charlobo-a-go-go

This is my go to recipe for Pound Cake. If you ever want to make people really really happy, this is the recipe for you. And your house will smell delicious for hours.

Char

From The New Moosewood Cookbook, Mollie Katzen

Prep: 15 mins

Baking time: 50-60  mins

Yield: 12 to 16 servings.

Butter and flour for the pans

1 lb. (4 sticks) butter, softened

3 cups sugar

6 eggs

4 cups flour

1 Tbs. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. preheat oven to 350F. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 10-inch tube or bundt pan.

2. in a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy.

3. add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Set aside.

4. Sift together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Mix together the milk and vanilla. Add dry and wet alternately to butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry. Mix by hand - just enough to blend thoroughly without excess beating.

5. Spread the butter into the prepared pan. Bake 50-60 minutes or until a sharp knife inserted all the way down comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a plate. Cool completely before slicing.

Someone asked me over lunch today to reflect over my last year of life, year 38 to be exact, and I said, “I had a kid.” They all just nodded. Changes everything, that mewling (and in a good way) little person who loves nothing more than to be played with, fed turkey sticks, and throwing things all over the place. It’s all good. It really is. I could talk about being a mommy all day, but I’ll save that for later.

The good thing, and I’ll keep this real simple for youse, is that as long as I feel like I don’t look, feel, or smell old, then I’m in good shape. You know what I mean. As long as I can say, “I’m 39,” and have people glare at me and say, “NO SHIT!” then it’s cool.

So here’s a short list of how you maintain the goods:

1. Moisturize yo’self. I say this all the time. Face moisturizer. Skin moisturizer. Don’t get ashy, don’t get cracked, don’t get wrinkly. Invest in some good moisturizer, and easily enough, it doesn’t cost $$$$ to get that way.
2. Get some good genes. If you don’t have ‘em by now you’re screwed. Sorry dude.
3. Drink water. Obvs. If you need more help on this, there’s a faucet. It’s free. Stop buying water, nerds.
4. SPF is crucial. The only leather you should have should be your purse, shoes or belt. Not your cheeks.
5. Smile. Smile lines are better than frown lines.
6. Cheap easy facelift for pictures. Tilt your chin up instead of down for pics. Gets rid of that pelican pouch you have underneath.
7. 2nd cheap easy facelift for pictures. When someone counts up to 3, look down for 1 and 2, then on time for “3” look up and smile. I swear by this.
8. This is often not said, and maybe for a good reason, but I’m going to say it anyway: “Quit stressing over stupid )(*&*&%^$#.” Eliminate that which is causing you stress, and you’ll feel better.
9. Get some sleep. All nighters = tired face = “You’re 39? thought you were 42.” Ouch.
10. Growing up means you have to look your part. No one wants to be the old guy at the club, but nothing says old guy at the club like outdated fits. Think classic when it comes to your gear, not trendy. You’re 39. Not 29. And certainly not 19. You can still be new hotness if you keep your gear in good condition. But if you want to be old and busted, go for it. Keeps me lookin’ good. You don’t have to dress like grandma, but you can still look fly even if you’re OG.
11. Don’t be afraid of growing “old.” I’ve found that when people are afraid, and they fight it tooth and nail, that’s when folks get all crazy trying to do this and that, and often times it looks just awful. People are not idjits, they know when you’ve tried to photoshop your grill with some magic surgery/face paint/etc. Accept the lines, accept the texture, and you’ll be a happier person, really.
12. Finally, repeat after me, “I’m good where I am, I’m happy with what I’ve got, and the next 39 will be just fine.” Because it will be. If you let it be.

Okay. Off to do #3, #5, #9, and mos def, #12.

Char

7/28 Update:

13. Exercise. Get off your ass and walk around. Does wonders for the well-being, not to mention your ass.