Cream Cheese and Blueberry Pound Cake

I was putting away a bag of ice during last weekend's epic water crisis here in Boston, and stumbled on a bag of farmers market blueberries that I had frozen from last summer. How had I left these beauty's for so long! After a great recipe debate I decided to whip up a batch of my favorite pound cake. This cake is great topped with strawberries or fresh grilled peaches and whipped cream. I would love to tell you that I did either of these, but after letting it cool, I went to wrap it and it looks like someone beat me to it...

I questioned Mr. Smith's BFF, the Hound, but she kept suspiciously quiet...

Cream Cheese and Blueberry Pound Cake
From: Cooking New American
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
4 oz unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 cup blueberries

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a loaf pan with a non- stick coating.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well blended. With a hand blender or stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until very pale and little tails have formed. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat well until slightly fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl well. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until well blended before adding the next. With the mixer on low, add the flour, vanilla, and zest, and mix until almost incorporated, but not quite. Switch from the mixer to a stiff spatula and mix just until the batter is well blended and smooth, scraping the bowl well. Gently fold in the berries.

Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the middle of the oven until the cake is golden and a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs on it (60-65 minutes if using fresh berries, or 75-90 minutes if using frozen).

Cool completely before serving.

Spicy Maple Walnuts

Last weekend Mr. Smith packed up his seersucker suit and headed off to The Derby, so I promptly called my girlfriends for a weekend of eating, drinking, and shopping. I knew at some point we would be headed back to my place for some late afternoon cocktails, and wanted to have some snacks on hand that I could make ahead of time. This was not the time for bagged chex mix, so instead I grabbed for this recipe knowing they would be perfect with a delicious cheese plate, or the ever present Coors Lite.


Spicy Maple Walnuts
From: Cooking New American
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
6 quarter size slices fresh ginger, halved
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Tabasco, or to taste
1 pound (4 cups) shelled walnuts

Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Combine all the ingredients except the nuts in a small saucepan and slowly simmer over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Put the nuts in a bowl, pour the glaze over them, and stir and toss to coat them with the glaze.

Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the nuts in a single layer on it. Bake for 30- 40 minutes, stirring at the 15 minute and then 10 minute intervals. When the nuts look light and almost dry as you toss them, they're done. Don't touch them; the caramelized sugar is hot. Slide the nuts on the foil onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely.

Store in an airtight container until ready to use.