The Buttercreme Baker

The Party’s Over

I am happy to report that the Hampton Inn Christmas Party went off without a hitch. The soiree took place at Charley's Waterfront Café, adjacent to several of the historic Greenfront Furniture storefronts.

John, Madelyn and John's parents

Abby, Iris and Debra

Of course the gingerbread houses came home with Madelyn.

Several of you have asked for the recipe for the apple fritters I posted last week. Well, ask and you shall receive.

Apple Fritters (adapted from a recipe submitted by John Robbins to Allrecipes.com)

1 C all-purpose flour

¾ t baking powder

1 t salt

½ t apple pie seasoning

1 egg

1/3 heavy cream

¾ C chopped Gala apple w/ skin

4 t butter, melted

1 ½ T sugar

1 T lemon juice

¼ t vanilla

Peanut oil for frying

    

    In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and apple pie seasoning until well combined and airy. In another bowl beat egg and cream. Add the apple, butter, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla; mix well.

    Stir into dry ingredients until just moistened. In a fryer, heat oil to 375 degrees. Drop batter by rounded tablespoons into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Dust or roll in confectioners' sugar or cover in glaze of your choosing.

    Bon Appétit!    

Berry Pancakes

This is a new listing in my MLS and I just had to highlight it. It is located in Blackstone and according to the listing agent; it was built in 1900 in the Neoclassical style with its original detailing still intact. Judging by the photos it has not been compromised architecturally (which is rare for a house of this age); it has beautiful wainscoting, French doors and the lighting appear to be original to the house-can't wait to preview this one.

I tried something different this evening for Breakfast Night, it's called Berry Pancake. The texture of the pancake is more substantial than I had expected with just a hint of cinnamon and vanilla. The sweetness pairs very well with the tartness of the berries. I found the recipe on a wonderful site called: JoyofBaking.com.

Berry Pancake

1 T unsalted butter

1 large egg

1 C milk

½ t pure vanilla extract

½ C all-purpose flour

1/8 t salt

1/8 t ground cinnamon

2 T sugar

Garnish:

1 C fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries &/or blackberries)

1-2 T sugar

Confectioners' sugar

Whipped cream &/or pure maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and place the rack in the center of the oven.
   
2. Melt butter in a heavy 10" non-stick, ovenproof skillet. Roll around to coat.
   
3. Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender place egg, milk, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and sugar. Process for 45-60 seconds. Add flour slowly and pulse for another 30 seconds. Once the batter is completely smooth, pour into the skillet with the melted butter.
   
4. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pancake is slightly puffed and set. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the berries that have been tossed in sugar. Gently roll or fold the sides over the berries and slide onto a serving platter. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve with whipped cream and syrup.

Winging It

I realized why I have a daily "to-do" list…without it; I would never get anything done. I forgot to write out my tasks last night and today…I paid for it. Got a lot done but not a whole lot of what I needed to get done.

Mike and I planned to go and preview area houses tomorrow. There is nothing like having firsthand knowledge of a property-just looking at the pics doesn't cut it. There are plenty of houses that were awful to look at online but, in person, they were totally different.

First on the list is a house on my street that has been listed for about four months. It's an old house (1920) but judging by the listing details, it has been "updated". I always cringe when I hear that word in relation to an old house because it usually means the architectural character of the house has been compromised. I hope this isn't the case.

300 Second Ave

I am so over well-done steak. Every since the dinner with Terry last month-we are medium-well fans.

Dinner was Ranch-Style Steak and Cheese, Garlic Green Beans and Mashed Potatoes

Ranch-Style Steak and Cheese

"The cheese sauce is great over potatoes as well as the steak."

2 T butter, divided

1 T olive oil

4 T-bone or club steaks

2 T all-purpose flour

½ C light cream or half-and-half

½ C chicken broth*

¾ C shredded cheddar or American cheese

¼ t salt

¼ t black pepper

1/8 t cayenne pepper

2 T chopped fresh chives or parsley

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 T of the butter and the oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add steaks; cook, stirring once, until done to taste, about 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Transfer to plate and keep warm.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add remaining butter and flour, cook, stirring until mixture thickens, about 2-3 minutes. Do not let flour brown.
3. Add cream and broth to skillet and bring to a boil, stirring to prevent lumps from forming. Reduce heat and simmer until thick, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir cheddar, salt, black pepper and cayenne into the cream mixture; cook, stirring until sauce is creamy and smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in chives or parsley. Spoon sauce over steaks and potatoes.

*Beef broth can be substituted.

Stratford Hall

We concluded our trip to Fredericksburg with a trip to Robert E. Lee's birthplace, Stratford Hall. What a treat! I've seen a lot of historic homes but, this one was truly unique. The 10,000 square foot home was built in the classic Georgian style with two huge chimney clusters on opposite ends of the roof. All of the brick was handmade on-site by slaves, indentured servants and convicts brought to the plantation, and they were laid in a Flemish bond.

The gardens were alive with beauty, every turn was filled with beauty-there were English boxwoods, crepe myrtles so large they took on tree form, cherry trees, etc.-all navigable by a true-to-period oyster shell path.

This is not the front of the house, rather the rear. The front faces the Potomac River but, the back was the customary entrance when arriving by horse and carriage.

John and Madelyn descending the many, many steps

And of course I just couldn't leave without visiting the Gift Shop…

Can't wait to start reading

A drawing of the Main House

…and something sweet for later.