A close up of the top of a chocolate cake

Start the New Year with sweet and briny treats 


By Paula Dream (AKA Kale Haygood)

Well, what a fun ride it’s been over the years! And I’m ending this year with a couple of great dessert recipes.  

Be sure to try this Depression-era cake recipe that my grandmother, married at 14 years old, made ’til the day she died in her late eighties. The stories she could tell about growing up and raising a family during this era are amazing and almost unbelievable. 

And, for grins, make your dill pickles. Your friends won’t believe you made them! 

Well, Paula is wishing you all a better 2024. I am looking forward to our newly elected city leaders working for us. Prayers be with them. 

STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM BREAD
Non-stick spray
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream, for batter
1-3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup strawberries, finely chopped
3 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon sour cream, for filling
1/4 teaspoon vanilla, for filling
2 tablespoons sugar, for filling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9″x5″ loaf pan with non-stick spray. Using a mixer, cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and sour cream, and then continue to beat until pale and fluffy. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Beat the mixture, but don’t over-mix. Fold in strawberries. To prepare the filling, place cream cheese, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Beat with a mixer until smooth. Spoon half of the strawberry mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Spread cream cheese mixture over top, leaving a 1/2″ border at the edges. Spoon the remaining batter over the cream cheese mixture. Bake bread on the middle rack for 50 to 55 min. Perform a toothpick test to make sure it’s done baking. Allow bread to rest for ten minutes, then release and allow to cool. 

DEPRESSION-ERA CAKE
3 cups flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups cold water

Sift first four ingredients together in an ungreased 9’x13″ baking dish. Make three wells in this dry mixture. Pour oil into the first well, vinegar into the second well, and vanilla into the third well. Pour cold water over all and stir well with fork. Bake at 350 degrees 30 to 40 minutes or until it passes toothpick test. Frost with your favorite icing 

REFRIGERATED DILL PICKLES
3-1/2 cups water
1-1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
4 cups cucumber spears
2 cloves whole
2 garlic buds, whole
2 heads fresh dill Stir water, vinegar, sugar, sea salt, cucumber spears, garlic, cloves, together in saucepan over high heat, and then bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cooling completely. In a large glass bowl or plastic bowl with cover, combine cucumber spears, garlic, and fresh dill. Pour cooled vinegar mixture over cucumbers. Seal container and refrigerate for at least three days.

Paula Dream, AKA Kale Haygood, owns Beyond Service, a Montrose-based, home-cooking catering company. For more information, call 713-805-4106 or email [email protected]. 

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