The Perfect Pound Cake

So here's the story. This is the 4th time I have made this pound cake. I made this particular one late afternoon last week, which meant I couldn't photograph it until the next day, which meant that I couldn't taste it until the next day- in case I wanted to photograph it whole...

The next morning, I photographed it. I usually photograph my food on the floor (on a cutting board of course) right in front of a large window. That is where I get the best light. Right after my final shot, I grabbed a slice from the cutting board and took a bite.

Oh my...

 I felt my eyes get big.

I then found a corner on the floor, curled up and proceeded to have a love affair with that slice of pound cake. It is moist with a cakey yet slightly dense texture. It's sweet, but not too sweet. This one finally tasted better than my grandmother's pound cake. She probably wouldn't like it if she heard me say that. But it's the truth. Sorry grandma.

I have always used this very simple recipe, but did a few things differently with this cake than I have done with cakes in the past. Here are what I think are the secrets to making the BEST pound cake... ever. 

  - Use room temperature unsalted butter and room temperature organic eggs. Organic eggs make a difference. Promise.

 - Use a stand mixer. The key to getting the right texture is to make sure the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, but not overmixed. A hand mixer just doesn't seem to get it right...

- Cream the butter and sugar for 3 minutes. Yes, 3 minutes.

 - Use a professional grade bundt pan. I used a pan I purchased at the grocery store for my first few cakes. It was thin and cheap. I used a professional pan for this one and the color on the top of the cake was the perfect shade of brown. The previous cakes were a little too brown.

 - If you like both almond and vanilla extract, my vote is to use almond extract - the pure extract of course. :)

Have you made a pound cake before? If so, what are your secrets?

Linked with Tasty Tuesdays

Weekend In Five Pics

My view during an afternoon walk  ||  A hibiscus flower in my parent's yard  ||  Super fresh peaches at the farmers market  ||  The best baklava I have ever had in my life  ||  Sneak peek of my bedroom makeover at my parents house

Hi there... How are you and how was your weekend? Mines was spectacular. It involved nice chats with my parents, a big family homemade steak dinner, shopping trips with my mom, a Greek dinner with my brother and 10 hours of sleep three nights in a row. Amen to that. I also worked on redecorating my bedroom at my parent's house. I wanted it to be very calm, so I used a mixture of whites, creams and taupes with just a touch of black. I'm still working on it and hope to be able to show you the before and after soon! I'll keep ya posted!

Let me know how you are!

Inspired...

I have a question for you. If you had to use one word to describe your week, what would it be? My word would be "inspired." I was inspired all week by my surroundings, by people, by photos and by things I read. It happened on a daily basis this week. Perhaps it always happens on a daily basis and maybe I just don't always take the time to think too much about it. I should work on that. Here are a few things that inspired me this week...

I was inspired by that photo by Tracey Ayton. So simple, yet so gorgeous. You will see more of her work here next week...

In an interview on The Everygirl, she said, "Keep going. It will all be worth it some day. Know that little steps lead to big leaps eventually."  Her interview is a must read...

I pre-ordered this book. Her blog has inspired me in so many ways, so I'm pretty sure her book will do the same.

I printed this off and plan to put it on my refrigerator door. I never put things on my refrigerator door...

Your comments on this post totally inspired me. Thank you!

This blogger inspired me with her four simple ways to living in the now and feeling happier...

She achieved all of this- all because she started a blog.

I hope you have a great weekend. I will be hanging out with my parents, which is a treat for me since they are two of the most inspiring people I know... :)

xo,

For Father's Day

1. | 2. | 3. | 4. | 5. | 6. | 7. | 8. | 9.

First, I want to thank you for your super sweet comments on yesterday's post. You know how to make a girl feel good! More outfit posts - sold! Hopefully I won't be so nervous next time!

Well, Father's Day is coming up, so I thought I would put a few items together for the fathers in your life. I'm loving the iPhone tray. It helps, or at least should help, keep a guy organized. Some guys seem to just throw stuff anywhere right??!! Don't even get me started on that... :) The personal poster is my fave. Personable and sentimental gifts are always the best in my book. Would you agree?

IN MY CLOSET #1

Alright guys. I've got something new for ya and I'm nervous. This is my first outfit post! I have been wanting to do this for a long time, but have been hesitant. It seems like the older I get, the more self-conscious I am and the more uncomfortable I am in front of a camera. But I do love fashion and playing dress up, so I thought I would just go for it.  I was so freakin' nervous. But remember here when I said I was taking more risks (big and small) and having more fun?? Well, here goes...

Dress: J.Crew | Watch: Michael Kors | Necklace: The Vault Jewels by Gaby (available upon request) | Clutch: Vintage from here | Sandals : Banana Republic (circa 2004) | Bracelets : Banana Republic & Target

I wanted to keep this shoot very "me" and very simple. I usually just wear one statement piece- which here is the dress that I recently found on sale. I heart the color... I still have no clue how to apply makeup- well just lipstick and gloss, so that's all I wore. I kept the jewelry simple since the color of the dress is so bold. But that's just me. Perhaps I will step outside of the box in future posts...

Oh a note about the dress: It's 2 sizes smaller than my normal size. I was THRILLED until the salesperson quickly burst my inflated ego and told me that the dress runs big. Gee thanks. Anyway, get a size or two smaller than your normal size if you purchase it...

A big thank you to my friend Dana of Dana Eason Photography for telling me to put my arms here, turn my face there, put my feet there, move over two inches and to smile! :)

The Perfect Summer Salad

To me, there is nothing better than eating a fresh, crisp salad on a hot summer day or a warm summer night. This is my absolute most favorite summer salad. I love it so much that this is actually the second time I have blogged about it. I have updated the salad a bit, so I thought I would do a little rewind...

Once you have all of the ingredients together, this salad + the dressing takes about 3 minutes to make. So be ready...

Here is what you need and what to do:

A few handfuls of your favorite greens (I like organic spinach and mixed greens)

1/2 of an avocado, diced

The segments of 1 orange + the juice

1/3 cup of fresh blueberries

Handful of chopped walnuts or sliced almonds

1/3 cup of fresh strawberries, sliced

Crumbled feta cheese

1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Segment the orange over a large bowl. Then, squeeze the juice into the bowl. Add the diced avocado and stir. The orange juice will keep the avocado from turning brown. Add the mixed greens, cheese, nuts, blueberries, strawberries and olive oil. Toss the salad. The olive oil will combine with the orange juice to form a light dressing. I love that about this salad! If you wanted the dressing on the side, simply combine the orange juice and olive oil in a separate bowl. I often add grilled chicken or tilapia to the salad, but it tastes wonderful on its own.

Let me know if you make it!

Linked to Tasty Tuesdays

Weekend In Five Pics

Hi there! How was your weekend? My weekend was great! This past week and weekend, I started focusing on my goals I made for this summer - things like investing more time in building and maintaining relationships, taking more risks- both big and small, doing new things and just having more fun! Here are some things that I did...

I ordered a print of that pic I took in NYC of the Empire State Building. It reminds me of all the things I find fascinating about the city- like the sights, the sounds and people watching. It also reminds me of how much fun I had during my trip.

I had a 4 hour dinner on a patio of one of my favorite Mexican restaurants with a good friend that I hadn't seen in a while. It included wine and good conversation (obviously). 

I added some florals, coral and stripes to my closet. Those who know me well know that prints and bold colors are difficult for me. But I'm working on it. I even wore one of the outfits during a weekend photo shoot for my first outfit post! The post will go up soon, but you can see an outtake here...

Last week, I made homemade lemon macarons for the first time. I have been wanting to make macarons for a long time, but was afraid I would screw them up. But I followed a recipe in this book and they turned out great! I wanted to focus on the process of making them, so I didn't take many photos for you. But I will be sure to take some the next time I make them!

I do, however, have photos of my favorite summer salad that I will share with you tomorrow!

Do you have any goals, big or small that you are working on this summer?

Dreamy...

How would you like to start your weekend off in that bathroom with a tub full of fragrant suds, a stack of magazines and a bottle or two of wine?? Dreamy. I love everything about the space from the lighting to the Waterworks tub to the flooring to the view. Do you?

What's up for the weekend? I plan to do a whole lot of absolutely nothing... my favorite type of weekend. Before you head into what I hope is a relaxing weekend for you, check out some of my favorite links from the week...

1. If you have read the Fifty Shades trilogy, did you imagine that Escala looked like this?

2. I love how one-piece swimsuits can serve two purposes...

3. My favorite quote of the week. It's so very true.

4. I can't wait for Fed Ex or UPS to drop this off at my door. 

5.  I think I repin just about everything she pins.

6. You can see more of the home with that gorgeous bathroom here.

Have a great weekend my friends...