Vanilla Ring Cake

Another good recipe from "Taste of Home" magazine! I used this at a Valentine's luncheon I did with Mexican food and it was a wonderful ending. Ice cream would be good with it too. I "sparkled" it with pink but you could use any color the occasion called for and in fact, I just found Watermelon sprinkles the other day that are darling and are watermelon pink with green and even have a faint watermelon taste! Bon Appetit!!

1 cup shortening ( I use butter flavor Crisco)

2 cups sugar

4 Eggs

2 TBLS. vanilla(Mexican is the best!!!)

3 cups unbleached flour ( I use King Arthur or Pillsbury)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

Drizzle Icing"

1 cup powdered sugar

1-2 Tbls. milk(I use half and half or cream)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla( Use Mexican it is best)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

Pour into a greased and floured 10 inch fluted(Bundt) pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center, comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack to cool. Combine icing ingredients and drizzle over cake. Put colored sprinkles on if desired. Serves 12

Lee's English muffins

My friend, Lee Cumba, says these are the best breakfast treat ever, and you will never want to eat store bought English muffins again. Well worth the little extra effort!!!! Thanks, Lee, will enjoy these, I'm sure.

Combine in a small bowl and let sit for 3-5 minutes:

2 TBLS. Hot water (105-115) degrees) and 1 pkg. active dry yeast

Combine in a large bowl:
1 cup water
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Combine the 2 above mixtures and add 2 cups of unbleached flour (sift before measuring). Gradually beat in the 2 cups flour to the milk/yeast mixture. Cover bowl and let the sponge(milk/yeast/flour mixture) rise in a warm place(85 degrees) for about 1 1/2 hours - or until it collapses back into the bowl. Add 2 TBLS. of softened butter to sponge.
Sift and measure an additional 2 cups flour, and beat into the sponge mixture. Roll out dough on a pastry cloth or board sprinkled with a combination of flour and cornmeal. Roll about 1/2 to 1 inch thick and cut into 3 inch rounds or so. Carefully pick up rounds and place them on a cookie sheet to rise again. When double in bulk, VERY CAREFULLY, so they don't deflate, and using a spatula, transfer onto a hot buttered griddle and cook on both sides like a pancake until golden brown. They taste fabulous right off of the griddle with butter and your favorite jam!!!