A Summer Luncheon with pound cake (trifle?) recipe)

I entertained recently and thought I would share a couple of pictures from the event with you. I belong to a group of ladies that we call the BOOBS. Our husbands LOVE that name. They cannot say it without chuckling. It is an acronym for BUNCH OF OLD BROADS. We do not take ourselves too seriously (obviously). There is absolutely no reason for us to get together other than the fact that we enjoy each other so much!

This group of friends loves to entertain in their own homes. We've all got china, silver and crystal and believe in using it. One friend makes spaghetti using  Ezio Penza's (first sang Some Enchanted Evening from South Pacific) recipe from the cookbook Cook My Darling Daughter by Mildred O. Knopf. Everyone has a specialty. But, I really think that as much or more than the food, we enjoy seeing the beautiful table scapes in the different homes.

For my twelve friends I had to set up two tables. A purple African violet in a lettuce leaf tureen became the centerpiece on my round mahogany table due to the limited space on the table. The china is Noblesse by Lenox, the silver is Counterpoint by Lunt and the crystal is a turquoise blue that caught my eye in a Ross Simons catalogue.

 While I usually like to seat all twelve together, I recently decided to give up my long big table for the round table here pictured and go with two tables of six when we entertain. The two tables had totally different themes.

I set the second table with a white china and blue Argos Fostoria on a blue toille tablecloth. The centerpiece was a maidenhair fern set in a milk glass compote giving the table a crisp fresh look. The flatware for this table is Reed and Barton "Sea Shells." This was appropriate for the Panama City venue for this gathering.

Gracie, our standard poodle, enjoyed watching the preparations but was exiled to the first floor deck for the party, though she would have loved to stay. The flowers on the deck brought us all outside to have a glass of wine with the Bailey's West Indies salad and crackers before lunch.

My usual menu (because it looks so pretty on the plate) is Cornish hen, yellow rice, asparagus, rolls and -- strawberry shortcake on homemade sour cream pound cake and REAL whipped cream.

As you can see, I believe in keeping a careful eye on the appearance of what you serve. Color on the plate as well as the table can enhance one's appetite and dining experience.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe:  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Soften together
  3 sticks butter
1 8oz cream cheese
Cream
Add 3 cups of sugar
Cream

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Add and beat well after each:
6 eggs

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Add:
3 cups flour with
1/2 tsp soda
Mix together well but on SLOW speed (don't beat the air out of what you just creamed!) and then add
1 tsp. vanilla
Spray pan with Baker's Joy
Bake one hour and twenty minutes. 

Slice cooled cake in half

Spread with strawberries sliced and soaked with sugar.  Be generous with strawberry juice to soak into the cake.  Spread Cream and then add another layer.  Ice the cake with the remaining whipped cream.

DO NOT USE COOL WHIP

Whip heavy cream and when peaks form add 1/2 c. sugar (or to taste).  I like it sweet!

BTW  If the cake falls turn it into a trifle. Just cut up the cake in a pretty bowl and layer the strawberries and whipped cream. This happens to me a lot. I am now the Queen of Trifles. I get asked for my recipe A LOT! Because my cakes do tend to fall. So make the above recipe with the caveat that it might actually turn out to be A TRIFLE!