A NY TIMES LEMON POUND CAKE - MY WAY...

So I did something kind of crazy this past weekend... I started testing recipes for Thanksgiving. I know that day is still a while away, but it's my favorite holiday and I am SO looking forward to it - even more so this year than any other year. I already don't eat a ton of sweets, but I am in the process of cutting back on them even more (for reasons I will explain later). However, my routine will certainly be off during Thanksgiving and Christmas, so I want to make sure that what is served is EXTRA good! 

I've made the same pound cake recipe the last few years for Thanksgiving and this year I want to switch things up. I recently ran across this recipe in the NY Times and wanted to test it out. The recipe was a bit different than other recipes I'd seen... It uses cake flour instead of regular flour and powdered sugar instead of regular sugar. Beaten egg whites are also incorporated into the batter. It's also a little more labor intensive than other recipes, but I have to say that it was SO worth it. I loved it! While it's dense (as pound cakes should be), it's also moist and somewhat light at the same time. I substituted Greek yogurt for the sour cream used in the original recipe, which I think made it a little lighter and obviously more "healthy." I also added more lemon zest and juice, which intensified the lemon flavor. I think that using good-quality fresh ingredients makes a big difference as well. I haven't made a final decision on what recipe I'll use, but this one is certainly in the running... :)

Here is what you need and what to do:

1lb (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 lb powdered sugar
1 cup good-quality 2% regular Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Juice of one lemon
Zest of two lemons, finely grated
1 tablespoon lemon extract (if not using real lemon juice or zest)
3 cups cake flour (I used Swans Down)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
8 large organic eggs, separated while cold, then brought up to room temperature (see step 4 below)
Powdered sugar, for garnish

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Use the wrappers from the butter to grease a 10 in bundt pan or angel food cake pan. You could also spray it well with cooking spray. Set aside.

2. Add the butter to the bowl of an electric mixer and cream it until light and fluffy. Slowly - like over the course of about 3 minutes - add the powdered sugar to the butter. Beat well until the mixture is very smooth. Then add the yogurt, vanilla, and lemon flavorings.

3. Sift the flour and the baking soda over a large bowl. Add 1 cup of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. Then mix in 4 of egg yolks followed by another cup of the flour. Then mix in the remaining egg yolks and the remaining flour. Mix until the ingredients are just incorporated to avoid over-mixing! Scrape down the sides of the bowl and do one final mix with a rubber spatula.

4. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks. Gently fold in the egg whites to the cake batter. I added them in 3 stages and took my time folding them in to make sure the mixture stayed light and fluffy. NOTE: I used my KitchenAid mixer to mix the batter, so I beat the egg whites in a separate bowl using a hand-held mixer. If you have a KitchenAid mixer, you could mix the egg whites before mixing your batter, set them aside, then wash out your KitchenAid bowl to mix the batter. This will leave you with one less bowl to wash!

5. Pour the batter evenly into the pan. Tap the pan on the coutertop a few times to remove any air pockets in the batter. Then bake (see Step 6). NOTE: If you are using an angel food cake pan (like I did), then don't tap too hard or too many times. If you do, then cake batter gets under the tube insert then leaks out in the oven. Don't ask me how I know that... :)

6. It took my cake about 1 hr and 15 minutes to bake. However, per the NY times recipe, it should take anywhere from 45 minutes to 1hr to bake. Start checking the cake at the 40-45 minute mark. If it is getting too brown, then reduce the temperate to 300, then continue to test it every 15 minutes or so. The cake will be done when a cake tester (I use wooden skewers) comes out clean and the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched.

I love it served warm with a side of ice cream! So good!

Enjoy!

Images by me

LATELY...

{The entryway of the 2015 Serenbe Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Designer Showhouse. I thought this space was really beautiful and well done... }

It's me! It's me! How are ya? I know it's been almost a month since I've checked in, so let me tell you whats been up - in four words. I've been having fun. I was super busy with work for a few weeks there, but other than that my priorities have been tending to friendships during unplanned last minute dinners, lunches and outings, planning and hosting a massive baby shower for a really good friend, working out, reading (I'm currently reading this), testing recipes, laying in bed - under the covers and all - at 2PM on Saturday afternoon watching documentaries and other things on TV that I thought I would NEVER watch (Empire is my JAM!), and not ignoring my body when it tells me it wants to go to bed at 9PM instead of 11PM. By the time all that was done (plus other things that aren't listed), blogging kinda came last on my to-do list. And I honestly have to say that my lack of additional computer time on weeknights and weekends has afforded me an insane amount of extra energy - and it feels quite nice. Do I still love blogging?? I've thought a lot about that and the answer is absolutely yes... I know it's yes because I really do feel like a part of me is absent when I'm not being creative in this way. BUT - I'll be honest in that these days I'm focusing more on how I manage and prioritize the little free time I have after work - which is something I haven't been consistently serious about doing in a really long time. I have a super long list (literally) of things I want to share with you here. And I will, but I'm going to take my time and slowly reintroduce and ease myself back into this space - and do things here only when it feels right to do so. I hope that's ok!! :) I just want to be honest about my feelings! In the meantime, here are a few fun moments I've had over the past few weeks. Thanks so much for hanging in there with me! 

{My love for clean eating has grown exponentially lately and this cookbook, "Clean Green Eats" by Candice Kumai has inspired me even more. The combination of ingredients and flavors in her recipes are so creative and SO good! I highly recommend it - especially if you need some new ideas for fresh, quick, and healthy meals that actually taste good! }

{A simple, yet precious card I gave a dear friend who is so excited to be expecting her first baby after a long while of trying... Prayers are always answered. }

{This might not look like much, but this simple pimento grilled cheese sandwich from Blue Eyed Daisy is one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches I've ever had... }

{A beautiful home under construction in Serenbe that reminded me of what I pray for - a home with a front porch that I can sit on with my future husband as we watch our children play in the yard. I know prayers are always answered... }

All images by me

CHECKING IN...

Hi! Are you still there?? I just wanted to pop in to let you know that I'm still here. I'm everywhere except in front of my computer putting blog posts together. This week is a busy month at work, so after work I've only had the energy to relax, dig into this new book, and work my way through those September issues you see there. Those issues are making me even more excited about fall! On the weekends I've been devoting more time my friends and crawling out of my introvert shell to try new things. I tried this AMAZING cardio class on Saturday and I absolutely loved it. I pretty much couldn't move yesterday, but it was a good kind of sore ya know? I'll definitely be going back!

Anyway, hang in there with me for the next few weeks if you can. There may or may not be random posting here or there when time permits! Otherwise you can find me on Facebook (I post lots of updates there!), Instagram and on Pinterest.  Thank you for following along!

xo,
Tiff

Image by me

INTERIORS: TESSA NEUSTADT PHOTOGRAPHY

Remember me talking about my master bedroom makeover- the one that's almost finished that I need to show you?? Well my real holdup is my photography experience or lack thereof... I really want to take photos of the space myself instead of hiring someone, but it's been quite a challenge. Taking photographs of interiors is a lot harder for me than taking photos of food, so I've been practicing with the camera and finding tips and inspiration online. One photographer I'm incredibly inspired by is Tessa Neustadt. Photographing interiors (I think) is all about making sure you have the right lighting, the right equipment (a wide-angle lens and sometimes a tri-pod are key I think), and the right composition. Styling is a big factor, too... I think Tessa has all of that down! Here are a few examples for you to feast your eyes on...

All images by Tessa Neustadt

HOW TO MAKE AN ALL-NATURAL HOMEMADE AIR FRESHENER...

So I had company over last week and the first thing they said when they entered my house was, "I wish my house smelled like yours!" The truth was that it can. And the other truth was that just hours before my company arrived, my house had the lingering smell of the dinner I made the night before. Don't you hate when the smell of what you cook just hangs out in your house?? Plug-ins and some candles give me a headache, so I don't like to use them. So what I like to do is raid my fridge and pantry to see what I fragrance I can "cook up" to freshen the air in the house. My favorite little potion is this simple mix of oranges, lemons, and cinnamon. It creates a really fresh, clean scent with a hint of warmth from the cinnamon. The smell stays in the house for a few days (assuming you don't replace it with another smell). It smells so good! Sometimes I use apples, strawberries or blueberries that are about to go bad, star anise, nutmeg, vanilla, rosemary - just any fruit, spice, or herb that gives off a beautiful smell when it's heated up. The technique (see below) is super simple and works on a variety of different fruits and spices, so feel free to experiment with whatever you have on hand! 

Here is what you need to do (see ingredients in the photo above):

Squeeze the juice of the lemons and the oranges into a pot. Add the squeezed oranges and lemons to the pot as well. Add the cinnamon sticks. Sometimes I break them in half so they release their fragrance a bit faster. Cover the mixture with water. Bring the mixture up to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer. Simmer it on low for about an hour. Your home should smell lovely! The liquid reduces as it simmers, so keep an eye out for it!

Images by me

THE DOORS + LINKS...

Hi there! Hope you had a great week! This week flew by fast for me, which means I was quite busy. And that means I'm thrilled, as always, for the weekend. I've got nothing but a workout, a dinner, and some major relaxation (i.e. catching up on some of these) on the agenda. I hope you all have a great weekend and enjoy the links!

Good Finds

Adorable flats for fall...
And a good end-of-summer sale... 

How I will probably feel on Monday morning... 

The most helpful & accurate GPS app I've found... 

Good Spaces

Traditional design at its finest...

Another one of their beautiful remodels...

This is both crazy and fascinating all in one...

Good Reads

Six places you should clean every day...

13 things you might not know about Costco...

What electronics are really doing to your skin...

Good Food

I'm still thinking about how good this was...

Press play for a perfect end-of summer dressing... 

I made these for my lunch this week. So good and easy to make!

Image via No Glitter No Glory

SIX READS & NETFLIX SHOWS ON MY CURRENT RADAR...

So I am so happy to say that I have read more books this year than I have in the past few years combined! I'm quite excited about that accomplishment! That has all been in part to actually having more time to reading and making more time to read. My Kindle lives in my purse now instead of on my nightstand. So instead of tinkering with my phone, I read during lunch, when I'm waiting for an appointment, and at night before bed. If I'm too tired to read (because there is such a thing), I've resorted to something entertaining and sometimes educational on Netflix - because prime time TV in the summer can be horrific. Here are a few of my favorites as of late...

1. Dear Carolina by Kristy Woodson Harvey: Design Chic just happens to be one of my favorite design blogs and the blogger behind that blog is now one of my favorite authors. The most enjoyable books (and TV shows for that matter) for me are those that involve relationship and family issues - and the ultimate resolution of the issues. It's a treat if the resolution proves a good moral. This book has all of that. The simple moral of this story is that things happen when and how they are supposed to happen - and they happen all in God's perfect timing. Khaki, an interior designer and mother of one is dying to have another baby, but her endometriosis is making it difficult. Jodi, Khaki's husband's cousin, is a recovering alcoholic who ends up pregnant, alone, and broke. Jodi's new baby girl ultimately brings these two mothers together in such an emotional and beautiful way. Once the baby is born, they both take on new lives that neither one of them ever imagined that they would have. It's just a beautifully written piece of Southern fiction that has easily become one of my favorite books...

2. The Good Neighbor by A.J. Banner: The cool thing about owning a Kindle and being an Amazon Prime member is that you get to download one free book a month. And the choices they give you are always interesting! This book was my free download for August and it's gonna be a good one! In this psychological thriller, Sarah moves to a beautiful town in Washington state and settles in comfortably with her new husband. Tragedy strikes soon after the move and she begins to question everything - her marriage, her friends, and her neighbors. Apparently it begs the question, "Just who can you trust?"

3. Lawyer for the Dog by Lee Robinson: I found this book via Bookbub (a site that I LOVE). Sally is one of Charleston S.C.'s most esteemed attorneys who seems to have her life sort of figured out. Then her ex-husband, a judge, appoints her to be the attorney for Sherman, a miniature schnauzer involved in one of his divorce cases. She deals with the dog, her mother who has Alzheimers, her crazy ex-husband, and her new attraction to the dog's vet, all at once- which begins to make her question everything she ever thought about marriage and love - and pets. If you are a pet-lover like me, then this might be a good one...

4. Dessert for Two by Christina Lane: You know I had to throw a cookbook in here! Sometimes after lunch or dinner on the weekends, I just want a little something sweet. But I don't quite have the knowledge of how to correctly break down a recipe so that it makes enough for just me or me and one other person. Ya know? This cookbook does just that. Christina turns really good desserts like Mississippi Mud Bars, a Banana Split Cheesecake, and Oatmeal Cream Pies into desserts that are just enough for two people. Love that...

5. Chef's Table: If you have an appreciation- a real appreciation- for good food, then you need to watch this Netflix series. The series highlights six chefs of award-winning restaurants who have made and continue to make ultimate sacrifices to pursue their passion for food and cooking. I knew that being a chef was hard work, but the amazing cinematography in this documentary shows you how hard it really is. But it also shows you that hard work pays off and that hard work can be enjoyable when you are working on your passion. This documentary will leave you with a bigger appreciation for the art of food - and a little hungry to say the least... :)

6. Bloodline: As I mentioned, I love a good family drama. This Netfix show is just that - a whole lot of good suspenseful family drama. The show revolves around Danny, the oldest son and black sheep of a prominent family in the Florida Keys. Danny has caused nothing but trouble his whole life and his family has always helped him out only for him to disappoint them once again. But he's finally ready to turn things around and come home to help run the family business. But once he comes home, he exposes the family's dark past - and it ain't pretty - but it's really good to watch.

What are you reading and/or watching these days?

STRAWBERRY BROWNIE CAKE...

Hello! How's it going? Well I'm back after a bit of an unplanned week away from this computer. Some projects at home and work left me with just enough energy at the end of each day to do mindless things like watch TV and read before falling asleep about 30 minutes later. The struggle is real sometimes when you work full time and blog on the side! But it's all good. I've learned to honor and listen to my body when it's tired and take time away from blogging when necessary - and not feel bad about it. Ya know what I mean?

Anyway, one of the books I was reading last week was Endless Summer Cookbook, a new cookbook by Katie Lee. I adore Katie Lee. She has a knack for simple entertaining and making simple recipes to go along with it. She also has great taste in both the fashion and interior design departments. Her new home in the Hamptons is stunning to say the least. One recipe that really caught my eye in her new cookbook was this Strawberry Brownie Cake. I needed something really easy to make to get back into the swing of blogging, and this recipe was just that. If you have a few boxes of brownies (or ingredients for your favorite homemade brownie) some fresh strawberries, and some whipped cream or Cool Whip in your kitchen, then you can whip this FABULOUS dessert up in no time. The combination of the moist brownies (I like a cakey-fudgy texture), the summer fresh strawberries (that are 2 for $5 right about now), and the freshly whipped cream in the photos you see there were just heaven in my mouth. It's the perfect little "fake-out" recipe that will leave your family or dinner party guests feeling quite impressed, inspired, and fully satisfied. :)

Here is what you need and what to do:

2 boxes of your favorite brownie mix (I used Ghirardelli)
Packages of chocolate syrup (if included with brownie mix)
4 large eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream or 2 cups Cool Whip
1 cup sour cream, at almost room temperature
1lb strawberries, hulled & sliced

1. Preheat the oven to the temperature stated on the box of brownies. Line the bottom of two 8in round cake pans with parchment paper. I use these cake pans and love them. They are the real deal. Spray the bottom and sides of the pans with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.

2. Add the brownie mix, eggs, water, and oil, and chocolate syrup (if it was in the box) to the bowl of an electric mixer that is fitted with a paddle attachment. Once all of the ingredients are combined, divide the batter between each pan. Bake according to the instructions on the box. I baked mine for about 35 minutes so that they would be a little fudgy. Let them cool completely in the pans. Once they have cooled, carefully turn them out of the pan. You might need to run a paring knife around the sides to make sure they release easily.

3. To make the fresh whipped cream, pour the heavy cream into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip until you almost have stiff peaks. Fold in the sour cream with a spatula. If using cool whip, simply fold in the sour cream.

4. Place one layer of the brownie on the bottom of a cake server. Spread about half of the cream on top of the brownie. Top the cream with strawberries. Place the second layer of the brownie on top of the first layer and top it with the remaining cream and strawberries.

5. Slice it (it will be a little messy, but thats the way it should be!), and serve with little side of strawberries and extra whipped cream.

Enjoy!

Images by me