Amaretto Pound Cake

 

One of the greatest enjoyments of my life is baking pound cakes.  I know I tell y'all that more than I should, but it's so true.

That being said, there are few things in life (culinary that is) that are more comforting than a slice of pound cake still warm from the oven.  

My daughter and son-in-law have birthdays a few days apart.  We try to have a joint meal and they decide on the menu together.  This year they requested an amaretto pound cake.

There's an important difference between amaretto liqueur and almond extract.

Amaretto has a lovely almond flavor, but it's much milder because it's diluted with alcohol and sugar. If you replace the extract completely with amaretto, the cake will have only a faint almond flavor after baking.  For the cake, I would use a combination of both.  This gives you that warm, rich amaretto flavor while the almond extract ensures the flavor comes through after baking.

2 cups butter, softened

2 3/4 cups sugar

6 large eggs

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 t. salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 t. vanilla extract

2 T. amaretto
1 t. almond extract

2 t. almond extract

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until creamy.  Gradually add sugar, beating 5 - 7 minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears.

Combine flour salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl; add to butter mixture alternatively with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Mix at low speed after each addition just until mixture is blended.  Stir in amaretto and almond flavoring. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.

Bake at 325 degrees F. for 1 hour and 15-20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into the center comes our clean. 

Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 - 15 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the glaze, if only adults will be enjoying the cake, you can use full amaretto.  The taste will really come through because it isn't baked, but added after the cake cools.

For a stronger almond finish, I'd make it:

1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

2 T. amaretto

1/4 t. almond extract

1 T. milk or cream (a little more if needed)

Let the cake cool COMPLETELY before adding glaze.  

Easy Blueberry Muffins

 

With blueberries are their peak, whip up a batch of these easy blueberry muffins.  

They're delicious for breakfast, a snack, or to have as a treat in someone you love's lunchbox!

1 egg

2 cups Bisquick baking mix
1/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3/4 cup blueberries

Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease bottom only of medium size muffin cups or line with paper baking cups.

Beat eggs slightly in a medium bowl; stir in remaining ingredients except blueberries just until moistened. Fold in blueberries into batter.  Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.   Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until golden brown.

Around Lolly's Sideboard: America 250!

Happy 250th Birthday America!  I hope each of you have a wonderful and safe July 4th!

The Curtains in the Background

 

Looking at this picture, it seems like an ordinary birthday picture from the early 1970s.  There I am, proudly posing with my BAKERY birthday cake.  I was 10 I believe in that picture.  I have attempted to count the candles, but to my best memory, I am going to conclude I was 10.  I don’t think turning 9 would have warranted a bakery bought cake.
 
But if you look behind that little girl, who had such an amazing life ahead of her, you’ll notice the curtains.  Simple, hand sewn café style curtains that my mama sewed herself on a Singer treadle sewing machine. 
 
You’ll remember that in the early ‘70’s many homes were decorated throughout with the “Early American” style.  Those of you of a certain age instantly had a flashback to that design. 
 
These curtains were full fledged Early American.  They hung in my mama’s kitchen for years and certainly they were there during the Bicentennial. 
 
When I was going through the tens of thousands of items in my parents’ home, I came across a tote that included quilt batting, half finished quilt squares, and the hope that someday she would be able to see well enough again to piece a quilt.  Sadly, that never came to pass.
 
But in the bottom of that tote was those curtains.  Those very curtains transported me immediately back to those innocent days of the early 1970s.  Before Watergate, before the Bicentennial celebrations, before I realized that childhood is so very fleeting.  She had kept those curtains all those years.  Why?  I have no idea other than she worked hard on them, was proud of her work, and thought maybe perhaps that Early American décor would become the rage again and she would be ready?
 
I handed off the tote to my daughter because she and my mother had talked hundreds of times about quilts and the process of quilting and I had been told by my mother more than once that she hoped one day my daughter would “take up quilting.”  It seemed only fitting she should have her Granny’s last projects.
 
So imagine my overwhelming emotions when a few days ago my daughter handed me a bag and told me it was an early birthday present.  She had pillows made for both of us from those curtains.  Imagine.  Fifty-five years later, those curtains have made it back into my daily life.  They have waited patiently for the opportunity to be present and to have a second go at life.  What a thoughtful expression of caring and love from my daughter.  I’m so proud of the pillows.

 

 

Blackstone Steak Fajitas....or Steak Fajita Tacos

 

I had every intention of making steak fajitas. Seriously. Every step of my plan was steak fajitas.

But somehow, mine ended up being Steak Fajita Tacos, while Sweet Harold happily enjoyed his the traditional fajita way!

It all started when I spotted a gorgeous tray of already sliced, ready-to-cook sirloin steak at Food City. My first thought was to make an Asian-inspired dish, but then I decided steak fajitas on the Blackstone sounded a lot more fun.

Lately, I've been reaching for the Lodge Southwest Kick Sear Blend, and I knew it was going to be the perfect seasoning for this meal. It has quickly become one of my favorites.

I'm sure I'm late to the party, but I only recently discovered these amazing Herdez Taqueria Street Sauces. The Cilantro Lime is my current favorite, but I happily stirred the original Roja into my refried beans.

Speaking of beans, we've been taste-testing several brands of fat-free refried beans lately, and the Casa Mamita brand from Aldi is currently sitting at the top of our leaderboard.

But back to the fajitas!

I liberally seasoned one pound of the sliced sirloin with the Lodge Southwest Kick Sear Blend and set it aside while I sliced one large yellow onion and one large green bell pepper. Since my jalapeño plants on the deck have been producing like crazy, I picked several fresh peppers, removed the seeds, and added those to the vegetable bowl as well.

The secret is getting the Blackstone screaming hot before adding anything. I give the surface a light spray of olive oil, then immediately add the steak. Since it was sliced so thin, it only needed a few minutes to develop that beautiful sear without overcooking.

The peppers and onions went onto the other side of the Blackstone, where they received a generous sprinkle of the same Southwest Kick seasoning.

After reducing the heat just a bit, I grabbed my metal spatulas and began turning the steak and vegetables over and over so everything could develop that wonderful caramelized sear.

Once the steak was cooked, I turned that side of the Blackstone off and focused on finishing the vegetables. I gathered them into a pile, added a splash of water with my Blackstone squeeze bottle, and covered everything with my Blackstone dome. The burst of steam finished cooking the vegetables perfectly while keeping them crisp and colorful.

About thirty seconds later, I removed the dome, mixed the steak and vegetables together, and dinner was ready.

Sweet Harold warmed a few carb-friendly tortillas and built his steak fajitas the traditional way.

Me? Well...I took a different path.

I had recently picked up a box of La Tiara Taco Shells, and somewhere between the sizzling steak, those perfectly steamed peppers and onions, and that bottle of Cilantro Lime sauce, my fajita plans took a detour. Those crunchy taco shells started calling my name, and there was no turning back.

I piled the warmed taco shells high with steak and vegetables before drizzling them generously with the Cilantro Lime sauce.

Never one to leave refried beans unadorned, I topped mine with the Roja Sauce, diced onion, reduced-fat cheese, and pickled jalapeños.

So yes...I started the afternoon absolutely convinced we were having steak fajitas for dinner.

Sweet Harold stayed the course and enjoyed every bite wrapped up in warm tortillas.

Me? I may have set out to make fajitas, but I'm not one bit sorry they turned into steak fajita tacos.

And honestly...

They might just stay that way from now on.

Now I have to know...if you were sitting at our table, would you build a fajita like Sweet Harold or reach for the crunchy taco shells like I did? I'd love to hear which team you're on! 🌮🥩

Sam's Club Find: Safe Catch Tuna Burgers

Y'all know I'm always wandering the aisles at Sam's Club looking for something new to bring home. On my last trip, these Safe Catch Tuna Burgers practically jumped into my cart.

I'll admit it...I was intrigued.

A tuna burger? On the grill? I had to know if they were as good as they sounded.

The first thing that caught my attention was the nutrition information. Compared to a traditional 4-ounce beef burger, these have 33 grams of protein, 68% less fat, and 30% fewer calories. They also contain omega-3s, and every tuna is mercury tested. That's a pretty impressive list.

When lunchtime rolled around, I headed out to the grill.

One thing I really liked is that there's no thawing required. They go straight from the freezer to the grill.

I sprinkled both sides with Kinder's The Seafood Blend, preheated the grill to 500°F, and placed the frozen burgers directly on the grates. After they developed a nice sear, I rotated each one about 45 degrees to create those beautiful grill marks.

Once the first side was finished, I lowered the grill to medium heat, flipped the burgers, and repeated the process until they reached an internal temperature of 165°F.

I have to admit...those grill marks made me smile.

Then came the important question...

How do you dress a tuna burger?

Do you go with tartar sauce? Cocktail sauce? Or do you treat it just like a hamburger?

Since I haven't made it to the grocery store since getting home from vacation, I kept mine simple with Duke's mayonnaise, ketchup, and a few slices of sweet onion.

Sweet Harold built his with mayo, mustard, ketchup, onion, and pickled jalapeños.

Both combinations worked beautifully.

The burgers were moist, flavorful, and didn't have an overpowering fish taste. They held together perfectly on the grill and made a satisfying meal without feeling heavy.

Would I buy them again?

Absolutely.

These are the kind of freezer staple I love to keep on hand. They're quick to prepare, packed with protein, and make a delicious lunch or supper when you don't have a lot of time to cook.

If you happen to spot them at Sam's Club, I'd say they're definitely worth tossing into your cart.

Have you ever tried a tuna burger? If so, how do you top yours? I'd love to hear your favorite combination!

2026 Alabama BBQ Tour: Coffee County - BBQ Haven, Enterprise, Alabama

 

On our way home from the beach last week, we decided to get back onto the Fleur de Lolly Alabama BBQ Tour.  We didn’t make all 67 Alabama counties last year, so we’re going to move forward into 2026 and beyond if that’s what it takes!

 By the time we reached Enterprise (Coffee County), we were ready for lunch.  I searched online and found several intriguing options for BBQ and BBQ Haven was slightly off our route. 

 Coffee County is located Established on December 29, 1841, Coffee County covers 680 square miles in Alabama's southeastern Wiregrass region. Named for Creek War hero General John Coffee, the county has deep agricultural roots and a rich military heritage. Its original county seat, Wellborn, was replaced by Elba after the courthouse burned in 1851, destroying all early records. Today, Coffee County is one of only a few Alabama counties with two courthouses—Elba serving as the official county seat and Enterprise as a branch courthouse. The county is also home to much of Fort Novosel, the U.S. Army's premier aviation training installation. Coffee County is perhaps best known for Enterprise's famous Boll Weevil Monument—the only monument in the world honoring an agricultural pest—which commemorates the insect that prompted farmers to diversify into peanuts, transforming the local economy. Today, the county remains one of Alabama's leading peanut producers.  Thank you Google!

Now on to the BBQ! 

BBQ Haven is located at 1109 Boll Weevil Circle #1, Enterprise, AL 36330. The four rocking chairs out front are very welcoming!

 

We entered and walked through the restaurant to the back counter to place our order. 

As we normally do, we tag teamed on the menu items!  We always try as many different items as possible to give a fair representation.

We placed our order, fixed our drinks, and obtained forks and straws, and chose our table.

A roll of paper towel was awaiting us along with three different varieties of sauces: Vinegar, Sweet, and Hot

The owner (who had taken our order) promptly delivered our food.

Sweet Harold had the Smoked ½ Chicken plate with baked beans. 

The chicken had a delicious dry rub blend on the exterior that provided a gorgeous color on the skin.

Now y’all know, this is where the truth is told.  If you can have a perfectly cooked dark meat portion along with a juicy and tender white meat portion, you know the pitmaster knows their trade. 

We had a winner!  Sweet Harold said he couldn’t come up with one single negative for this ½ chicken portion.

He chose baked beans for his side dish.  The beans included peppers, onions, and hamburger meat.  Very flavorful with just a touch of heat. 

I ordered the pulled pork plate.

I caught the aroma of smoke from the pulled pork as it was delivered to me.  That’s always a good sign.  It wasn’t dried out at all and there was a nice ratio or inside meat and outside (bark) to my portion.

 

I selected the vinegar-based sauce for my pork.  But y’all know I’m always going to choose the vinegar-based sauce if it’s available.

My side was mac and cheese.  A nice sized portion with lots of cheesy flavor.  I loved the baked version with the crunchy cheese on top.

We also ordered a side of three ribs.  Now as you can see for yourself, these ribs were extra large with the rib tips present.

The ribs were served with dry rub only.  If a diner wants sauce, they can add it at the table.  They were good with a smoky flavor, but a little chewy.  Still good, but they needed a little more time on the smoker to render out a bit more to become tender.

Overview of our meal:  atmosphere was warm and welcoming; nice menu options including brisket.

Standouts:  choice of sauces, chicken, pork, bbq beans, macaroni and cheese.

Point Takeaways: no table service, plastic utensils, slightly overcooked ribs

 Our Score:  92