Cream Cheese Pound Cake with Strawberry Coulis

Look...I finally got another camera!  Of course now I have to learn how to use it!

I don't usually make things that involve berries, mostly because I am not too fond of them, but in this case I made an exception.  There is a dear Vietnamese man who has been working with my Dad for the last 12 years.  When we were younger he would always hand us candy when we visited the office.  Now that we are older he treats us to lunch, and gives us apples and snacks.  He is a kind soul, and always has a smile and friendly word for anyone he meets.  For this reason I decided to make him a birthday cake.  He said he liked strawberries, so this is what I came up with.

Simple ingredients, delicious results!

The cake has cream cheese.  The coulis is super simple.  The berries are fresh.  The cream is straight up divine.  Together they come together and form a luscious summer dessert worthy of the Queen Mother herself.  Speaking of the Queen Mother, she is probably so exhausted from all the Olympic festivities...I think she needs a vacation.

Did you watch the Olympics?  I have to admit, I barely watched at all this last week.  My parents kept watching the soccer games, and I really have no interest in watching the sports that are always on TV year round...like soccer, basketball, and volleyball.  I watch for the random sports, and the stories of awesome people like Oscar Pistorious - the double amputee who competed in the Olympics sprinting this year.  Crazy awesome!  How inspiring!  Or the sweet little Gabby Douglas who captured gold in the Women's all around gymnastics.  The determination of these people is amazing!  They are all examples of what you can accomplish if you set your mind to it!  I have decided to set my mind to the task of electing Romney and Ryan!!!!  Of course that deserves an entirely different post and different recipe!

ROMNEY AND RYAN!!!!

Is that acceptable that I express my personal political views on my blog?  I better be careful Blogger might shut me down, or maybe people won't be able to access my posts in certain States...*insert cough* Massachusetts *insert cough* : )

Cream Cheese Pound Cake
from Martha Stewart

• 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 bar (8 ounces) cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With an electric mixer, beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla. With mixer on low, add flour and salt in two additions, beating until just combined.
2. Generously coat two loaf pans or one bunt pan with cooking spray; immediately pour in batter (pan will seem full). Tap pans on work surface to eliminate any large air bubbles.
3. Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out almost clean, 55-60 minutes (if the tops begin to brown too quickly, tent with aluminum foil).
4. Cool 10 minutes in the pan. Turn out the cake (s) ; cool completely

I take birthday celebrations very seriously...no fake whipped cream here : ) 

Strawberry Coulis

(pronounced "cool-ee")

from Smitten Kitchen Blog

2 cups quartered hulled strawberries (about 12 ounces)

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Combine strawberries, water, sugar and lemon juice in blender. Puree until very smooth, then press through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Cover and refrigerate until cold. Coulis can be prepared one day ahead.

I plate in style!  Dixie plates all the way!