Chicken with Beer and Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Weekend Routine- Chicken with Beer-

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

I apologize for not posting a blog this past Thursday. I saw a widget that could help categorize my recipes better than what I have now. I cut/pasted as directed and nothing happened. Well, something did happen. My blogs were not posting at all. I had to become my 23 yr. old errand girl for a day in order for him to fix my problem.

This past weekend the temperature was between 65-70F. I was almost ready to pull out the grill and start barbequing outside. A neighbor was even mowing their yard. My Schnoodle, Austin waited patiently for any signs that I was awake Saturday morning. Sunrise is about 6:15 AM. The moment daylight cracks, I felt Austin’s breath practically on my face. Just to be sure that I know it is him he gives me a big slurp on my mouth and nose-Yuck! I squeezed my eyes harder and tried not to groan so that he would think that I was still asleep. No such luck. Apparently dogs know when respirations change and you’re really awake. The howling started. I keep reminding Austin that he is not from the beagle family. It does not matter. His descendents, the wolf has shown through. To make sure that I am hearing his howling, he starts pawing me on my head. Of course he won. I am up, throwing on a jacket in my pajamas and out the door by 6:25 AM.

As I am going down the steps, he sees a mocking bird on an overgrown weed in the vacant lot next door. I don’t notice it at first because I am looking down at the steps trying to work out the stiffness of old age. A quick forward jolt of the leash by Austin sends me hurdling down the wooden steps two at a time. I quickly apologize to “Our Heavenly Father” for what came out of my mouth. Not the “G” word. Think another word for crap followed by “Austin”! He could care less what came from my mouth. He was on a mission to catch a bird or break my legs trying. Now I see another reason why they call it a mocking bird. I could have sworn it laughed at the both of us as it flitted away to another tall weed then onto a nearby tree branch. Austin did not stand a chance. My cat Scooter was solemnly looking out the window at all the events with a look of disgust on her face. I looked at both of them and said (as though they understood English) “I am the one who feeds you”. I then complete my morning exercise of bending down to get the newspaper. I need coffee. Austin now has his site on an easier chase-the cat.

A fellow co-worker (Tabby) requested a pound cake recipe. Here’s to you Tabitha!

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Chicken with Beer

6 slices of thick smoked bacon

3.5 lb. chicken, cut up

2 large onions, thinly sliced

1 cup carrots, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves

2 sprigs of rosemary

½ tsp. dried thyme

½ tsp. Herbes De Province

Salt and pepper-sprinkle

12 ounces dark beer

2 TBSP. water

3 TBSP. flour

1). In a large dutch oven pot cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and set on side. Add chicken pieces to the bacon grease and cook all sides till well-browned. Remove chicken from dutch oven. Add the remaining vegetables and sauté’ until onions become translucent in color. Add beer, cloves, onions, garlic, thyme, rosemary, Herbes De Province. Cook over high heat until chicken mixture starts to bubble, then reduce to low and simmer for 45-50 minutes. Skim off as much fat as you can. Whisk together the water and the flour. Pour gently while stirring into the chicken mixture. Pour sauce over chicken. This dish goes great with yellow rice. Serves 6.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

1 pound unsalted butter, room temperature

8 ounces Philadelphia Cream Cheese, room temperature

1 pound sugar

6 eggs, room temperature

1 pound flour

2 tsp. vanilla extracts (real- McCormick’s)

Preheat oven to 325F. Cream the butter and cream cheese till light and fluffy-3 minutes. Add sugar and mix an additional 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time at one minute intervals. Blend flour into mixture-2 minutes. Add vanilla extract and blend an additional minute.

Pour batter into a greased and floured Bundt or loaf pan. Baker’s spray is great! Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until sides pull away from pan. Rest for 10 minutes, then turn over onto a wire rack and cool completely.

Enjoy! The Frye Girl 2 U Favorite Cookware: Bamboo Cutting Board