Coastal Nest Cooks...

My new friend Sarah, over there at Fortner Family, well hot damn, she tagged me.. Now this tag is for favorite recipes. I was in a stump for a moment, thinking.... hummm. what are some of my favorite recipes, so I asked all the peeps that know and love me best.. These rugrats. All the charming little ones (andnotsolittle, anymore) These are my nieces (4) and my phews, yes, phews, all 6 of them.. little dumplings of my life. ILOVEYOUGUYS!!! anyway, they said, by far and away, the best thing that I make is the very special and delicious Flag Cake. Now, I bet alot of you know this recipe, by Ina, my other homie.. but lets get back to this photo here, the one with all those adorable children.. The one, right smack dab in the middle, this is my sons Middle boy, he is Jake, Jake LOVES his Teta (Croation for aunt, thats me..) his Teta Lisas cooking. Alot. He loves this cake so much, he calls me up and asks, no begs me, to make it for him, for his Birthday the last 3 years in a row. I adore that in a kid.. and I adore you, Jakey! All of you are awesome little sparklers..

This was taken this summer, we went over to Eastern Washington, Lake Chelan (heavenly) and rented 2 homes on the water, with their own swimming pools - for the first week of July. Let me tell you, these little rugrats were awesome, Their parents, well, we had alot of quality "together time".. nuff said. I still wonder how I got that gum in my hair...(thats next recipe, though)


Here is my friend Inas recipe for the cake, this above, is mine, not so perfect, but ooooh so good. Dont wait till the 4th to try it. Its easy, full of fat, and is pure cake perfection..














Barefoot Contessa's Flag Cake


18 tablespoons (2 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
3 cups sugar
6 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 cup sour cream at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda

For the icing:
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese at room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

To assemble:
2 half-pints blueberries
3 half-pints raspberries

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour an 18 by 13 by 1 1/2-inch sheet pan. Cream the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed, until light and fluffy. On medium speed, add the eggs, 2 at a time, then add the sour cream and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and stir until smooth. Sift together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until just combined. Pour into the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool to room temperature. For the icing, combine the butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mixing just until smooth. Spread three-fourths of the icing on the top of the cooled sheet cake. Outline the flag on the top of the cake with a toothpick. Fill the upper left corner with blueberries. Place 2 rows of raspberries across the top of the cake like a red stripe. Put the remaining icing in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe two rows of white stripes below the raspberries. Alternate rows of raspberries and icing until the flag is completed. Pipe stars on top of the blueberries. I serve this cake right in the pan. If you want to turn it out onto a board before frosting, use parchment paper when you grease and flour the pan.