Nana's Carolina Style Pound Cake!

My Nana makes the most wonderful Pound Cake! I thought it would be a real treat to share something that makes me think of her! Everyone is always requesting her Pound Cake! We also love to use her pound cake batter for cupcakes!

2 sticks butter ( room temp.)
3 cups sugar
1/2 cup Crisco shortening
5 eggs (room temp)
3 cups sifted cake flour
1 cup milk (room temp)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon lemon flavoring

Cream butter, sugar, and shortening; add eggs one at a time beating thoroughly after each; add flour and milk alternating;  add baking powder, salt to last part of flour; last; add flavoring. Use electric mixer. Pour in round tube pan greased thoroughly and floured lightly. Put in COLD OVEN.!  bake 350 DEGREES for one hour 15 minutes. Do not open oven until time is up.  Don't forget to put cake in oven then turn oven on.

 The Southern Living test kitchen provides great tips for making the perfect pound cake as well!

Leave it to Southern Living to make the pound cake extra fancy with the six
Perfect Pound Cakes below!

Photos by Jennifer Davick

 Strawberry Swirl Cream

Cheese Pound Cake

Sauvignon Blanc Pound Cake

 Amaretto Almond Pound Cake

Lemon Coconut Pound Cake

Buttermilk Pound Cake

with Custard Sauce

Key Lime Pound Cake

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Market Craves and Fabric Faves!

I am thrilled about my High Point Market trip for Mears Etc Etc next week!  I promise to behave and control myself! It is always hard to keep from drooling over all the beautiful creations!  I am looking forward to seeing our friend, Brian Hendrix. Brian is originally from High Point and he has the best job representing the incredible, Lilly Pulitzer Home collection by HFI Brands!  I am very excited McQueen's Interiors in Morehead City NC will be carrying this fabulous line!

One of my favorite items below is the most creative pieces I have seen in a long time! 

Every women needs a 'shoe pouf' ottoman to house her Lilly Pulitzer shoes, of course!

  I am also stuck on fabric again today, as I search for fresh new fabrics for SSCS refurbishments! I go back to my true love, Quadrille Fabrics, Alan Campbell and China Seas forever and always!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Fabric Heaven!

There are many locations in fabric heaven but one of my favorite spots has been around since 1956! The Cloth Barn in Goldsboro is still owned and operated by the original family and that is what makes it special! Their customer service is generational!

The Red Barn is the original location!

Look for this sign at their Sunrise Shopping Center location, just down the street!

They are truly wonderful and helpful!

 I love the bamboo fabric spotted during my last visit for a friend!

AND!

 I also love the fun fabrics below!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen



"Daily Points of Light"

I hope you were able to watch "All Together Now: A Celebration of Service" tonight!  All the living former Presidents came together as a spotlight tribute to President and Mrs. George H. W. Bush's legacy in public service.  It was great to see the camaraderie through greater good among the former Presidents as well as witness all the selfless volunteers honored for their incredible efforts and determination to make a difference!

The Points of Light Institute organized the event and will receive the proceeds.  The Points of Light Institute is the country’s largest volunteer and civic engagement organization. 

"There is no definition of a successful life without service to others" George H. W. Bush

I am so thankful for my parents, they are great role models who have made it their life to volunteer, supporting many organizations!
I will continue to take each day as an opportunity to do better and be better!
Be Kind, Thank God, Work Hard, and Help Others!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

In the Eye of the Beholder!

I am excited about the items I am gathering for the first "Southern Secrets Carolina Style" refurbishments and antique sale in May! The before and after photos will be great!  I love visiting some of my favorite places to see what they have new and special! I have had the most fun in fabric heaven and looking for the perfect purchases!   I love the possibilities with the auction items below!

 Be Creative!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Carolina Green Thumb!

I love Southern Living's 10 Tips for a Beautiful Yard!  I also love Tarheel Gardening and  Eastern North Carolina Flowering Plants.  I hope I grow a green thumb one day! It is hard to grow my favorites on the ocean with all the salt spray. I am trying to grow Jasmine like at the farm in the photo below! My sister in law has the green thumb!  She works miracles with orchids too!

The NC Azalea Festival  is April 6-10th.  You can see beautiful gardens during the 2011 Cape Fear Garden Club Azalea Garden Tour!

Get your "Pretty" Garden Tools from Mears Etc Etc this Spring!  Makes yard work more fun whether you have a green thumb or not!!

Several floral patterns!

Animal prints available as well!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

A Spring Soiree!

Tomorrow night, Saturday the 26th, join a great group at The Stockroom at 230 Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh for The 2nd Annual Spring Soiree to benefit the wonderful organization, National Students of AMF.

Proceeds from the Spring Soiree will provide resources to further the work of National Students of AMF Support Network. Founder, David Fajgenbaum is in the photo below as well as his sisters, beside him, Gina Fajgenbaum Combs and to the far left Lisa Fajgenbaum at last years Soiree.

 The National Students of AMF is the only national organization dedicated to supporting college students grieving the illness or death of a loved one.  I encourage you to learn more about AMF and it's inspiration!

 Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Bon appétit, Ya'll!

Taking State Board exams are never pleasant, passing is fun and celebrating is awesome!  As you all know I love Raleigh and every minute of fun I get to spend in the City is time well spent! If you follow Southern Secrets Carolina Style you know I like to "Think Francais" in the Carolinas! 

The celebration was at Coquette in North Hills!  Next time you are in Raleigh
I hope you have an opportunity to enjoy the
 "Par excellence Haute cuisine" of Coquette!

CRISP DUCK CASSOULET

herb duck confit leg, swiss chard, andouille, boudin blanc, tasso cassoulet

BRAISED LAMB SHANK

fennel, tomato and garlic gratin, tarragon caperberry gremolata, lamb jus



TRUFFLED FRITES
handcut frites, cantal, truffle oil, herbes

Banana's Foster and Creme Brulee

Merci beaucoup!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Collard Greens and Cornbread!

Many of you have had the pleasure of eating collards at our house and you loved them! We always cook the collards outside, of course!  Since this is a favorite recipe and it is that time of year, I thought I would share  the big secret with you! 

Stop boiling your collards!

This is one of many favorites from this Biltmore® book, I've shared with you before!  Everyone should have this cookbook!  It is wonderful! 

Biltmore® - Our Table to Yours

You will also love this cornbread!
Jalapeno and Shrimp
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 pound raw shrimp, shelled, deveined
1 whole jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 cups white cornmeal
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups water
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon melted bacon drippings
oil, sufficient for deep frying

Saute onion, shrimp, jalapeno and parsley in 2 teaspoons oil, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside. Mix together cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to roiling boil. Take pan off heat. Pour in cornmeal mixture, beat well. Cool 2 to 3 minutes. Add sauteed ingredients, egg, bacon grease, beating well after each addition. Completed dough should be fairly dry but not cohesive. Cool. Fill pan with 3 to 4 inches of oil. Bring to 375F. Drop full teaspoons of dough into hot oil and fry about 1 minute until golden brown and cooked through.  Recipe Secrets!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen

Showcase of Kitchens!

 I love to cook and I love seeing the new design idea's that go into new and renovated kitchens each year! The gadgets get better and better!  Appliance giving is no longer "faux pas"! Well, I guess it depends on the appliance!  I would consider cooking everynight if I received the Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances below as a gift..seriously!!   

Gotta Love the Carolina Syle Kitchens!

 One State Red and One Carolina Blue!!

Thank you, Southern Living!

 You have a chance to see incredible kitchens in Raleigh during The Junior League of Raleigh fifth annual Showcase of Kitchens! It is a grand opportunity to pay close attention to the local resources for your next reno!  To all you husbands out there, I guarantee from past experiance, receiving an appliance like in one of the showcase kitchens's, will not start an argument!

 The "Toast to the Tour" kick off Gala is Thursday March 31st at Ferguson Enterprises on Yonkers Road from 7 p.m. - 10 p.m.  There will be live music by Raliegh's own Band of Oz, Food by B&B Catering and a silent auction. Tickets are $60 per person; $100 per couple (cost includes food and 2 beverage tickets per person)
Take the tour, Friday, April 1 and Saturday, April 2, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Two-day Tour tickets: $20 in advance; $25 at the door

The Junior League of Raleigh puts on a fantastic event!  They have great Sponsors too!
"Proceeds from the Showcase of Kitchens benefit the Junior League of Raleigh's Center for Community Leadership" http://www.jlraleigh.org/ 

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen



Carolina Cavier!

Huntersville, North Carolina is home to "Yah" and Yah's Best Salsa!   
As the weather warms up, I love to go to the Farmers Market when I am in Raleigh!
The Farmers Market is where I first discovered Yah's Best Products!
Yah's Best Salsa is made from ingredients right out of their garden!  We all know
Goodness Grows in North Carolina!

"Yah" and her daughter started Yah's Best Products over ten years ago!
They have over fifty products now!  Of course the "Carolina Cavier" is my favorite! I also love the "Slow Burn", "Peach" and "Mango" Salsa!

You can also find Yah's Best Products on Facebook!

 With Yah's Best Salsa,
I recommend "Beerita's"!

Equal parts!

Corona

Limeade (frozen)

Tequila

Ginger ale

Cheers!

Enjoy your Day, Carolina Style!

Jen Jen