I read in People Magazine that Heather Lockler's favorite cake is Mastro's Steakhouse Butter Cake.  She buys two at a time, one for herself and one for everybody else.  So, of course I was intrigued and it was easy to find the recipe.  It always has rave reviews, I'm thinking this is a "must try."

Makes 4 cakes

Cake Batter
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Layer

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg, room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325.

Spray 4 mini springform pans with baking spray. You can also use oversized Ramekins or a mini soufflé pan.

Prepare the cake batter

In a stand mixer cream butter, cream cheese, and sugar for 1-2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat on low for 20 seconds after each addition. Whisk flour and salt, then add to creamed mixture. Beat on low until just incorporated, making sure not to over beat.

Prepare the cream cheese layer

In a small bowl whip together cream cheese and granulated sugar until creamed, add egg and vanilla extract.

Pour cake batter into prepared springform pans then top with a layer of the cream cheese mixture. Bake for 60 – 75 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cakes.

Cake can be made a day ahead. When ready to serve microwave until hot approx 1 minute on 80% power then with a kitchen blow torch brûlée the top and sides of the cake to caramelize the sugar crystals.

To serve this cake a la “Mastro’s”, top with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, top with strawberries and top with a sprig of fresh mint.

Pioneer Woman was giving these away on her blog today, which of course winning one is about as probable as winning the lottery, so I just hopped over to Amazon to check them out.

Well, they aren't cheap folks, but they are wonderful.  But they will also be sold out faster than a New York Minute since Ree featured them on her site.

Here's the link in case you want to salivate along with me.

~ Jan

I love tuna stuffed tomatoes, it's my go to summer lunch.  I've always laboriously cut the tomato into petals, scooped the tuna inside, a great presentation, but a bit of a pain in the patootie to eat.

But with age comes wisdom, and today when I  made my tuna salad, I precut the tomato into small bits, and it was so much easier.

My recipe is simple - 

a pouch of albacore tuna
diced scallions
diced celery
dill weed
celery salt
mustard seed
a scoop of Hellman's Mayo

And today for a change I added some shredded lettuce.  Lunch in a bowl. Works for me ;o) 

I've had my red Butter Bell Crock for a few years now and it works so well.  You never have to try and soften butter again.

Here's a video explaining how it works.  And here's a link if you want to buy one...

I got the niftiest little Oxo Julienne Peeler to make low carb pasta.  It's just amazing.

I posted it on my daily blog, you can read about it by clicking here.

~ Jan

I love Fruit Flavored Tea.   Mother always put orange slices in her tea, and I've been a huge fan of doing that my whole life.  People are always surprised, they expect lemon.  But don't forget peach slices and raspberries when they are in season.  It's a good thing...

And if you don't mind the calories, Nashville Fruit Tea is just amazing.  I had it for the first time at HRH Dumplings,  a great little restaurant in downtown Franklin.  I posted the recipe a few years ago, five to be exact.   Here's the quick link...

This is an absolutely delicious copycat recipe of Cracker Barrel's Famous Coca Cola Cake.  I like to add coconut and pecans to the frosting, but it's great plain, as well.  

The recipe is similar to Texas Sheet Cake, a recipe I've made since the 70's.  Texas Sheet Cake uses two sticks of butter, this one uses a stick of butter and a half a cup of oil.  I actually like this better, because oil makes a really moist cake.  The addition of a cup of Coke is the only difference between my original Texas Sheet Cake and the Cracker Barrel clone.  

People love this cake, make it a day ahead and it's really moist.  A definite 5 Star recipe!  

Enjoy… ~ Jan

Ingredients:
1 cup coca-cola
1 stick margarine
1/2 cup oil - I actually use a generous half cup of oil
3 HEAPING tablespoons cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

***Frosting***
1 stick margarine
3 HEAPING tablespoons cocoa powder
6 tablespoons cream or milk  - I use Fat Free Half and Half, and it works great!
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound confectioners sugar

Directions:
In a saucepan, bring coca-cola, margarine, cocoa and oil to a boil. In a separate bowl mix sugar, flour and salt, then pour the boiling mixture over the dry ingredients and whisk until blended. Beat eggs, buttermilk and vanilla together, and add to wet ingredients.  Pour into a  9×13 pan that has been sprayed with PAM and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

For Frosting: Sift confectioner's sugar - be sure and do this so it doesnt lump.  

In saucepan combine margarine, cocoa and milk and heat until the butter melts. Beat in the remaining ingredients and spread onto HOT cake. Cool and cut.

What a great idea, make these large cubes in muffin tins and put them in your pitcher this summer...

Mississippi Mudslides, Pink Cadillac Margaritas, Shoo-Fly Punch, just to name a few.  This collection would turn even a non-drinker into a believer!  Hop on over to Souterh Living and check the all out.

Here's the link!

Photo courtesy of Southern Living