Eat Arkansas

As demanded -- and as promised -- recipes follow for a couple of Brantley household favorites. (I've been instructed to say that these are two dishes that Ellen always makes, not me. I'm good at eating them. And cleaning up afterwards.)

SQUASH CASSEROLE

Source: Traditions, the LR Junior League Cookbook, but we omit sugar, MSG and the bread crumb topping.

INGREDIENTS

3.5 pounds of yellow crookneck squash, sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound cheddar cheeese, grated

4 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup milk

DIRECTIONS

Boil squash and onion until tender in a covered pan containing 1 inch water and salt. Drain well and mash. Combine with remaining ingredients. (Ellen sometimes makes a white sauce first). Place in a buttered casserole. (We like a fairly shallow oval dish, to get more browned top). Bake at 375 for 25 minutes, book says, but more often we cook it about  an hour at 350, until edges are puffy and brown and it seems to have firmed up.

It's a great leftover. Reheats well, if there's any left.

ELVIS'S FAVORITE POUND CAKE

Source: Gourmet magazine

INGREDIENTS

2 sticks (half-pound) butter, plus more to butter pan

3 cups sifted cake flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups sugar

7 large eggs (at room temp. for at least 30 minutes)

two teaspoons of vanilla

1 cup cream

DIRECTIONS

Use 10-inch tube pan (no removable bottom) or bundt pan. Also can use two large loaf pans.

DO NOT PREHEAT OVEN. Place baking rack in middle of oven.

Generously butter pan and dust with flour.

Sift flour and salt together and then sift again. (That's three siftings for the flour counting the first.)

Beat butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. (Medium speed on electric mixer for about five minutes, my wife's notes say.) Add eggs one at a time, beating well before each addition, then vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and add half the flour, the cream and then the remaining flour. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase speed to medium and beat five minutes.

Put batter in pan. Rap pan on counter to eliminate bubbles. Put in oven and turn it on to 350. Bake about one hour to 75 minutes. Cool 30 minutes on rack. Use knife to loosen around edges, turn out on rack for continued cooling.