This 4th of July weekend was AMAZING, mainly because of the crazy amounts of food that I consumed, but also because I was able to spend some special time with my mom and son. We went to the pool and Jackson finally got used to the water (there may or may not have been a traumatic head-under-water incident early this summer...). We also traveled down to our local outlet mall and the trip wouldn't have been complete without a refueling at Pierce's BBQ. If you haven't been there you need to go. The decor may make you want to run away screaming, but their bbq is killer and their crinkle cut fries are worth having to sit in mustard yellow booths. But the best part of the weekend was the awesome grilling that took place in our own backyard.
On Sunday we slow cooked baby back ribs in our grill for about 6 hours. In addition we had deviled eggs, hasselback potatoes, and grilled asparagus. The ribs were fall-off-the-bone tender and had a slight kick thanks to my mom's dry rub. There was a slight mishap with the deviled eggs, they fell out of the fridge and onto the floor BAHAHA. In a fit of rage, because the fall ruined the perfectly piped filling, my mom almost threw them away. Luckily I was able to talk her off the ledge, of the trashcan, explaining that since they were covered in plastic wrap we could still salvage them (I'm still laughing, though).
Then on Monday we had FRIED CAJUN CATFISH. My dad took our deep dish skillet out onto the grill and fried each piece. To accompany our delicious main dish we had sweet potato fries, onion rings, and a vinegar coleslaw. I could not have asked for a better 4th of July dinner.
So while my dad was making dinner, I was preparing dessert. I've made this cake multiple times and it's always come out perfectly. It's a simple buttermilk pound cake that I jazzed up slightly with vanilla bean paste and fresh whipped cream. Add a few fresh berries and you have a great summer dessert.
Buttermilk Pound Cake (adapted from Southern Living)
1 1/3 cups butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup buttermilk or 1/2 cup milk + 1 1/2 tsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2. Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
3. Add flour to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla bean paste. The batter is a little thick so I ended up spooning it into the pan and then smoothing out the top.
4. Bake for 60-75 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan. To remove from the pan, place a plate on top of the pan and then flip over, releasing the cake.
Fresh Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 Tbsp sugar
1. Take a stainless steel bowl and place it in your freezer for about 10 minutes. Once sufficiently cool, take it out and pour in your cream. begin beating the cream on medium until thickened slightly. Slowly add the sugar and beat on high until stiff peaks form. If not using immediately you can refrigerate, but it's best used the day it's made.
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