Spice Cake

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups bleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 cup milk
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened until easily spreadable
• 2 cups dark brown sugar

Directions

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a metal or disposable foil 9-by-13-inch pan. Whisk dry ingredients and spices in a large bowl. Mix milk, eggs and vanilla extract in a 2-cup measuring cup.
2. Beat softened butter into dry ingredients, first on low, then medium, until mixture forms pebble-sized pieces. Add about 1/3 of the milk mixture and beat on low until smooth. Add remaining milk mixture in two stages; beat on medium speed until batter is just smooth. Add the sugar; beat until just incorporated, about 30 seconds. Pour batter into cake pan.
3. Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cake's center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Set pan on a wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the pan perimeter and turn cake onto rack. Let cool.

Sirloin Salad

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon  chili powder
• 2  teaspoons  dried oregano
• 1  teaspoon  dried thyme
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  onion powder
• 1/2  teaspoon  garlic powder
• 1/4  teaspoon  black pepper
• 1  pound  lean boneless sirloin steak, trimmed
• 8  cups  spring-blend salad greens
• 1 1/2  cups  red bell pepper strips
• 1  cup  vertically sliced red onion
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh parsley
• 1  tablespoon  red wine vinegar
• 1  teaspoon  olive oil
• 1  teaspoon  fresh lemon juice
• 1  (8 3/4-ounce) can whole-kernel corn, drained and rinsed

Preparation

Combine first 7 ingredients; rub over both sides of steak. Heat a nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Add steak; cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Cut the steak across grain into thin slices.
While steak cooks, combine salad greens and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; toss well to coat. Top with steak

Honey Mustard Pork Chops

Pork chops
2 tbsp. butter
2 cloves minced garlic
3 tbsp. honey mustard (or 2 1/2 tbsp. honey and 3/4 tbsp. Dijon mustard)
Tarragon to taste

Bake some pork chops in the oven at 325 degrees until almost cooked (to get rid of grease). Meanwhile, melt butter in frying pan. Add garlic and honey mustard. Add tarragon. Blend together. Add pork chops and saute until done (5 minutes).