Baked Penne with Sausage, Mozzarella and Tomatoes

Here’s a great penne pasta recipe that you’ve got to try! My mom and I got together this weekend to cook since our husbands were both out of town and we discovered this great new recipe from the October 2012 issue of Departures magazine.

I’m not sure of the exact calorie count, but I do believe this baked penne pasta is fairly healthy, especially when you make a few substitutions like we did. The recipe calls for sweet Italian sausage and to cut fat, we bought Jennie-O lean sweet Italian turkey sausage. One whole link is only 10 grams of fat and 160 calories. By comparison, most single serving portions of regular sausage contains 30 plus grams of fat! 

In addition, the béchamel sauce, also known as a white sauce, has only two tablespoons of butter and one cup of milk (we used skim).  All that’s left in this dish is penne pasta, diced tomatoes, fresh Mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, basil, oregano, garlic and red pepper flakes.

As far as taste goes, we loved it! The recipe is simple, and the combination of Italian herbs, tomatoes, cheese and sausage is outstanding. When Matt returned to town, I reheated him a small bowl of the baked penne.  To my surprise, he requested seconds because he liked it so much! Yes! A recipe that is “man” approved! Enjoy and let me know what you think.
Cook sausage until firm. 
Cut sausage into thin slices and return to pan to finish cooking.
Saute until sausage is lightly browned. Add sliced garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add tomatoes, oregano, and pepper flakes. 
Melt butter and add flour. Whisk in hot milk. Stir constantly until béchamel sauce has thickened.
Add béchamel sauce to tomato-sausage mixture.
Stir in chopped basil.  Then add penne.
Pour half of the pasta mixture in a greased baking dish.
Add Mozzarella.
Topp with remaining pasta mixture and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees F.
Let cool for 5 minutes then serve.

Baked Penne with Sausage, Mozzarella and Tomatoes
Ingredients
2 tsp. olive oil
3/4 lb. sweet Italian sausage (we used Jennie-O lean sweet Italian turkey sausage)
3 cloves garlic, sliced
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. oregano
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup hot milk
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped basil
8 oz. penne pasta
6 oz. fresh mozzarella, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions
1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium. Add the sausage and cook for a few minutes until firm. Remove them from the pan and allow to cool. Cut them into thin slices, return to the skillet and cook until they start to brown. Add the garlic and sauté briefly, then add the tomatoes, pepper flakes and oregano and cook for a few minutes. Do not allow the tomatoes to break down; they should remain in chunks.
3. Make the béchamel: Melt the butter in a saucepan set over medium. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Cook for about 2 minutes before gradually whisking in the hot milk until the sauce is smooth. Continue cooking until it begins to thicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Add the béchamel to the sausages and tomatoes and stir until well combined. Stir in the basil.
5. Once the salted water reaches a boil, cook the penne until it is about a minute away from al dente. Drain well, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water; add the pasta to the sausage-tomato sauce and mix well. If the mixture is dry, add some of the water.
6. Transfer half of the pasta to a greased baking dish, layer with the mozzarella and cover with the remaining pasta. Sprinkle the Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top and place the dish on the oven’s upper rack. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a light golden crust forms. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 4-6 servings
Recipe from: Departures | October 2012

Albondigas (Meatball) Soup

The forecast in Dallas calls for a 100% chance of rain, and I couldn’t be happier! Rainy weekends are the best since I can sleep in, stay in my pajamas and do nothing. Well, maybe not nothing…. cooking, running and reading blogs is what I’ll be doing!

If you’re waking up to a rainy day as well, what better way to enjoy the day than to make a large pot of albondigas (meatball) soup to enjoy for the next few days! My mom made this soup the day before yesterday, and simply heated it back for dinner last night. (It was also raining and the soup was a perfect way to warm us up).

As far as taste goes, we both enjoyed it. The cilantro gave the soup a slightly spicy kick as did the cumin. As a healthy soup, the meatballs contain lean ground turkey for protein, rice for your carbohydrate source, and zucchini and carrots for your vegetables. Feel free to add mushrooms, spinach, corn or peppers for added sources of veggies.

I will admit, I think this is more of a “ladies” inspired meal. My husband and Dad were not here to try the soup, and while I think they would both enjoy it, I don’t think they would ever “crave” it. Most men (Matt and my Dad) would probably rather you throw a piece of steak, potato and roll on their plate rather than eat a bowl of soup.

Nonetheless, here’s a healthy new soup recipe for you to try and warm you up on those rainy days like today!

Combine ground turkey, rice, cilantro, parsley, cumin and salt.
Add the egg, mixing until everything is well combined.
Roll into 1-inch balls.
Saute onions over medium heat until soft, about 6 minutes.
Add garlic, chicken broth, water and tomato paste. Add carrots and bring to a boil.
Add meatballs and cook for 15 minutes.
Add zucchini. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes longer.
Stir in oregano, salt and pepper and then serve.
Garnish with your choice of sliced avocados, shredded cheese, tortilla chips, cilantro, and/or a lime wedge.


Albondigas (Meatball) Soup
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/3 cup rice
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten

SOUP
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch half moons
1 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1 avocado, sliced for serving
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

Directions
1. To make the meatballs: Combine the ground turkey, uncooked rice, cilantro, parsley, cumin, and salt in a medium bowl. Use a wooden spoon to gently stir the mixture a couple of times to blend Add the egg, mixing until everything is well combined. Pinch off large walnut-size bits of the mixture and roll them in your palms to make 1-inch balls. (You can cover the meatballs and refrigerate for a few hours if you like.)
2. To make the soup: Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 6 minutes.
3. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and 2 cups of water. Add the tomato past and stir to combine. Once the tomato paste is dissolved, add the carrots and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low and carefully add the meatballs, a few at at time. Cook the meatballs for 15 minutes, then add the zucchini. Continue to simmer the soup until the carrots and zucchini are tender and the meatballs are cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes longer. Stir in the oregano, salt and pepper.
5. Serve with avocado, if desired, a sprinkle of cilantro, and lime wedge on the side for squeezing.

Yield: 6 servings
Recipe from: Pretty Delicious Cookbook by Candice Kumai

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (per serving): 218 Calories | 7g Fat | 23g Protein | 2g Fiber | 4g Sugars | 758mg Sodium | 17g Carbohydrates | 65mg Cholesterol

Paula’s Bran Muffins

For those of you who don’t know Paula, my mother-in-law, you are missing out! She is a hoot! Not only is she extremely outgoing like Matt (her son and my husband), she is also a great cook – that is, if you like down-home southern cooking!

Some of the most popular recipes on my blog come from Paula, and do you know why?

  1. Her recipes are simple to make.
  2. Her recipes are “comfort” food.
  3. Her recipes are fattening!!!  (Hey, her name is Paula, and she is just like Paula Deen!)
When Paula first made these muffins for us at the lake this summer, she advertised them as “healthy” bran muffins. I was pretty excited that she made something “good-for-us”, that is, until I saw the recipe. Don’t let the word “bran” trick you into thinking you can eat five of these muffins and not gain weight. That’s what I thought (except I didn’t eat five). With 3 cups of sugar, and one cup of canola oil, these aren’t exactly Cooking Light material.
With that said, I am a firm believer in moderation. I weigh less than 100 pounds and still indulge in sweets and carbs. However, what I do that most people don’t do is exercise regularly (run, do yoga, cross train and lift weights), eat 5-6 small meals a day, and count my calories.
Paula on the other hand, has amazing metabolism, considering how much she eats!! I think she has been blessed genetically. Paula was invited to run the 200m in the 1972 Summer Olympic trials. Pretty cool, right?

As far as taste goes, these bran muffins are out of this world! They are sweet (obviously – with 3 cups of sugar), but not overly sweet. The bran cereal (or granola, if you choose to add) is filling, and the dried fruit is a nice addition. The buttermilk creates a slightly tangy batter. (By the way, I LOVE batter – muffins, brownies, cookie dough, it doesn’t matter – I like all batters, including this one!)

Let me know what you think, I’m sure you will love them!

 

Paula’s Bran Muffins
Serves: 4 dozen
*Baked muffins will keep in the refrigerator for 2-4 weeks. You can also refrigerate the dough and bake at your convenience.
Ingredients
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 5 cups flour
  • 1 cup canola oil (for a healthier option use 1/2 cup applesauce and 1/2 cup oil)
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 5 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 quart buttermilk
  • 1 (15 oz) box Raisin Bran cereal (you can substitute granola if you wish)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 tsp. almond extract
  • 1 cup dried fruit
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with individual baking cup liners.
  2. Combine the first 5 ingredients. Add in the soda, salt, buttermilk and cereal, in the order listed.
  3. Add almond and vanilla extracts. Stir in dried fruit.
  4. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups and bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of muffin comes out clean or with a few crumbs.

Quick and Lean Chicken Mushroom Stroganoff

Hopefully you like mushrooms because it’s time to celebrate National Mushroom Month! For those of you who didn’t know, September is the month to give a shout out to mushrooms as fans let their friendly fungi flags fly (I’m kidding), and cook up all sorts of delicious recipes. Do you think I’m kidding? I’m not… just check out the following website devoted to mushrooms, the mushroom story, mushroom recipes, mushroom events, and more at www.mushroominfo.com.
I sound like a huge fan myself, when in fact I just discovered National Mushroom Month! Kitchen Pride Mushroom Farms (KPMF), a Texas mushroom farm, contacted me back in August about spreading the news for this special occasion. They sent me quite a few packs of homegrown mushrooms to try out for myself, and boy were they tasty!
Considered “The Mushroom of Texas”, KPMF is a family-owned and operated Texas-based mushroom farm located in a zip code full of history – Gonzales, Texas. They have been in the business for 23 years and have established themselves as one of the nation’s premier mushroom farms as they have the most modern mushroom growing facility in the United States. You can learn by visiting the KPMF website here.
As far as taste, fresh mushrooms make all the difference in world. I made KPMF’s Quick and Lean Chicken Mushroom Stroganoff recipe, which was outstanding. The dish was healthy, low-in-fat and packed rich in antioxidants from all the mushrooms. It’s very similar to Williams-Sonoma Steak & Mushroom Stroganoff except with chicken instead of meat and the addition of chicken broth.
Enjoy!
MUSHROOMS!
Saute chicken in skillet over medium heat. 
Cook 7-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan.
Add mushrooms and sliced onions to saute pan with 1 tsp. oil.
Saute for 5 minutes or until tender. 
Reduce heat to low. Add sour cream, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Add chicken and cook until heated through.
Serve over egg noodles.


Quick and Lean Chicken Mushroom Stroganoff
Ingredients
2 tsp. vegetable oil, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
12 ounces (about 3 1/2 cups) fresh white mushrooms, sliced
1 cup thinly sliced onion
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream (I used fat-free)
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill or 2 tsp. dried
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
Optional: cooked rice or egg noodles

Directions
1. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil. Add chicken; cook until golden brown and cooked through turning once, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove chicken; cover to keep warm.
2. In same skillet heat remaining 1 teaspoon of oil. Add mushrooms and onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to low; stir in sour cream, chicken broth, dill, salt and pepper. Add reserved chicken; cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
4. Serve over rice or egg noodles, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings
Recipe from: Kitchen Pride Mushroom Farms

Double Butterscotch Dreams

A while back, a coworker mentioned to me that he loved anything with butterscotch. As you all know, I am a huge fan of “dream” cookies from Linda J. Amendt’s cookbook 400 Sensational Cookies.  Out of the 400 cookies, there are about 20 different “dream” cookie combinations including butterscotch! How exciting, another opportunity for me to make dreams!!
So, what did I think of these double butterscotch cookies? Of course they were delicious, however be forewarned…. they are extremely rich! You only need to eat one. The butterscotch flavored pudding combined with the rich white chocolate and butterscotch chips creates for one sweet cookie. For some people, they may be too sweet.
*Want to see all the “dream” recipes that I’ve tried? My favorite combination is chocolate chip, but you can’t go wrong with any of them!
Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Butterscotch Dreams
Ingredients
2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 package (3.4 oz.) instant butterscotch pudding mix
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a bow, whisk together flour, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda and salt until well combined. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter, shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Scrape down sides of bowl.
5. On low speed or using a wooden spoon, gradually add flour mixture, beating until just blended. By hand, fold in chocolate/butterscotch chips and nuts.
6. Using a cookie scoop or spoons, drop tablespoonfuls (15 mL) of dough about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake one sheet at a time in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges start to turn lightly golden.
7. Immediately slide parchment paper onto a wire cooking rack. Cool cookies for 5 minutes, then transfer from parchment paper to cooling rack and cool completely.

Yield: about 3 dozen cookies
Recipe adapted from: 400 Sensational Cookies by Linda J. Amendt

Ocean Prime in Dallas

My boss LOVES this place! He cannot seem to get enough of the chicken sandwich, the warm sourdough bread, the scalloped potatoes au gratin, and the fact that he can eat at a fancy restaurant for $11.
There’s been many occasions as a team and department at work, we’ll head over to Ocean Prime in Uptown Dallas for a quick lunch. I have been very impressed each time I have been there, and would definitely recommend it to any one of my friends.
Deluxe Chicken Sandwich with lettuce, tomato, onion, cheddar, bread & butter pickles, 1,000 Island Dressing and a side of Lobster Bisque.

My boss may like the chicken sandwich, but I am a huge fan of the salads. Ocean Prime seafood is great, therefore the Blackened Salmon Salad was excellent. I love how the walnuts are crisp and spicy. The blackened salmon was perfectly cooked. Beware of the poppy seed dressing… it is sweet! (That said, I’ve never had poppy seed dressing before, so it was new to me.)
Blackened Salmon Salad with strawberries, red grapes, walnuts, and poppy seed dressing.

I’ve also tried the Chicken Chopped Salad, which is my all-time favorite! It is packed with many different ingredients, some of which you would never think of pairing together, but it all somehow works! The salad contains dates, goat cheese, corn, tomatoes, chicken and asparagus. The goat cheese makes the salad creamy, the dates add a touch of sweetness, the asparagus is good for you and the chicken provides protein!

Chicken Chopped Salad with roasted chicken, asparagus, goat cheese, dates, corn and sherry vinaigrette.

Hopefully you’ll enjoy Ocean Prime as much as and my boss and I do. Let me know what you think!

Ocean Prime: Uptown Dallas

Parmesan Chicken and Rice

Looking for a one-pot-meal? In this dish, rice and broth are added to sauteed chicken, onion, garlic and mushrooms for a simple entree using only one pan.
I made this Parmesan chicken and rice recipe for my husband and myself just a few weeks ago, and we really enjoyed it. It was quick, easy and savory. Plus, who doesn’t like chicken and rice? If you’re not a fan of mushrooms, you could probably substitute artichoke hearts or perhaps broccoli. If you have a really picky eater, you can leave out all the vegetables to accommodate them. (However, if that were me, I would make the picky eater eat around it! Haha.)
Although I would not classify this meal as “Italian”, the Parmesan cheese really gives this dish a complexity of savory flavors. Plus, the dish is pretty healthy since it’s under 400 calories and less than 10 grams of fat.
Enjoy!
Saute onions, garlic, thyme and mushrooms in skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.
Add chicken and saute for 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add wine, salt and pepper.
Stir in rice and broth. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.
Stir in cheese and parsley.
Serve immediately.
Parmesan Chicken and Rice
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. bottled minced garlic
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 (8 oz.) package presliced mushrooms
3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cups dry white wine
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup uncooked instant rice
1 cup fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup (2 oz.) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Directions
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and mushrooms; saute 5 minutes or until onion is tender.
2. Add chicken; cook 3 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.
3. Stir in rice and broth. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir in cheese and parsley.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)
Recipe from: Cooking Light
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION: 395 Calories | 8g Fat | 29.9g Protein | 4.1mg Iron | 656mg Sodium | 171mg Calcium

Homemade Ice-Cream Sandwiches

Happy Labor Day! I hope your day was as relaxing as mine! This weekend I spent time at the lake visiting with friends and family, and then headed over to my parents’ house for some pizza and dessert.

As a huge fan of Blue Bell Cookies ‘n Cream ice-cream and Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookies, I was in dessert heaven today!

My sister is an awesome baker. The monster cookie bars she made last week before her wedding were amazing, and the ice-cream sandwiches she made this week were just as good!

While Brittany was on her Hawaiian honeymoon last week, she and her husband Colby were laying out by the pool, when they saw a cooler that had a picture of an ice-cream sandwich on it. Unfortunately when they lifted the lid of the cooler, there were only drumsticks. 😦 Colby was disappointed, so when they returned to Dallas, Brittany decided to make homemade ice-cream sandwiches for him to enjoy!

Lucky for me, when I came to visit this weekend, there were leftovers! What’s great about homemade ice-cream sandwiches is that you can customize them any way you’d like. Mix and match your cookies (sugar, snickerdoodle, chocolate chip oatmeal raisin, white chocolate cranberry, double chocolate chip, white chocolate macadamia nut, etc.) with your favorite ice-cream flavor (vanilla, cookies ‘n cream, chocolate, strawberry, birthday cake, cookie dough, mint chocolate chip, coffee, butter pecan, the list goes on.)

  • A little side note…. Pokey O’s of Dallas supposedly has the best ice-cream sandwiches around. I’ve never tried one, but that’s about to change soon!
My favorite combination is definitely a chocolate chip cookie with cookies ‘n cream ice-cream! But I won’t eat any ‘ole chocolate chip cookie…. it must be the Neiman Marcus recipe – they are my absolute favorite!
Let me know what combination you try. Enjoy!

Homemade Ice-Cream Sandwiches
Ingredients
1 batch of your favorite cookie recipe (I recommend Neiman Marcus chocolate chip cookies)
2 pints of your favorite ice-cream (I recommend Blue Bell Cookies ‘n Cream)

Directions
1. Bake cookies according to recipe directions. Let cool completely.
2. Place one scoop of ice-cream on the cookie. Place second cookie on top.
3. Eat immediately or wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze. If frozen, remove from freezer about 5 minutes just prior to eating.

“Dirt” Cups

Have you ever eaten dirt? No, I’m not talking about dirt from your backyard, I mean Oreo “dirt” pudding cups.
As a kid, I would help my mom make dirt pudding since it was so easy. My sister helped too. She would go out in the backyard to dig up real dirt! I can’t remember if Brittany was serious or being funny. Haha.
Last weekend I was craving something sweet, something that contained Oreos, and something that was semi “healthy”. Well, these dirt pudding cups satisfied that craving! I used skim milk paired with non-fat instant Jell-O and bought fat-free Cool Whip to “lighten” things up.
Like I mentioned, “dirt” is super-simple to make! Instant pudding speeds up the process, and from start to finish, you can probably be eating these in about 10 minutes. Kids will also enjoying eating and making these!
Combine milk and instant pudding mix until thick. Let stand 5 minutes.
Add Cool Whip and crushed Oreos.
Stir until combined.
Pour pudding mixture into individual mason jars.
Top with crushed Oreos.
Don’t forget to add the gummy worm!

“Dirt” Cups
Ingredients
2 cups cold milk (we used Skim milk)
1 (4 oz.) package instant chocolate pudding
8 oz. frozen whipped topping (Cool Whip), thawed
1 1/2 cups crushed Oreos
10 gummy worms

Directions
1.  Whisk together the milk and instant pudding for two minutes, until pudding is completely dissolved. Let stand for 5 minutes.
2. Stir in frozen whipped topping and 1/2 cups of the crushed Oreos
3. Spoon into 10 individual cups or mason jars. (If you’re feeling creative, use mini terra cotta pots).
4. Sprinkle remaining crushed Oreos over the pudding mixture. Top with gummy worms.
5. Chill until ready to serve.

Yield: 10 servings
Recipe from: about.com

Mother Miller’s Pound Cake

As mentioned before, I write a monthly resident recipe column for our neighborhood magazine. For the month of September, I wrote about this wonderful pound cake recipe! Here’s the article:

You would never know that this delicious pound cake was originally billed as a wedding cake! Sheila’s mother-in-law Margaret Miller discovered this cake in the 1960s from a local South Carolina paper, “The Greenville News”. Despite the addition of a white icing recipe, Margaret immediately recognized it as a pound cake, not a wedding cake!

Perhaps Mother Miller knew about the 1:1:1:1 ratio of flour, butter, sugar and eggs in a pound cake, which typically has a pound of each of the four ingredients. Or maybe she just had a knack for baking! Either way, Mother Miller was right, and this is one of the best pound cakes I’ve ever put in my mouth!

According to the Millers, this cake is a family favorite. It is served at ALL family dinners, birthdays, holidays, or any time the family gets together. They never ice the cake, even when putting birthday candles on it!

 

Mother Miller’s Pound Cake
Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter, plus enough to grease cake pan
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond or orange extract
5 large eggs
3 cups sugar
3 1/4 cup unbleached all-purposed flour, plus enough to coat cake pan
1 tsp. salt
1 cup whole milk (do not use skim milk)
Directions
1. Grease and flour a large (12 cup) Bundt pan or other large cake pan. Sift together the flour and salt. Have all the ingredients at room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cream butter and shortening together at high speed in an electric mixer, until mixture is fluffy. Scrape down the bowl. Add the two flavorings and mix slightly until blended.
3. Add one egg yolk at a time, on low speed of mixer, saving the egg whites together in a separate bowl. Alternate adding sugar between egg yolks. When all the egg yolks and sugar have been added, beat on high for a minute or two to blend well; scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. On low speed again, alternate adding the flour/salt mixture and the milk; when all the flour and milk have been added, beat on high for a minute to blend well, and scrape down the bowl.
5. In a separate bowl, using a hand whisk or whisk attachment to your mixer, beat the egg whites at top seed until the egg whites are stiff but not dry. By hand, fold the egg whites into the rest of the cake batter; then beat on high for a minute to blend well.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, and gently drop the cake pan on the counter a few times to settle the dough into the pan.
7. Bake for 90 minutes (1 1/2 hours), or until the sides of the cake have separated slightly from the pan. Remove from the oven and cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes. Turn the cake out onto a cake plate or serving platter, and let cool completely before covering with tin foil.
*Serve it alone – or garnish with berries, ice cream or whipped cream, or sift powdered sugar over the whole cake for a pretty display. For a twist, pour 1-2 tablespoons of white wine over each slice and let the wine sink in.