Saying Thank You to Stonyfield Farm® with Yogurt Cream Honey Pound Cake

Imagine my surprise when I received an email from Kristina from Stonyfield Farm® asking if I would like to try Oikos Organic Greek yogurt in my baking or cooking! Of course the answer was "YES!" The partnership was perfect (a match made in yogurt heaven) because I am a self declared yogurt lover.

I have to admit that I have not eaten much Greek yogurt up until now. Being a creature of habit, I have always bought the same old yogurt. I know what you are thinking, boring. AND, I had never really given yogurt consideration beyond eating it out of the container. Everything changed when Kristina introduced me to Oikos.

It's hard to believe something so good for you can taste so good! But believe me, Oikos Organic Greek yogurt from Stonyfield Farm® is loaded with remarkable flavor. So what makes this yogurt different from all the others you see around? It is thick, creamy, tart and a pleasant change from the ho-hum other yogurts.

Kristina sent me five coupons for five (FREE) 5.3 OZ containers of Oikos Greek yogurt. I also received four miscellaneous coupons, AND a reusable grocery shopping bag! I have started collecting these shopping bags and this big bright yellow one makes a great addition. Oikos comes in the flavors of plain, vanilla, honey and blueberry.

I had decided that I would use my coupons to bake one sweet recipe and cook one savory recipe. I choose two honey and three plain Oikos yogurts. The first recipe I came up with is a Yogurt Cream Honey Pound Cake. When the summer months come, I make several different flavors of pound cake and freeze them in small slices to serve with fresh fruits of the season for a special treat. Pound cake freezes wonderfully and imagine the surprise of "unexpected" guests when you serve them a slice of pound cake with fresh fruit and whipped topping in no time flat.

Yogurt Cream Honey Pound Cake

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar

6 eggs

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon corn starch

2 containers of Oikos Honey Greek yogurt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

powdered sugar for dusting

(1) Separate the egg white from one egg and save yolk. Whip egg white until soft peaks appear. Add whipped egg white, yogurt and corn starch to pan and heat but do not boil. Cool. (2) Cream together butter and sugar. Add remaining egg yolk and eggs, one at a time, beating will after each addition. (3) Add flour and baking soda and continue to mix well. (4) Add yogurt mixture and extract. (5) Pour into greased and floured 1o-inch tube pan and bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours or until slightly browned. (6) Cool and dust with poweder sugar. ENJOY!

I did run into one BIG problem when I was baking with the Oikos Honey Greek yogurt! I bought two containers of the honey yogurt and I needed two containers for the recipe that I had created. Of course when I opened the first container, I had to have a little bite to see what it tasted like. The honey sits on the bottom of the container, so I gave it a little stir and popped a bite in my mouth. YUM!! The fusion between the sweet honey and tart yogurt made my tastes buds dance. It's addictive, unique and a great way to get your calcium, protein and a ton of other good things for you. And believe me, it's 10 times better than the yogurt I have been eating. Hence, my problem was that I ate the entire container right there on the spot and out to the store I had to go.

The Yogurt Cream Honey Pound Cake is extraordinary. It is moist, full of flavor and it's an irresistibly stupendous treat! The brown sugar in the recipe creates a mild crunchy crust on the outside of the cake. You'll love it, trust me! This is the first time I have baked with yogurt, but it won't be the last. A big thanks to Kristina and the kind folks at Stonyfield Farm® for expanding my yogurt repertoire.

Stay tuned for my savory creation using the plain Oikos Greek yogurt . Have a wonderful day.

Tempting Tasty Banana Cake Worth Freezing For....

There is something so crowd pleasing about Banana Cake. It is moist, dense and remarkably satisfying with a cold glass a milk, or a piping hot cup of coffee. It is definitely a "comfort" cake loved by adults and kids. This cake is a perfect way to use up those bananas that have seen better days. It is still freezing here!!

What did I do this weekend? I hung out with my honey (husband). We looked at new boats, and then went to happy hour at a local bar. We went to the book store, and spent time with my family. Yesterday, I made a huge banana sheet cake and sent my son out to deliver the goodies to my friends and neighbors.

There is definitely a few tricks to making a banana cake that is a prize winner, and I am getting ready to share those tips with YOU! Before you read any further, if you don't have any banana extract head out to the store this very minute.

Best Ever Banana Cake

1 1/2 cups bananas, mashed, ripe

3 bananas slice thin
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

2 tablespoons banana extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon banana extract
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

(1)Preheat oven to 275° and grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan. (2) In a small bowl, mix mashed banana with the lemon juice and banana extract; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, cream 1 cup butter and 2 1/2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 tsp vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in banana mixture. (3) Pour batter into prepared pan. Gently place the sliced bananas on top of the batter. (4) Bake in preheated oven for one hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. (5) Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. (6) Remove from freezer and bring back to room temperature. (7) For the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in vanilla and banana extract. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth. Spread on cooled cake. ENJOY!!

A fellow foodie friend of mine bakes, bakes and bakes! She gave me the tip to add banana extract to my cake recipe. I have to tell you that it really pumps up the banana flavor. She also gave me the tip to place my cake in the freezer. The theory behind this technique is that it makes the cake super moist. Well, it really does work! I have since seen this technique stated in several recipes that I have come across. I have to say that it is is worth finding space in your freezer. It gives the banana cake the perfect moist texture.

Here are a few things that I am working on: picnic and boating recipes, MORE cake mix cookies with Jenny and recipes for the new smoker that I received. Here is what I am hoping for: WARM WEATHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!