Fat Free Pound Cake with Strawberry Glaze

Aidan's on a low-fat diet. He can't have anything with more than 3 grams of fat in it. This makes it difficult to have a great birthday cake. For his birthday party in a couple of weeks, I'm making angel food cake using a recipe from Martha Stewart (uses brown sugar in it). Yesterday, I made a fat-free pound cake for his actual birthday. I had my reservations but it turned out quite good! Thanks to the Recipe Link (http://www.recipelink.com) for the recipes.

FAT-FREE POUND CAKE
Source: Better Homes and Gardens Old Fashioned Baking
Servings: 12

1 cup fat-free sour cream
4 egg whites, whipped
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup unbleached flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven at 325 degree F. Prepare a 9x5x3-inch pan with cooking spray and flour; set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine sour cream, egg whites, and vanilla.

In another mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix dry ingredients with wet ingredients just until moistened. Spread mixture into prepared pan.

Bake for 1 hour or until cake tests done.

Per serving: 141 Calories; 0g Fat (0% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 31g Carbohydrate; 3mg Cholesterol; 66mg Sodium

TO FREEZE:
Place unfrosted cake in a freezer bag or airtight container. Seal, label, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw at room temperature about 3 hours.


STRAWBERRY GLAZE

1 pint fresh, ripe, cleaned strawberries
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp corn starch

Crush enough berries to make 1/4 cup; save remaining berries to garnish top of cake. Place crushed berries in small sauce pan; add water and bring to a boil, simmering for 3 minutes.

Strain juice from cooked berries, measure and add water, if needed, to make 1/2 cup liquid (you can add a few drops of red food coloring if needed).

Combine sugar and cornstarch in same pan; blend in strawberry juice. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils 1 minute; remove from heat and cool.

Cut remaining berries in half lengthwise and arrange on top of cheesecake in two concentric circles around edge of cake, approx. 1 inch from outer edge of cake. Carefully spoon thin layer of glaze over berries.

Tip: Use the best ripe berries with the most beautiful color.

Aidan Quote of the Week

My favorite quote this week is "Do you see the Good Mourning Doves?"

Grandma Did it Right

My grandmother did something really nice today (or I guess a couple days ago since we received it in the mail today).

Grandma is pushing 90 but you would never know it. I'd say she is spunky that might be considered a put-down to her. Nothing gets her down. She has survived two husbands, cancer, heart disease and takes care of everyone she knows. She navigates the Internet better than most 50-year-olds. However, sometimes she isn't too grandmotherly in the cookie-making way you might think about. I had a boyfriend die 12 years ago. Grandma didn't send me flowers or any advice. She sent me a box of sexy nighties that would make a 20-year-old blush that she bought with her second husband when she was in her 50s. I was touched. There are more examples of this type of matronly support.

Take two weeks ago, for example. I called her on a particularly blue day. My son, Aidan, was facing open-heart surgery the next week and I was having a hard time getting it under control. I was crying and Grandma told me I wasn't being brave. It pissed me off. Jeff and I had no choice in this bravery thing. We were forced to watch our son endure 4 heart surgeries before the age of 3 and we have faced it head on. I'm allowed to cry, by God. I've been mad ever since. Until today.

My grandmother is a long day's drive away. We only see her a couple times a year. When we were little kids, it was a huge deal to see my grandparents. I would be super excited to see them. But I was more excited to see the "Goodie Drawer" that my grandmother setup. In it would be various useless knick knacks that an adult would toss but a little kid would love. Empty lotion bottles with pennies, combs, finger puppets and the like. It is a warm memory to think of the Goodie Drawer and the esteem I would hold it. Much to my mother's chagrin, I would sometimes brush past my grandparents to visit it.

Today is Aidan's 3rd birthday. In the mail he received a box from Grandma. It is filled with Goodie Drawer essentials: a mini teddy bear, a fish with a wind-up tail, a mini snowglobe, and--Aidan's favorite--wind-up feet.

I forgive my Grandma for telling me I wasn't being brave. She was just helping in the best way she knows how. Sometimes she gets it right.

We moved, I closed my business, got rid of the cat, and my son is having open-heart surgery...

Oh yeah, I also gained 2 lbs. I'm now 10 lbs down--my best was 14 lbs down. What a loser (but not literally, I guess). 10 lbs down in over a year. Ugh.

Well, as my title suggests, we have a few more pressing issues in our lives so I'm going to give myself a break on the weight loss. Aidan has his open-heart surgery on May 19. We moved last month and gave our cat to my sister as she was stalking Aidan (the cat, not my sister!). I temporarily shut down my business during the move and for Aidan's surgery. Enjoying the break so much that I hope it can be permanent.