strawberry dream cake

It's a wonderful and beautiful thing that my grandma was able to live in the home that she and my grandpa Charlie built, until her passing at 98 years young. It's even more amazing that my mom bought and renovated the home shortly after my grandma passed away, so that it could continue to stay in the family. My mom refers to the/her home as "The Carter Homestead."  

The memories that we all share of holidays and family gatherings at my grandma's house are warm, loving, and endless!  
   
It's my mom's dream that many more family memories will be made there. She has anxiously waited for the big outdoor projects to finish, so that she could host a family gathering and formally open the house to begin creating new memories. I just know that my grandma is excitedly watching over us, pleased with what she sees.  
     
In a few short weeks, she will be hosting a "Let's Celebrate Summer" party! It will be the first time since my grandma passed away that we'll all be gathering there again.   
     
She's having the afternoon catered family style, and asked me if I would bring desserts. I feel honored!   
      
Since Summer grows the best berries and citrus, I would be remiss not to include them in my desserts. So how does a Strawberry Dream Cake and Lemon Bars sound?  
  

  

  

America's Test Kitchen recently shared their recipe for Strawberry Dream Cake. After reading the ingredients and preparation, I thought "This is going to make an amazing cake!"  

Cook's Country

Cook's Country shares why the recipe works . . . 
Strange as it may seem, the vast majority of existing strawberry cake recipes turn to strawberry Jell-O for flavor. Oh no, no. The best way to avoid this artificial solution is to season the cake with actual strawberries. The solution? Since any strawberry solids wreak havoc on a tender cake, straining and reducing strawberry juices will keep the cake light and pack a strawberry punch. Not to be left behind, the reserved strawberry solids make for the perfect studded addition to the frosting.  And there you have it . . . a moist, tender REAL strawberry cake!  
  
If you could take all the flavor of homemade strawberry ice cream and turn it into a cake, the end result would be this cake.  It is a cake that tastes just as the name implies.  Pink and  dreamy.  
  

You can also use this recipe to make the prettiest 

Strawberry Dream CUPCAKES!

Martha Stewart  

Here's what you'll need . . .
Ingredients
Cake
10 ounces frozen whole strawberries (2 cups)
3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature
6 large egg whites, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened  

Frosting
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
12 ounces cream cheese, cut into 12 pieces and softened
Pinch salt
8 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced thin (about 1 1/2 cups)  

Preparation
For the cake
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment, grease parchment, and flour.
2. Transfer strawberries to bowl, cover, and microwave until strawberries are soft and have released their juice, about 5 minutes. Place in fine-mesh strainer set over small saucepan. Firmly press fruit dry (juice should measure at least 3/4 cup); reserve strawberry solids. Bring juice to boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until syrupy and reduced to 1/4 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Whisk milk into juice until combined.
3. Whisk strawberry milk, egg whites, and vanilla in bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt on low speed until combined. Add butter, 1 piece at a time, and mix until only pea-size pieces remain, about 1 minute. Add half of milk mixture, increase speed to medium-high, and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, add remaining milk mixture, and beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Give batter final stir by hand.
4. Scrape equal amounts of batter into prepared pans and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Cool cakes in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans, discarding parchment, and cool completely, about 2 hours. (Cooled cakes can be wrapped with plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.)   
  
For the frosting
5. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, mix butter and sugar on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add cream cheese, one piece at a time, and beat until incorporated, about 1 minute. Add reserved strawberry solids and salt and mix until combined, about 30 seconds. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 2 days.
6. Pat strawberries dry with paper towels. When cakes are cooled, spread 3/4 cup frosting over 1 cake round. Press 1 cup strawberries in even layer over frosting and cover with additional 3/4 cup frosting. Top with second cake round and spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. Garnish with remaining strawberries. Serve. 
Cake can be refrigerated for 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.  

Bon Appetit!

dining in a vineyard

Have you ever seen Chef Michael Chiarello's show on The Food Network called Easy Entertaining?  
  
Michael Chiarello is an award-winning chef and owner of critically acclaimed Bottega restaurant in the Napa Valley. He made his mark by combining his Southern Italian roots with the distinctive hallmarks of Napa Valley living.  If there is such a thing as Napa Style dining and entertaining, he is it!  

I enjoy watching Easy Entertaining because of Chef Chiarello's easy-going nature and fresh, family style recipes. My favorite episodes are the ones where he's entertaining guests in his patio and vineyard.  

There's just something magical about it . . . a long vintage farmhouse table covered in natural linen, paired with mis-match chairs . . . and surrounded by ever-running trellises draped in gorgeous green foliage and clusters of grapes. And the best part . . . the food! Large, gorgeous stoneware bowls filled with fresh and vibrant dishes, passed guest to guest . . . and enjoyed in a unique and beautiful setting.  (Ok, so when's the next train to Napa!?!)
  

Dining at a Winery & Vineyard doesn't just have to be about the wine. Restaurants found at Winery's are also known for their incredibly fresh menus. Their mission is to support seasonal, sustainable, and most importantly, local growers and food purveyors.  And the product . . . beautiful, fresh, and exceptional-tasting food.  

So when my husband asked me a few weeks ago what I wanted to do for my birthday, it took me all of 15 seconds to say, "I want to dine in a vineyard!" He was surprised since we don't drink wine (or alcohol), but after explaining my desire to experience Napa Style dining, he said "Well, ok then!"  
  
We decided to stay somewhat close to home, and ventured south to Temecula Valley.  
  

Nestled between rolling hills of vineyards in the heart of Temecula Valley's Wine Country, we spent the afternoon dining at Callaway Vineyard & Winery's Meritage Restaurant.  Perched atop one of the hills, Meritage offers terrace dining with stunning views. We dined on the lowest terrace, which was great, because we sat ground level with the vineyard.  
  

~ Meritage at Callaway ~

~ view of Meritage from adjacent hilltop ~

~ entrance to Meritage at Callaway ~

~ located at the entrance of the restaurant ~

~ beautiful ~

 ~ the view from our table ~

  

Meritage's Executive Chef Michael Henry released a new Spring inspired menu in April. He uses local, sustainable, and organic ingredients to produce the tapas, salads and entreés with a true artisan style and Mediterranean flair.  
  

   
I don't know about you, but I like to select NEW dishes that I've never had before when dining out with family and friends, especially when it's a special occasion. It makes the occasion that much more memorable.  So . . . for our afternoon at Meritage, we chose . . .  

Prime Natural Angus Hangar Steak 

with a peppercorn aioli sauce, Chimichurri, Market Vegetable & Steak Fries 

~ and ~

Pan-seared, then oven-baked sea bass, 

with a smoked paprika aioli sauce, market vegetables and steak fries  

We also enjoyed a unique beverage . . . ginger lemonade. It was a wonderful compliment to our meals, as it offered a light, fresh taste with a little bite.

And for dessert . . . Pistachio Cannolis and fresh berries!  

 

Our trip to Callaway Winery and Vineyard wouldn't have been complete without a leisurely stroll around the estate.  Here are a few of my favorite photos . . . 

~ yellow rose bushes lined many walkways ~

~ bright & beautiful flowers everywhere ~

~ hilltop adjacent to Meritage with 360 degree view ~ 

~ looking down towards the entrance of Callaway Winery & Vineyard ~

  

  ~ clusters of grapes ~

 

~ vineyard view from hilltop ~

We also visited their Shop . . . so many pretties!   
             I love this idea . . .

  

~ grapevine wreaths serve as plate chargers ~

This piece of art was seen on the wall behind the reception/cashier desk. The employees of Callaway made their logo using wine corks. It was large and quite stunning . . .  

I loved our afternoon get-away, and highly recommend grabbing your spouse, or a few friends, and visiting a Vineyard for its beautiful surroundings and inspired menus.  
  
For a little extra fun, we drove though Old Historic Downtown Temecula on our way home . . . and stopped into Old Town Root Beer Company. My husband is a huge fan of root beer, so this stop was great! Hundreds of bottles of root beer to choose from, as well as other nostalgia. We wrapped up our venture with a Root Beer Float made with Old Town Root Beer Company's very own brewed root beer!    

Thanks honey, for a delightful afternoon! 

  

fresh fruit pizza

The Summer months produce the best fruits . . . Wouldn't you agree?  
  
Local Farmer's Markets are brimming with gorgeous berries and stone fruits at low prices! I've seen berry baskets as low at 99 cents!  Which makes it hard to resist buying a bunch!

I love berries picked right from their baskets . . . sometimes with a hint of sugar, other times with fresh cream, but when you're entertaining ~ it's fun to bolster fruit and serve them in a unique dessert, like a fresh fruit pizza! 

So easy to prepare . . . and light for warm Summer evenings! The fruit combinations are endless, and so are the fruit topping designs (which is the creative part of preparing this dessert!)

And really, what could be better than fresh Summer fruit served atop a soft, chewy sugar cookie base and pillows of sweetened cream cheese!? Yum!

Fresh fruit pizza is quite versatile . . . whether served family style in the form of a large parlor pizza . . . or made into petite individual sized pizzas for special gatherings like showers . . . . Fresh Fruit Pizza is a light, yummy, and beautiful dessert.  

So here you go friends . . . 

Here's what you need . . .
Dough
1/2 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon, divided (use the other half for the frosting)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt   
  
Frosting
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon (1-2 tablespoons)
Other half of lemon zest from above  
  
Fresh Fruit
Strawberries
Raspberries
Blueberries
Pineapple
Peaches
Kiwi  
  
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 10-inch round or tart pan with nonstick cooking spray. This will give a fairly thick crust. If you want a thinner crust, try using a larger pizza pan shape or a 9X13-inch pan (you’ll have to test this out since I’ve only used a 10-inch tart pan).  
  
For the dough, in a large bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Mix in egg, vanilla, and 1/2 of the lemon zest. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just blended. Press the dough into the prepared pan.  
  
Bake the dough for 10-12 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Don’t over bake as the crust will become dry. Cool the crust on a wire rack completely.  
  
In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the granulated and powdered sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and other half of the lemon zest. Spread on the cooled pizza crust to within 1/4-inch of the edges. Arrange fruit on top of the pizza. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and chill until serving time.

Bon Appetit!