{recipe} mini patriotic pound cakes

Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July holiday. We had a terrific weekend with family and friends at the pool, on the golf course and at fabulous parties {you will see party details soon}.

We had some glitches last week on our blog {convenient with a holiday, huh?}, so forgive us for not getting some of our patriotic posts to you. Good news is this recipe is easy and versatile. You don’t need to decorate with red, white and blue. Use fresh strawberries and blueberries if you want – but design it with someone’s name, a flower or even shapes.  Keep this in your recipe books because it is the best pound cake recipe ever! It’s the perfect summer time dessert. It’s slightly revised from my grandma’s recipe, and I think my grandma is one of the best cooks I’ve known. I will always cherish the special times I spent in the kitchen with her.

Mini Pound Cake
makes 14 or 1 loaf

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter {softened}
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1.5 cups whole milk
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

How To
Add butter, eggs and sugar and mix with a blender until well blended.
Add salt and baking powder to the flour, then add the flour and milk, alternating each {while blending}.
Add vanilla and blend.
Pour into baking cups {you do not need to grease baking cups, however if you are using a standard loaf baking tin, you need to grease the pan}
Fill the baking cup 1/2-3/4 full.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-23 minutes. If you are making a standard loaf, cook for 50 minutes.
Stick a toothpick in the loaf or mini loaf, and if its comes out clean, it’s done.
Top with whipped cream and decorate with fruit.

Whipping Cream
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla.

Whip on a medium to medium-high speed until cream gets thicker and forms peaks.

Savor each bite! I know I do.

{images via Tutto Bella Blog}

patriotic playlist

We all know music can really make or break a party. Today and tonight, we plan to gather around the grill, golf course, pool, campfire and watch fireworks as we celebrate our nation’s freedom. Call me a sap, but when I hear God Bless the USA, my eyes well up with tears! I really have ‘a moment’ as I watch fireworks and hear that song. So, we’ve put together a list of our favorites so you can have your own ‘moments.’ It will take no time at all with iTunes or Spotify!

Ray Charles with Alicia Keys, America The Beautiful or
Ray Charles, America the Beautiful

Dierks Bentley, Home

Whitney Houston, The Star Spangled Banner

Toby Keith, Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)
Lee Greenwood, God Bless The U.S.A.Tim McGraw, If You’re Reading This
LeAnn Rimes, God Bless America
Crosby & Nash, My Country Tis Of Thee
Don McLean, American Pie
Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers, American Girl
Katy Perry, Firework
Sugarland, Everyday America
Miley Cyrus, Party In The U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen, Born In The U.S.A.
Toby Keith, American Soldier
John Mellencamp, Our Country – Rock Version
Neil Diamond, America
John Mellencamp, Jack & Diane
Brooks & Dunn, Only In America
Martina McBride, Independence Day

{videos via YouTube}

red, white & blue

Show your patriotism this 4th of July holiday, and celebrate our freedom with a little red, white and blue.

P.S. When I refer to ‘it’ below, I’m referring to red, white and blue!

1. Wear it

2. Bake it
Mini Cherry Pies by Country Living

3. Or, don’t bake it…this No-Bake Strawberry Blueberry Mini Cheesecake Trifle by Glorious Treats looks amazing

4. Plant it
My father-in-law built these planters with antique red barn wood, and my mother-in-law planted beautiful red, white and blue flowers

5. DIY it
I couldn’t sleep at 5 am today, so I woke up and thought of a quick and easy DIY project. I re-used Budweiser Platinum beer bottles my husband happily consumed last week. The base of this simple patriotic centerpiece is an antique piece of wood, the beer bottles are vases to red and white daisies, and I used a hot glue gun to attach a burlap ribbon with red stripes to decorate the bottles.

6. Hang it…and the tissue fans will look like fireworks, via Martha Stewart

7. Sip it
Red, White and Blue Sangria by Punchbowl

7. Most importantly, thank a soldier serving our country who fights everyday for our freedom. Among two of the many organizations are A Million Thanks and Operation Gratitude.

{images via Glitter Guide, Glorious Treats, Country Living, Tutto Bella, Punchbowl and Martha Stewart}