sweet Kat's Kitchen have no fear. All of my recipes that I have posted have been baking related. As you know, it is my passion. But I also love to cook and entertain. With the holidays fast approaching I thought I would share some of my favorite recipes with you. Of course, I will also be posting baking recipes too! These little muffin frittatas would be wonderful for a holiday brunch. I found this recipe on Allrecipes that was submitted by the American Egg Board. There are many recipes for frittatas (Italian omelet) but I like this idea of doing them in individual muffin cups and maybe you will too.

6 lg. eggs
1/2 c. milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 c. chopped zucchini
1/4 c. chopped red bell peppers
2 T. chopped red onion

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper in medium bowl until blended. Add cheese, zucchini, bell pepper and onion; mix well. Spoon evenly into 12 greased muffin cups, about 1/4 cup each. Bake just until set, 20-22 minutes. Cool on rack 5 minutes. Remove from cups. Serve warm.

PUMPKIN PECAN RUM CAKE

A moist and tender pumpkin cake topped with a light rum flavored glaze and chopped pecans. Perfect for a holiday buffet. Recipe courtesy of Nestles and one I have used many times. I don't think you will be disappointed.

Cake
3/4 c. coarsely chopped pecans
3 c. all-purpose flour
2 T. pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 c. packed brown sugar
1 c. granulated sugar
4 lg. eggs
1 can (15 oz.) solid-pack pumpkin
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Rum Butter Glaze
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 T. water
2-4 tbsp. dark rum

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease (or use nonstick cooking spray) a 12-cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts over bottom of pan.

Sift together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl beat butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar with mixer on medium speed until light and fluff. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Add pumpkin and vanilla extract; beat well. Reduce mixer speed to low and add flour mixture 1/3 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes or til pick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Make holes in cake with long pick or wooden skewer, pour half of glaze over cake. Let stand 5 minutes and invert cake onto plate. Make holes in top of cake; pour remaining glaze over cake. Cool. Glaze: Melt butter in small saucepan; stir in granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in dark rum.

WHITE CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA COOKIES

These cookies have lots of good things in them. White chocolate, macadamia nuts, lemon flavoring--yummy. As you know I love chocolate, lemon and you guessed it--nuts. So this is my kind of cookie. I hope it is yours too!

1 ¾ c. all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
½ c. (1 stick) butter, softened
1 c. packed light brown sugar
¼ c. granulated sugar
1 tsp. lemon extract
1 lg. egg
1 c. coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1 c. white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 300ºF. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugars and lemon extract on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the egg and blend well. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture. Mix just until blended. Fold in the chopped nuts and chips. Using a 2 tablespoon measure, drop dough on cookie sheets, spacing them about 3-inches apart. Gently press down on cookies with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2-inch circle. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Store in airtight container. Makes about 24 cookies.