weddings everywhere: chocolate pound cake

I don't know about ya'll but this summer has been just like the last few: the beginning of wedding season. I've been invited to six between July and November, and am making it to five of them - which means 8 flights, 4 hotel rooms and 4 rental cars. I'm at that late 20's stage where many friends are participating in one (or more) of three life stages: getting married, having babies, or buying their first homes. Three major decisions that many girls make before they turn 30 - well, unless they live in New York City.

You see, we breed a specific type of lady - the type who at 30-years old is meeting her friends for happy hour on a Monday night, dating whenever (and whomever) she wants, and renting her 400 square-foot studio apartment. There's a reason Sex & The City lives on in re-runs - New York City women are fabulous, and many of us are single. But being city-fabulous doesn't mean we don't envy our suburban-fabulous counterparts who are racking up life stages like we rack up Jimmy Choo's from sample sales. I mean, shoot. We want to get married and have babies and washer/dryer's too!

But, for the time being we'll be patient, take our laundry to the laundromat, and travel far and wide to throw rice, blow bubbles, and drink champagne toasts. After all, weddings are FUN.

This weekend I got to celebrate a dear friend who had a lovely midwestern wedding in her hometown in Ohio. Oh, and she looked absolutely STUNNING! We had so much fun dancing the night away and I'm so happy for her. Congrats, congrats Alyssa and Mark!

The recipe I'm sharing is a knock-off from another wedding - my cousin's nuptials last month in South Georgia. She had a wedding cake and a groom's cake, and I ate my share of the chocolately latter (and then some). It was so amazing that I tried to re-create it at home a few days later. My version wasn't perfect but it was close! My Mom called it chocolate pound cake like her great aunt used to make, but this was better than any pound cake from Starbucks.

You can make it in a tube or bundt pan or in two loaves - it was delicious and you can't beat the ease of directions! Give it a shot the next time you need to bring a hostess gift - it would wrap up nicely with a pretty bow!

Chocolate Pound Cake

Recipe found in my grandmother's old cookbook and submitted by the following teachers:

Nola Allen, Russelville, AL

Betty Coe, Montevallo, AL

Annie Childress, Mangham, LA

Mary Markham, Lumberton, NC

1 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

3 cups sugar

5 eggs

3 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

4 tbsp. cocoa

1 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Cream together butter and shortening. Add sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each. Add vanilla. Sift all dry ingredients together. Add dry ingredients and milk alternately to creamed mixture. Bake in 10" tube pan at 325 F for 80 minutes.

winner! and breakfast: blueberry pancakes

We have a winner.

"Sarah Winchester, come onnnnn dowwwnnnnn!!"

Sarah was lucky commenter #8 on my giveaway post last week and wins a delectable Chocolate Lover's Baking Bag from Fretzels by Jill. Delightful!

I actually "know" Sarah through her super cute cousin Blythe who works in my office. Blythe introduced me to Sarah's gorgeous blog and I can't get enough of her photographs. Check her out! (And Sarah - Congrats! Let me know where I can send the goodies)

This week has been a departure from my last few. I purposefully un-scheduled myself and have had a couple nights of needed relaxing. I went for a run. I caught up on DVR. I painted my toes. I read my book (LOVING the Dragon Tattoo series). And I am now actually fairly zen. It's amazing what a little time for yourself can do :)

The recipe I'm sharing is one that's pretty relaxing in and of itself. Comfort food, I tell you. There's nothing wrong with it. Last weekend I woke up on Sunday and was in the mood for nothing other than big, fluffy pancakes. And not the Bisquick kind. What can I say, it was just one of those days. So I searched around and found some delicious looking pancakes on Smitten Kitchen. They're Martha (of course) but they're the best from-scratch pancakes I've made, and the fresh blueberries added just enough sweet and tart.

Trust me on this one - these puppies are a must for a summer Sunday in the near future. I'd even add some fresh lemon juice to the batter next time for extra tang.

Best Buttermilk Pancakes

Adapted from Martha Stewart from SmittenKitchen

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

3 tbsp. sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3 cups buttermilk

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus 1 tbsp. extra for brushing griddle

1 cup fresh blueberries

Preheat skillet over medium-high heat. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add the eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tbsp. melted butter, and whisk to combine. The batter should have small to medium lumps.

Test the griddle by sprinkling a few drops of water on it. If the water bounces and spatters, the griddle is hot enough. Using a pastry brush, brush the remaining butter onto the griddle.

Using a 1/2 cup, pour the batter in pools 2 inches apart. Arrange a handful of blueberries over the cooking pancake, pressing them in slightly. When the pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around the edges, flip over. If any batter oozes or blueberries roll out, push them back under with your spatula. Cook until golden on bottom, about 1 minute.

Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm with syrup, sprinkled with powdered sugar.

save the gulf: fish in foil

Well ya'll, I have great news to report. During my stay in Gulf Shores, AL last week the public beach flags changed from double red (as they have been since the oil spill) to yellow and the swimming advisory was lifted - proof that the Gulf is clearing and the waters are becoming safe again.

I was worried about how I'd find Gulf Shores, a town that primarily survives on summer tourism and seafood sales to make it through the off-season. There were definitely more empty rental houses than I've ever seen in July and very little foot traffic "downtown" among souvenir shops, but the white sandy beaches were absolutely as beautiful as they've ever been. In fact, with all the sand sifting that's going on to remove "tar balls," the beaches are cleaner than ever - and the water is crystal clear with no oil to be seen.

Last week we celebrated with daily swims and seafood dinners, and here's a simple recipe I used one night at home.

We got fresh Mahi Mahi, dill, and a lemon, and then stuffed them all into aluminum foil packets for the grill. The result was delicious and super easy!

Also, don't forget to comment on my last post for your chance to win a delicious Chocolate Lover's Baking Bag from Fretzels by Jill! Giveaway ends Monday 8/9 so comment now!

Beachy Fish in Foil

2 white fish fillets (we used Mahi Mahi)

3 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped

Juice of half a lemon

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

Salt and pepper, to taste

Half a lemon, sliced thin

Mix together the juice of half a lemon, olive oil, dill, and Old Bay. Add salt and pepper to taste. Immerse both fillets in the mixture, coat on each side.

Place each fillet on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Arrange 2-3 lemon slices on top of the fish, and top with leftover lemon mixture. Carefully seal all edges of foil to form enclosed packets. Place packets on a heated charcoal grill and cook for 15-20 minutes, checking for flakiness. Do not over-cook.

Bloggaversary (and a giveaway): peach pie

Oh em gee!! Can you believe it's been a full year of Baking Therapy? I surely can't - it's flown right by and I can't even imagine how fast the next year will go! I started this blog as a way to chronicle my baking adventures (and sometimes culinary delights) and it's been such a pleasure. I've gotten my "therapy" but I've also gotten to know many of my readers - and that's something I couldn't be more grateful for. You guys are the best and thank you so much for your comments and love over the past year!

To celebrate, I'm hosting a giveaway :)

One lucky reader will win:

A Fretzels by Jill "Chocolate Lovers Baking Bag"!

Inside this adorable canvas bag you'll find a set of mini baking utensils, one dozen Fretzels chocolate covered pretzels, three decadent gourmet mochas, and The Little Black Book of Chocolate, full of fun facts and indulgent chocolate recipes.

If you haven't heard of Fretzels yet, ya'll better get on it. My friend Jill whips up the tastiest gourmet chocolate covered pretzels you've EVER HAD. And they're the perfect gift for anyone, any time. Delish!!

Just follow ONE of these easy steps to enter:

1. Comment to this post and tell me what your favorite thing about the past year has been

2. Share this post on your Facebook page (and leave another comment letting me know that you did)

3. Follow me on Twitter @bakingtherapy and re-tweet this post to your followers (and leave another comment with your Twitter handle)

I'll randomly select a winner next Monday 8/9/10. Good luck!

I looked back at my very first post from 8/2/09 and it made me nostalgic, so I'm sharing a summer fruit pie recipe that also makes me a little nostalgic. I spent last week in Gulf Shores, Alabama and after 9 days of beaching, fried food eating, and Blue Moon chugging I still wasn't quite ready to get on the plane to NYC. It's just a magical place for me, and even though my grandmother has been gone for 2 years now her presence still hugs me when I breathe in the thick Gulf air.

So this is a recipe that reminds me of her for two reasons: because the peaches came from Burris' Farm Market in Loxley, Alabama (and I remember stopping there with her to get the best tomatoes in the county) and because she once told me that I'd never find a man if I didn't know how to make my own pie crust.

Well I do know how to make it, but it's a good thing I've already got a man since I relied on Pillsbury to get the job done last week. My defense is that there wasn't a pastry cutter or food processor to be found in the beach house kitchen and I wasn't about to cut in butter with two knives when I could be lying on the beach instead (right?!).

So this recipe is for my grandmother (and all of ya'll!) in celebration of my 1st anniversary. Enjoy, it just SCREAMS summer (and is AWESOME with a scoop of Edy's Caramel Delight ice cream)!

Peach Pie the Old Fashion Two-Crust Way

AllRecipes.com

1 (15 oz.) package pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie

1 egg, beaten

5 cups sliced peeled peaches

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1/2-cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. butter

Preaheat oven to 450 F.

Line the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate with one of the pie crusts. Brush with some of the beaten egg to keep the dough from becoming soggy later.

Place the sliced peaches in a large bowl, and sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix gently. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour over the peaches, and mix gently. Pour into the pie crust, and dot with butter. Cover with the other pie crust, and fold the edges under. Flute the edges to seal. Brush the remaining egg over the top crust. Cut several slits in the top crust to vent steam (I did a lattice).

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 350 F and bake for an additional 30 minutes, until the crust is brown and the juice begins to bubble through the vents. If the top browns too fast, cover it with aluminum foil about half-way through baking. Cool completely.