Carrot Cake

This carrot cake recipe is a family favorite and the only one I ever make. It's moist, rich; and, as far as desserts go - healthy (though it doesn't taste like it). It's shown here in a Bundt style, but you can bake it in a 9x13 pan if you wish.

Here's what you need:

• 2 c. unbleached flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1-1/2 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
• 3 egg whites
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 c. shredded carrots
• 1 small red apple, peeled and shredded
• 3/4 c. canola oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10" Bundt pan with nonstick spray, dust with flour, and shake out the excess. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

In a medium bowl, combine the eggs and egg whites. Beat lightly with a fork. Stir in canola oil, orange juice concentrate, and vanilla. Add carrots and apple. Stir to mix well.

Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture, stirring until just moistened. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert the cake onto the rack and allow to cool completely before frosting.

For the Frosting:

You will need:

• 8 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 3 to 4 c. confectioner's sugar, depending on the desired consistency
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese and vanilla. With an electric mixer, beat on low speed until creamy. Gradually add the confectioner's sugar, one cup at a time, beating after each addition until smooth and the desired consistency is achieved.

I used about 3-1/4 c. of sugar for a fairly thick frosting that was still able to be drizzled. If I were frosting a flat cake, I would have used the 4 cups of sugar for a thicker frosting.

This cake can be refrigerated, covered tightly, for up to one week. Enjoy!

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Apricot Coconut Coffee Cake

This coffee cake is such a treat... perfect for a brunch or dessert for company. It's moist, with a ribbon of apricot filling through it, and the topping is a combination of toasted coconut and caramelized brown sugar. Very comforting! Recipe comes from Taste of Home.

Here's what you need:



Cake Ingredients


• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese (or low-fat Neufchatel cheese), softened
• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 1-1/4 c. sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 c. milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 can (12 oz.) apricot filling



Topping Ingredients

• 1/3 c. butter, softened
• 2/3 c. packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2 c. coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, and sugar until fluffy.



Add the eggs, one at a time, beat well after each one. Add milk and vanilla; mix well.



Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture. Beat just until moistened.

Spread half the batter into the greased baking dish. Then carefully spread the apricot filling over the batter.

Spread the remaining cake batter over the top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Prepare the topping: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in the coconut.

Spoon the topping over the baked cake. Broil 4 inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 12 to 15 servings. Enjoy!

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St. Patty's Day Treats

LEPRECHAUN HATS



IRISH POTATO CANDIES



These St. Patty's Day treat ideas/recipes come from my Mom. She and my daughter spent an afternoon together making these adorable Irish-themed candies. I don't have step-by-step photos, but I'm going to explain how they were made the best I can.

First up are the Leprechaun Hats....
You will need:

• a bag of Rolo candies
• a bag of green chocolate candy melts
• a box of Nilla wafers
• sprinkles
• yellow icing

Note for the local followers: My Mom gets her sprinkles and melts at Bev's Cake & Candy Shop in Whitehall (Fullerton).

So, first unwrap your Rolo candies and put them in the freezer for about an hour to get them nice and cold. Next, melt your green candy melts according to package directions. Dip the Rolos in the melted green candy and place on a cookie sheet to harden/chill in the fridge. While they are hardening, dip the Nilla wafers in the same melted green candy. After you dip each Nilla wafer, lay them FLAT SIDE UP on a cookie sheet. Get your candy-coated Rolos out of the fridge, and while the Nilla wafers are still wet, place a candy-coated Rolo on top of each Nilla wafer, centered. Decorate with sprinkles. Allow to dry/harden. Use the yellow icing to draw around the base of the hat.

Next up are the Irish Potato candies....
You will need:

• a 1lb. box of confectioner's sugar
• 1 stick (1/2 c.) butter, softened (and possibly an extra Tbsp. or 2)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• cinnamon

Combine the above ingredients and knead into a dough. If the dough seems to be cracking and dry, add an additional tablespoon of butter. Depending on the climate in your home, it may be necessary to add up to 2 tbsp. butter to get a good consistency of dough.

Take small amounts of the dough and roll into an egg shape (mini-potato shape). Roll them thoroughly in cinnamon, and that's it! Easy!

Many thanks to my Mom for always taking time to do these fun projects with my kids!

Sugar-Topped Double Chocolate Cupcakes

A little indulgence here before Lent begins.....super chocolaty, super-moist, melt-in-your-mouth cupcakes. You don't need frosting for these, trust me. When you look at the recipe, you'll notice a lot of coffee goes into the batter. Don't be put off by that - you don't taste the coffee. It only brings out the intense chocolate flavor. A good quality cocoa powder helps too. And of course, the chocolate chips just put this cupcake over the top.

Here's what you need:

• 1-1/2 c. PLUS 1/3 c. sugar, divided
• 2/3 c. canola oil
• 2 tbsp. white vinegar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/2 c. cocoa powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. espresso powder (optional)
• 2 c. brewed coffee, brought to room temperature
• 1 c. semi-sweet, mini chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 standard-sized muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a large bowl, beat 1-1/2 c. sugar, oil, vinegar, and vanilla until well blended.

In another large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder (if using).

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet sugar mixture. Stir in the coffee until well blended and smooth. Then add in the chocolate chips.

Fill the paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. (Be sure to stir the batter every now and then to make sure the chocolate chips don't sink to the bottom of the bowl.) Then sprinkle half of the 1/3 c. of sugar over the tops of the batter. (This will create a very light sugary crust when it bakes.)

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in one of the cakes comes out clean. Immediately after you take them out of the oven, sprinkle the remaining sugar over the tops. Allow to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before removing from the pans.

This recipe should yield about 2 dozen cupcakes. Here is a close-up of one I broke open with a fork..... enjoy!

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Pink Lemonade Pie

I have a young guest blog-contributor today.... my daughter! She made this lovely Pink Lemonade Pie and did the food-styling and photography by herself. I think it turned out wonderful. She actually made the pie twice because she wasn't happy with the first result - it was too "puckery", if you know what I mean. The second time, she reduced the amount of lemonade concentrate a bit, and it turned out perfectly. It's so quick and easy to make, and it only uses 5 ingredients. She and I are very fond of pink lemonade, and this was the perfect treat to remind us of those warm summer days that we miss so much. I think this would make a lovely dessert for a little girl's tea party, or Easter (with its soft pastel color), or a refreshing summertime/pool-party treat. This recipe was adapted from Taste of Home Family Favorite Recipes Magazine (2009).

Here's what you need:

• 1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened (We used low-fat.)
• 2/3 c. pink lemonade concentrate
• 1 carton (8 oz.) frozen whipped topping, thawed PLUS additional whipped topping for garnish
• 1 shortbread or graham pie crust (9 inches)
• 3 to 5 drops red food coloring (optional, not shown)

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add in the lemonade concentrate and food coloring (if desired), and beat until thoroughly combined.

Fold in the whipped topping.

Spoon into pie crust. Freeze for 1 hour, then store in the refrigerator until serving. Garnish with additional whipped topping if desired. My daughter garnished hers with whipped topping and pink sprinkles. Also, she used 5 drops of Wilton's pink color gel for frosting. Serves 6. Enjoy!

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Recipes for One: Coffee Cup Egg Scramble, Panini with Fresh Basil Aioli, & One-Minute Chocolate Cake

The foodie blogosphere is a happy place right now.... Lots of Valentine desserts and romantic dinner suggestions for two. Unfortunately in real life, Valentine's Day isn't so happy for many people. Our last Valentine's Day as a family was a very sad one. And I know I'm not alone. I have spent the last year and half on widows' forums reading stories very similar to mine. So I've decided to dedicate today's post to the grieving people out there who are hating Valentine's Day. I've invited my widow-forum friends to stop by here today. I have 3 different "Recipes for One".... though all of them can be doubled or made with kids. If you are grieving this Valentine's Day...  treat yourself today, even if you don't want to. Take care of yourself. One day at a time; sometimes, one hour at a time. And remember you're not alone... 
#1) COFFEE CUP EGG SCRAMBLE - BREAKFAST FOR ONE

Scrambled eggs with bacon and cheddar cheese in a cup - done in about a minute with no greasy pans to wash! What's not to like? Recipe adapted from the USDA. Here's what you need:

• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 1 tbsp. cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp. real bacon bits (optional - not shown, but we use Hormel's Real Bacon Bits w/50% less fat.)
• salt & pepper to taste

Coat the inside of a 12-oz. microwaveable mug with cooking spray. Add the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Beat with a fork until blended:

Microwave on high for 45 seconds. Stir. If you are using bacon bits, stir them in now.

Microwave for another 30 to 45 seconds. The eggs should be just set. Tilt your mug - if you see any runny or liquid egg in there, put it back in and nuke it for another 10 seconds or until the eggs are set. Sprinkle with the cheddar cheese. Make yourself some toast and a nice cup of coffee to go with it. Sit down and ENJOY a nice breakfast - just for you. : )

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#2) HAM & CHEESE PANINI WITH FRESH BASIL AIOLI

Make a restaurant-quality panini for yourself at home! My son rated this 5 out of 5 stars. The Fresh Basil Aioli *makes* the sandwich. By the way, a panini is just a grilled, pressed sandwich - but you don't need a panini maker or an indoor grill to make one. You can cook it on the stove top in a skillet and put another skillet on top of it to press it down...or a brick - seriously, wrap a brick in foil and SLAM IT, I mean - place it on top of your sandwich to press it down while it cooks. And aioli is just a fancy word for a garlic-enhanced mayonnaise. I'll give you the recipe for the aioli first. If you're not up for making the aioli or don't have the ingredients, you can just use Dijon mustard or honey-mustard on your panini.

Fresh Basil Aioli (Recipe adapted from 400 Best Sandwich Recipes by Alison Lewis)

You need:

• 1/2 c. mayonnaise (I used a light version.)
• 1/2 c. fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp. (just a few drops) lemon juice
• NOTE: you do NOT need olive oil for this - I accidentally included it in the above photo. Sorry!

Mix all of the ingredients in a small bowl until combined well. Spread on just about any kind of sandwich. Store any leftovers in the fridge - it will keep for up to 3 days. You can see the finished aioli in the photo below.

Here's what you need for the Ham & Cheese Panini:

• 2 slices of a good-quality (from the bakery department) sourdough bread or preferred choice of an artisan bread. (I used a roasted garlic version.)
• 4 slices of smoked deli ham, sliced thin
• 1 slice Provolone cheese
• 1 slice of a complimentary cheese such as Mozzarella, Cheddar, or a blended cheese (I used a Cheddar-Mozzarella blend.)
• fresh basil aioli
• olive oil

Preheat your panini maker or indoor grill according to manufacturer's instructions. If you will be using the stove-top, preheat a skillet to medium low, and have ready a second skillet (heavy duty) to place on top of your sandwich to press it.

Coat the insides of both pieces of bread with the aioli. Be generous. Assemble your sandwich. Brush the outsides of both slices of bread with olive oil. (I made two of these - one for me, and one for my son.)

Cook in your panini maker or indoor grill according to manufacturer's instructions - about 3 to 5 minutes or until golden and crisp. On the stove top, cook 2 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden and crisp.

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#3) ONE-MINUTE CHOCOLATE CAKE

There are a lot of versions of this on the internet. The most popular one has over 60 grams of fat in it though - and I'm sorry, if I'm going to ingest 60 grams of fat from one dessert, it has to be the most phenomenal dessert ever made and not come out of a microwave. So this one is reasonable. It has about 7 grams of fat, and I think it tastes pretty good. It's not high-end gourmet eating, but it's chocolatey and comforting. The trick is to not overcook it. If you overcook it, it will get rubbery. There are no eggs in the recipe, so undercooking is not a concern. In fact, I think it is better slighly undercooked. I found the recipe on cdkitchen.com and changed it only slightly to add extra moisture to it. Feel free to add some mini-chocolate chips to it. Top it with whipped cream or ice cream and hot fudge sauce...in fact, the more Valentine's Day sucks for you, the more you can pile on this cake - no guilt!

Here's what you need:

• 2 tbsp. flour
• 1 tbsp. AND 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. cocoa powder
• pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp. milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. oil (canola or vegetable)

Coat the inside of a 12-oz. microwaveable mug with cooking spray.

Mix all the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add the milk, vanilla, and oil. Mix until well blended. Pour the batter into the mug.

Microwave at full power for 1 minute. If the cake does not appear done, microwave the cake longer in 10 second intervals until set. Here's a close-up so you an see the texture of the cake:

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Wishing you a thoughtful Valentine's Day and a blessed year ahead.  -Adele


This post is linked to The Country Cook's "WEEKEND POTLUCK"