Red Velvet Cake 4th of July and America

Well hello to all my foodie friends out there in web land I hope all is going well for you all .  If you live in the USA I say Happy Fourth of July.  This holiday is special to me because it reminds me of our freedoms that we still have in this country.  My mom and dad both fought in WW11 behind enemy lines I know for a fact my mom was in Germany.  She got injured and was sent home right before the war ended. She was in the Wac at age 16, her dad signed her up.  I have never known a women stronger in my life and that fought so hard for our rights even after I was grown.  She raised six kids and lived with a man that believed men were superior to women and that we were the weaker sex.  The only thing weaker on me is my strength! However in sports I saw Billy Jean King kick butt with her tennis skills.  Even before our dad died in 1979 she lived in Tulsa and instead of sitting around eatting bon bons she fought for the rights of women vets and was picked by the Governors of Okahoma and when she moved to SC to be the liaison for women veterans.  She fight for any vet who had a problem with the VA trying to take a benefit away from them when she knew what their rights were.  Boy if she believed in something she wouldn't let anything get in her way.  When I lived in WV she'd fly in and off we'd go to DC and meet with the congressmen and senators to discuss what she thought should be done.  I was with her when she went to DC and we met with a women general to discuss the Women's Momorial I saw the plans before it became a reality.  Talk about the greatest generation.  She was one of them and then I think about my generation and how we are not fighting for our rights and our grand childrens rights.  My mom believed in this country, she believed in its people, all of them.  She said its hard to make change but change can be made if you fight hard enough for it.  She'd say always to me, you pay attention to what our government is doing or what other foreign goverments are doing.  You need to write your representives and tell them what is what or one day this country will be taken over without firing a shot.  Are we close to that point now?  Some people would agree with me and some wouldn't.  I still believe in this country with all our problems.  I believe, what a wonderful word which means To regard (something) as true or real, to have an opinion, which we still may express to a degree am just wondering do we still have the right to believe?.  Are we affraid to really say what we believe or write it down.  Freedom is another word which means: The condition of being politically free.  Freedom is what our forefathers fought for.  We are still the greatest nation on this earth if we were't then why do we still have people running to our shores and wanting to be an American in the greatest country on earth.  I just want to say a great big thank you to all who have fought and died for me and my country and which I am happy to call myself an AMERICAN.   I want to say a special Thank you to my mother, Jeanne Varney Newby for everything she did for this counrty and her fellow Americans.  Happy trails to you until we meet again. https://www.facebook.com/CookingwithMadjon

Red Velvet Cake

2 1/2 cups all purpose Flour, sifted
1 3/4 cups Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
1 1/2 cups Oil
1 cup Buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, beaten
2 tbsp Red Food Coloring or reduced Beet Juice
1 tsp. Vinegar
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1 tsp Almond extract

Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt, and cocoa.  Then add oil, buttermilk and blend well.  The add the beaten eggs.  Ad food coloring and blend well.  Add your vinegar and extracts.  Pe- heat your oven to 350 degrees and grease 3 cake pans and bake for about 30 minutes or until done.  Remove from oven and let rest for about 10 minutes then place on a wire rack to cool.  Icing time.

Cream Cheese Icing:

1 Cup Butter softened
1 pound Cream Cheese softened
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Almond Extract
5 Cups Confectionary Sugar, sifted

Cream your butter an cream cheese until light and creamy.  Add your extracts.  Slowly beat in your sifted sugar and beat until creamy an smooth.  Ice cake when completely cool.  Bona Y'all.