C is for Carrot Cake

Grandma Warkentin's  recipe 

(Pay no attention to my mother's recipe alterations...she's always cutting the best thing...sugar!)

It s official.  I have found THE carrot cake recipe of all carrot cake recipes.  I had to try making it twice just to make sure it wasn't a fluke.  No fluke...its that good.  I may have eaten it for breakfast and dessert yesterday.  And wished I had it for lunch as well. 

THE Carrot Cake
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups oil
3 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped nuts
1 8oz can crushed pineapple
2 cups grated carrots (about 7-8)

Combine ingredients in order given.  No need to sift flour.  Mix and blend well.  Pour into well greased and floured bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Remove from oven and let cool for at least 10 minutes before turning out of pan onto cake rack.  Frost when cool.  Refrigerate. (I love it cold!)

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8oz package cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream butter and cream cheese.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla.  Mix until smooth and creamy.  Apply generously.

coffee cake

She hasn't let me down yet.  PW continues to deliver in the scrumptious recipes department.  And this week, she came through again.  The best coffee cake. Ever, she calls it.  And it was good.  Although mine didn't turn out exactly like hers.  Maybe it had to do with the fact that I did a 2/3 recipe and I wasn't sure how long to cook it.  Do you ever do that?  Not have enough ingredients for a full recipe.  I was short on butter this time.  And seriously would have felt weird making a breakfast dish with 3 sticks of butter.  2 sticks seemed much more doable right?!?  Usually I would half it (much less math), but halving 3 eggs would be a chore so I busted out my 6th grade math brain and did a little fraction work.   The coffee cake brought me back to college days.  Saturday mornings the caf always served coffee cake.  Many a Saturday my girlfriends were running off campus to get bagels and I was stuck with my man eating bowls and bowls of cereal and coffee cake in the caf.  

PS- While we're on the subject of PW...You've got to read this post.  Not only odes she deliver in the scrumptious recipe department, she kills it in the laugh at yourself humor department.  

valentiny

As if Hershey Kisses weren't Valentiny enough...

Just use your favorite peanut butter cookie recipe, unwrap your candy hearts while the cookies are baking (I used Hershey's bliss heart shaped chocolates), try to resist eating them all, and gently press the chocolates in as soon as you take the cookies out of the oven.  The chocolate will get very melty so (once again) try to resist touching them.  They take about 12 hours to harden.

I will end there...and go console my crying 7 year old who is "heartbroken" that these were all given to her teachers this morning...

Banamana

Who doesn't' have 3 overripe bananas laying around in their kitchen?  You will rarely find mine without them. This week as I considered chucking them and calling it a day, (okay, they actually were in the trash but just for a few minutes) pinterest came through again with this amazing recipe for chocolate chip peanut butter banana bread. Could there be a more perfecta trifecta?  I think not.  So dig your bananas out of the trash and make a loaf.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips
slightly adapted from Food.com

3/4 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (I used 1 1/4 c white wheat four instead of unbleached and pastry)
6 tablespoons white sugar
6 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed or whizzed in food-processor
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 tablespoons plain fat-free yogurt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons canola oil
3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips tossed in 1 tablespoon flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 9X5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray; add a strip of parchment paper to bottom of pan for easy removal.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl. In another bowl or bowl of mixer, mix bananas, peanut butter, yogurt, egg, vanilla, and oil. Fold in flour mixture until no streaks of flour remain, then gently fold in chocolate chips. Scrape batter into loaf pan. Bake 40-50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out with few moist crumbs. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes; carefully remove from pan and allow to cool completely on wire rack before slicing.

sallted caramel goodness

Okay, since I've recently cut the coffee around here, I've had to get creative with hot drinks.  

When I'm good, its peppermint or chamomile tea slightly sweetened with truvia.  

When I'm bad, its this...salted caramel hot chocolate.  

You need all this good stuff, and hot milk (water just wont cut it here folks). 
Warm your milk (you know your grandma would do it on the stove, stirring it the whole time, but you can nuke yours).
Mix in the cocoa mix. 
Add a few shakes of sea salt and  a few squirts of caramel.
Stir. 
Load it up with whipped cream. 
Repeat caramel and salt. 
Enjoy.

you must make...

Once a month, moms at Brooklyn's school bring in baked goodies to bless the teachers.  Each month is a theme...tomorrow is pumpkin day.  And due to the overwhelming success of these guys here, I decided to make them once again.  Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with cream cheese frosting.  (Only problem is this time I was out of powdered sugar so they are frosting-less- sorry teachers- but they are still super yummy!)  I'm telling you, you must make a batch before fall turns into winter... before pumpkin gives way to peppermint.  Eat them for breakfast with your coffee or keep them in the fridge and eat them cold (even more delish!).

souper bowl

I'm a big fan of soup.  That is, soup accompanied by some sort of delicious bread.  Must have the bread.  Potato cheese soup and sourdough bread, beef stew and biscuits, chili and cornbread, chicken noodle soup and bran muffins.  If that was my weekly menu, I'd be in heaven.  Problem is, Brett (as most men I'm sure) doesn't really see soup and bread as a meal.  Unless you are in prison that is.  So last night when he was feasting on carne asada burritos with the guys, we girls had soup and bread.  And let me tell you, delish. 

 Chicken Quinoa Soup

I've got on board the quinoa train (or as Brett calls it Joaquin- quinoa backwards get it?).  Great alternative to rice, high in protein, low in carbs.  I was a little intimidated by it at first, but I realized its actually easier to cook than rice (and much faster than brown rice).  There's a ton of stuff you can make with it.  I've made it with chicken stock to add flavor and used it with stir fry, in place of pilaf, and with sauteed vegies.  I will warn you, it has a bit of a weird texture kind of like tiny bubbles, but I actually love it.  I had about a cup left over from dinner the other night and thought I could make chicken noodle soup and use the quinoa in place of the noodles. Worked like a charm.

Chicken Quinoa Soup
Ingredients:
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced celery
2 green onions chopped
1 t. garlic
1/2 t. salt
1/2. t pepper
1 cup cooked chicken
1 c. cooked quinoa
Directions:
Bring broth, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, salt and pepper to a boil and boil 10 minutes (or until vegies are soft).  Add cooked chicken and cooked quinoa and cook until heated though. 
There are several similar recipes online that use more broth and uncooked quinoa.  Might be worth a try if you don't already have cooked quinoa on hand.

 Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins

I've also boarded the almond flour train (thanks to my sister).  I've tried almond flour pancakes and waffles and an amazing chocolate chip cookie recipe, but I think these babies take the cake (or muffin I guess).  My girls gobbled them up, asked for them again for breakfast, and Brett even gave the sign of approval after trying them.  Super moist, great texture, just the right amount of pumpkin flavor.  And low carb- no sugar or four in these guys.  So go get your almond flour/meal  (Trader Joe's has the best price- in the nut section) and make some of your own- you will love.

Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:  

2 eggs

1/2 cup pumpkin puree  

1/3 cup honey 

4 Tbsp melted butter 

1 tsp vanilla 

3/4 tsp baking soda 

1/2 tsp salt 

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon 

1/2 tsp nutmeg 

1/4 tsp ground cloves 

1/4 tsp ground ginger 

2 1/2 cups almond flour 

1/2 cup chopped walnuts 

1/2 cup craisins

2 eggs

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Line a muffin pan with paper liners (12 muffins).
3. In a large mixing bowl, use an electric beater to thoroughly combine all ingredients EXCEPT almond flour, walnuts, and raisins.
4. Stir in almond flour until well combined.
5. Stir in walnuts and craisins.
6. Spoon batter into muffin cups, using wet fingers to press down any bumps on the tops before baking. Makes 12 muffins.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

 

I had to put this picture in because I am very proud of my clean stove top.  Cleaning that beast is one of my least favorite jobs, and I had been putting it off for waaaay too long. I think there may have been cleaner stove tops in meth lab kitchens in the ghetto.  It was that bad.  But look at her shine now.

My only regret for this meal was the fact that Leighton's muffin crumbs (which she is notorious for leaving- she's a big crumbler) went to waste.  No eating after that little one this week due to... hand, foot, and mouth disease.  Yes, we've been infected.  What I thought was a diaper rash turned into sores on the hands, feet, and mouth and viola- enter hand, foot and mouth disease (virus really, disease makes it sound so serious).  She's handled it like a trooper and aside from the owie on her tongue she hasn't complained a bit.  Now were hoping she keeps her poison saliva to herself and the rest of us avoid it (I've heard Daddies don't handle it as well as babies!)

Rhu what?

This recipe just goes to show that anything can be made into something delicious if you add enough butter and/or sugar.  Ever heard of rhubarb?  The checkout lady at Henry's had to ask me what it was, she thought it was rutabaga (whatever that is!).  I would bet most people have probably not ever even seen rhubarb.   They wouldn't know that it looks just like celery only its red, has the identical texture, and it tastes sour as all-get-out.  Seriously, who thought of making it into a dessert?  Must be the same lady who first made candied watermelon rind.  Anyway, I totally remember my grandma growing tons of it in her garden and making cobblers and pies in the summertime.  So in our attempts to try new things and get creative in the kitchen...enter Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (not to be confused with Rhubarb dessert, or Rhubarb pie, or Rhubarb cobbler).   And honestly, it was completely delish.  Light crust on the bottom, ooey gooey sweetness in the middle and crumbled perfection on top.  And don't forget the vanilla ice cream.  Ever. On any pie, crisp, cobbler, or crumble.

RHUBARB STRAWBERRY CRISP

2 c. flour 1 1/2 c. brown sugar 1 1/2 c. oatmeal 1 c. softened butter Mix together for crust and topping. Filling: 1 1/2 c. chopped rhubarb 1 1/2 c. sliced strawberries 1 2/3 c. sugar 2 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch 2 1/2 c. water 2 tsp. vanilla Combine crust ingredients, press 1/2 of mixture into greased 9 x 13 pan. Top with rhubarb and strawberries. Stir together sugar and cornstarch, stir into water. Cook until thickened. Pour over fruit, sprinkle other 1/2 of crumbs on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve with ice cream or yogurt.

ice cream in a bag

dreamin' of chocolate chip dream bars

 

I love bars.  

For several reasons.  

#1 get them all done in one batch- no waiting around in 12 minute intervals

#2 you can cut an extra big pieces for a really big treat or make little niblets to snack on through out the day

#3 i love layers- lots of textures/tastes but rightly divided

So here's a good one for all my bar lovin' friends.

(And yes, I do believe Diet Coke must go with everything)

waffles and white sauce

 

just slicing these beauties made my mouth water

My parents took a trip to the valley this week and lookie what they brought back... yes, that's right folks, 2 right-off-the-tree, perfectly ripened by the California sun, yellow peaches.  Now to many this may be no big thing, but to this former valley girl gone so-cal girl, its a very big thing.  And because I love my family so much, I shared the deliciousness with them this morning, in the form of  "waffles with white sauce and peaches" a long standing family tradition (of course food related traditions are always the best).  Its actually a German Mennonite recipe introduced to me by my fruit farmin' grandparents (probably brought back form the old country many years ago). All I know is it was a favorite at the breakfast table in our house for sure.  And dad, the true German Mennonite, was always the one to whip it up (breakfast and sweets are his specialty- like father like daughter right?).  Almost makes me want to move back to the valley...almost.

Try it for yourself...you may never use syrup again.

Mennonite White Sauce for Waffles

1 c. milk

1/3 cup sugar 

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Heat the milk slightly over medium low heat, stirring constantly. (Don't let it get too hot)

Add sugar and stir until dissolved.

Pour a bit (1/4 cup or so) of the warm mixture into a bowl and add the corn starch stirring with a whisk until dissolved.

Return the corstarch mixture to the warm milk and stir until thickened.

Serve hot over hot waffles with fruit or jam.

Chocolate Chippers

I have a thing for chocolate chip cookies.
A major thing.
Its such a major thing that I could eat them all day.
Literally.
In a perfect chocolate chip cookie world I would eat:
one for breakfast with coffee,
one mid-morning with leftover coffee or a diet coke depending on the weather (hot day- diet coke, cold day-  coffee),
one for lunch dessert,
one for a mid afternoon pick-me-up with another diet coke of course,
and finally one (or two) with a decaf coffee in the evening to close out the day.
I told you it was a major thing.

And in the search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie, I made these this weekend.  Not sure if they are the one, but they are good.  Good enough to where I can't tell you how many I've already eaten.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 Cup Brown Sugar

¾ Cup Sugar

1 Cup Butter (softened)

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Eggs

3 Cups Flour

1 tsp. Kosher Salt (1/2 tsp of regular)

1 tsp. Baking Soda

2 Cups Chocolate Chips

Cream the butter and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt and baking soda. Add in chocolate chips. Bake at 350° for about 11-13 minutes. 

What's up doc?

Brooklyn's class had their "Resurrection Party" yesterday.  I was trying to think of something healthy, cheap, and cute to bring and this is what I came up with...

 A garden of carrots in a bed of hummus...

To make your own garden you need: 

a clay pot (the 6" pot fit the hummus conatainer perfectly)

a clay saucer

a bag of baby carrots

hummus

parsley

and a skewer (to make the holes).

Just cut the parsley into small sprigs, poke a hole in the end of each carrot with the skewer, and carefully push the parsley in.  You can also do individual gardens with the tiny clay pots and a 3 oz cup of hummus inside (didn't want to go there for 23 kids though)

It was a big hit for the kids and teachers.  Unfortunately not as big of a hit as these...

 the amazing mound of Easter donuts 

(I don't blame them, you know I would choose them over hummus any day!)

I loved hearing the kids sing their hearts out...

 and Brooklyn made her debut and the narrator of the Chicken Little play.

And now, off to two weeks of vacation!  Yeah!

Ree and Me

If you have stepped foot into the blog world you know Ree.  Ree of Pioneer Woman fame.  And if you know Ree, you know her sin-namon cinnamon rolls.  I have indulged in them a few times, but this was the first time they found their way into my very own kitchen. I was making them for our weekend away at Big Bear and my sister's shower this weekend so I needed to freeze them.  You can freeze at several points according to Ree.  I choose to bake them completely and freeze them without frosting.  I then defrosted what I needed in the fridge and warmed them up at 250 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  I also made the frosting ahead of time and froze/defrosted/warmed it.  Worked like a charm.  I won't be saying how may I ate.

 Ree claims she makes a mess every time she makes them, but do you think its this much of a mess?   Its the melted butter ooze factor.  After reading some tips, I tried two methods.  First using softened, not melted butter on the dough.  But the cinnamon and sugar didn't stick together and fell out when I rolled (which was really tricky) and cut them.  Looking like this:

 Wouldn't recommend.

 

  Then I went with the melted butter, it was much easier to roll/cut and looked like this.

BTW I refrigerated the dough for 2 days before I ever rolled them out-supposedly its easier to work with when its cold.

In the end, they all came out with that amazing melt in your mouth buttery,sugary, best in the world taste.  Thanks Ree.

Your milk will love this...

Everything I've tried that she has recommended has been amazing.  Here's another...brownie covered oreos.  Sounds like something they'd be selling at the County Fair right?  Try them, you will love...the slight crunch, the cream filling, it is a whole new twist on a brownie.  And since everyone loves brownies and milk and oreos and milk, its a genius combination. Some tips...use double stuff oreos, make 24 with 1 box of brownie mix, just put the leftover batter on top of each one until its gone (this makes them nice and thick).  Don't overcook them or you will loose that chewiness brownies must have- 12 minutes, maybe only a couple more.  Now get a glass of the tall white stuff and enjoy!

Wanna lick?

For Brooklyn's birthday we decided to do ice cream cone cupcakes to bring in to her class.  I have wanted to try this for a while and thought kindergartners would get a kick out of it.  

I read that there were three basic ways to make them:

1.  Bake cupcakes in liners, remove the cupcakes and press them into the top of the cone, then frost.  To avoid the top heavy problem, fill the cone with candy before putting the cupcake on top.  Check out this video.

2.  Pour batter in the liner (like regular cupcakes), but before baking, invert a cone on the top.

3.  Bake the cupcake batter in the cone, then frost when cooled.

#1 looked the coolest and had the candy surprise in the cone, but I thought it might send the kids into sugar overload.  #2 seemed a bit strange so I opted for #3, which I actually would do again, but with minor adjustments.The first being, not to fill the cones so much.  Here's what I did...

You really need about 1/2 that much batter.  Lots oozed over, got gooey, and had to be thrown away.  Secondly, I would use homemade frosting and a large holed pastry bag to give the soft serve effect on the top.  I did like the sprinkles and the gumball though- cute right?  It took all that was in me to not throw them all in the trash and start over (actually it just took Brett saying-don't you dare remake those).  So I had to put my perfectionistic tendencies aside and remember they were for 5 and 6 year-olds who could care less, and go with it.  A good lesson for me.  And don't even ask me how I transported them.....

Moster Cookies

I'm a big frequenter of the snack bar at Target.  The popcorn combo (split in 2 bags please) allows me an average of 30 minutes of shopping peace when the girls are with me.  And when I'm alone (thanks to my mom), a diet coke as I shop makes the Target experience that much sweeter- with a refill on the way out the door of course.  Anyway, I usually just stick to the soda, but am verrrrrrrrrrrrrrry tempted by the enormous cookies in the display case each time.  I have to admit, I've indulged twice (it was the Christmas shopping stress I tell you) in the most amazing cookie possibly of all time.  And for a cookie lover like myself, that says a lot.  Its called a monster cookie (probably because of its monstrous size/calorie count).  I actually found the Archer Farms frozen dough but they weren't quite as good.  But never fear folks, I have perfected the cookie myself.  Here she is in all her glory.  One word... amazing.   And a few others... chewy, crunchy, chocolaty, nutty, delicioso!

Monster Cookies

2 eggs

1 c. packed brown sugar

2/3 c white sugar

1 t vanilla

1 t corn syrup

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/3 cup butter

1 c peanut butter

3 c. rolled oats

2/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

2/3 cup m&ms (never mind the leftover Christmas ones I used)

1/2 c. peanuts (I used cocktail peanuts)

Directions:
Beat the eggs in a large bowl and add the remaining ingredients in order, mixing well (don't think you forgot the flour- there isn't any).  Use an ice cream scoop (yes a full sized scoop, you have to make them BIG) to put on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for 12 minutes (they may not look quite done but you must not overbake!).  Makes 30 cookies (if you have used some restraint and havn't eaten half of the dough).

Christmas Love

For God so loved the world, he gave His only begotten son...

One of my favorite Christmas songs this year is Jars of Clay's Love Came Down at Christmas.  We can't forget that love is truly at the heart of Christmas.  It was the love of God the Father that originated Christmas, by sending Jesus to earth to demonstrate true love to humanity.  And we have the opportunity to spread that love in so may ways at Christmas.  Simple time we spend and thoughtful gifts we give are among the many ways we can share love.  So here's a fun and easy recipe that lets you spread that Christmas love around this season.

Peppermint/Chocolate

I have a major thing for peppermint/chocolate.  So obviously this is the perfect season for me. Peppermint Mochas from Starbucks, peppermint brownies, chocolate covered candy canes....you get the idea.  I have great plans to make a peppermint white chocolate cheesecake for Christmas dinner even.  This afternoon I indulged (actually shared with the girls) in one of my faves.  Peppermint chocolate chip milkshake from Chick Fil A.  And since it has been in the 80's this week, it made it all the better.

Gingerbread Fam

 

It started off as a gingerbread man craft (more to come on that later...) and ended up with Brooklyn insisting we make real gingerbread men.  I was afraid she would be disappointed when she realized they taste very different from the sugar cookies she is used to making and decorating.  But when she couldn't stop eating the dough, I knew we had a fan of the spicy sweet gingerness on our hands.  Ellie on the other hand licked off all the frosting and after taking a couple bites said, "Let's make cookies that taste good next time, Mom."  Classic.  Anyway, if you want to try to create your own, here's the recipe ( I just made a 1/2 batch).  The only problem I had was that several of the men lost their heads or  lower torsos because they were so soft, but I think they taste much better soft.  So if you are going to make them for just decorating and not really eating, cook them a bit longer.