Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

The next recipe in our adventures is my favorite cake – carrot cake. I don’t know what it is about this cake, but the combination of carrots, cinnamon, and the cream cheese icing just call to me. Also, it is important to know that I do not like nuts, raisins, or pineapple in my cake carrot… I think that stuff is just weird. So, if you’re looking for a simple carrot cake without any extras, this is the recipe for you.

What You’ll Need…

3 Cups Carrots (Grated) [6 medium carrots]

4 Eggs

1 ¼ Cups Vegetable Oil

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

½ Teaspoon Salt

1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg

Cream Cheese Icing:

3 Cups Powdered Sugar

8oz Cream Cheese (Softened)

8oz Butter (Softened)

2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract (Or a vanilla bean)

[For a special treat add another flavoring to your icing… Raspberry extract is a great addition.]

Preheat your oven to 350.

Start out by grating your carrots; 3 cups of grated carrots is about 6 medium carrots.

In a large mixing bowl beat together the eggs, oil, granulated and brown sugar, and vanilla.

Once the “wet” ingredients are combined carefully mix in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Once combined the wet and dry ingredients are combined add in the carrots and mix thoroughly so that the carrots are evenly distributed.

Now, grease two 9-inch round cake pans and divide the cake batter evenly into the two pans. Place the cake pans on baking sheets just in case some batter spills over… less clean up later.

Bake the cakes at 350 for 40-50 minutes. Test with a toothpick or cake tester; the cakes are done when the tester comes out clean.

Once the cakes are removed from the oven allow them to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.

When the cakes are cooling/cooled start on the icing. In a mixing bowl combine the powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and any other flavorings you choose. You can use a mixer (stand or hand) if you choose, but I personally prefer the consistence I get when I mix the icing by hand with a spoon.

When the cakes are completely cooled and the icing is made ice the cakes using an offset spatula or even a table knife. Start out by placing on of the cake on the dish that you are going to serve/display the cake on. Carefully ice the top of that first cake round before placing the second cake on top. Now ice the top of the second cake and carefully move icing over the sides to ice the sides of the cake (if you choose to that is.)

I personally prefer to let the cake chill in the refrigerator to allow the icing to set for at least an hour before serving. Store the left over cake covered in the refrigerator.

Simply slice and eat. Enjoy! 

Spaghetti Squash "Mac" and Cheese

Everyone loves mac and cheese, right? I know people that are lactose intolerant, or even flat out allergic to all dairy and still love mac and cheese. There’s dairy free cheese people, and it’s actually pretty good. Well, this mac and cheese it delicious, and almost guilt free… that’s right it isn’t made with pasta, it’s made with squash.

What You’ll Need… (This recipe is for 4-5 adults.)

1 Medium-to-large Spaghetti Squash

2 Tablespoons Butter

2 Tablespoons Flour

3 Cups Milk

¼ - ½ Teaspoon Pepper

¼ - ½ Teaspoon Salt

¼ - ½ Teaspoon Nutmeg

¼ - ½ Teaspoon Ground Mustard

4-6oz Grated Cheese (Any kind you like.)

2-3 Slices Bacon per person (Turkey bacon tastes great in this dish.)

Preheat your oven to 375.

Microwave the squash for about 5 minutes per pound.  Be careful when you remove the squash from the microwave, it will be hot.

Cut the squash in half lengthwise, place it on a baking sheet, and bake the squash for 40-45 minutes.

Towards the end of the baking time place the bacon on a greased cooking rack that is on top of a baking sheet. Bake for 10-20 minutes; the time depends on how you like your bacon cooked.

When you remove the squash and bacon from the oven set them aside for a few minutes to cool slightly.

At this point start on the sauce. Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan and once it is melted add the flour. Whisk the two together so that they make a paste and allow the flour taste to cook out. After about one minute of whisking the flour and butter together add the milk. Remove the pan from the heat when you add the milk. Whisk the mixture over medium heat until it thickens. This could take up to eight minutes.

When the sauce has thickened turn off the heat, mix in the spices, and then mix in the cheese.

Now onto the squash; first remove the seeds, and then using a fork remove the flesh. It comes out in strands and looks like pasta. Place the removed squash in a mixing or serving bowl (it depends on how you want to serve it.)

The last thing that needs done is to chop the bacon; chop it into bite-sized pieces.

To serve spoon your desired amount of squash into a bowl and top with your desired amount of sauce and bacon.

Enjoy!

Cheesy Walnut Risotto

Friday is Valentine’s Day, and believe it or not, it isn’t just a Hallmark holiday. There is historical and religious background to the holiday, but that is for a different time. While many people out there, that do celebrate this holiday based on love, think about going out to an expensive dinner or store-bought chocolate, a home cooked meal and dessert is even more romantic. So, if you still don’t know what to make for your special someone this year think about making this amazing, and romantic, side part of your special meal.

What You’ll Need…

1 Cup Arborio Rice (Uncooked)

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

¼ Large Onion or 2 Shallots (Diced)

3 Cups Beef Broth (You can use chicken broth instead.)

½ Cup Walnut Halves and pieces

2oz Your Favorite Cheese (Grated)

1 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Start out by dicing your onion or shallot before sautéing it until almost soft in a 3 quart sauce pan, this should take about 3 minutes.

At this point add your one cup of rice an allow it to toast for about 2 minutes, stir occasionally.

After two minutes add 1 cup of stock and cook until the liquid is absorbed, stirring frequently. Once the liquid has been absorbed add the remaining stock one cup at a time and cook until the liquid is absorbed. Stir frequently. The finished product should appear creamy.

While the rice is cooking toast the walnuts in a dry skillet for 3-5 minutes or until slightly fragrant. Be careful, it is incredibly easy to burn the nuts. Once the nuts have toasted and cooled slightly chop them into small bite-sized pieces so that they can be even distributed throughout the risotto.

When the rice is cooked remove it from the heat before mixing in the nuts, grated cheese, and pepper.

Serve with chicken, steak, pork, or even seafood. Enjoy!  

(This is the leftovers after they sat in the fridge all night because my cell phone did not save the picture I took when it was fresh, I'm very sorry.)

Taco Salad (Revised)

A few weeks ago my husband and I started having salad night at least once a week. I know, that makes it sound like we didn’t eat salad at all before that, and that’s not the case. Before a few weeks ago we would have a side salad one or two nights a week when we weren’t having another vegetable side. Salad night, however; is a lot different than just having a side salad, it is medium mixing bowls filled with salad and then some kind of protein mixed in. This taco salad can be done at a large or small scale, which ever you choose.

I know that I have already posted a taco salad recipe; it was one of my first recipes actually, but this version is a lot healthier than the first version and I like it even better.

What You’ll Need…

1lb Ground Meat (Your choice)

½ Medium Onion (Chopped)

1 Bell Pepper (Chopped)

3-4 Large Button Mushrooms (Sliced)

½ - 1 Cup Frozen Corn

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Salad Mix (Store bought or chopped up at home.)

Salsa (Optional)

Grated Cheese (Optional)

Sour Cream (Optional)

Start out by chopping your vegetables. Add the peppers and onions to a medium skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and allow them to cook.

While the veggies are sautéing brown one pound of ground meat in a large skillet.

When the peppers and onions are almost completely cooked add the mushrooms and corn and allow them to cook until soft.

The meat and veggies should be done around the same time. When they are both cooked it’s time to build your salad.

In a bowl add your desired amount of salad; next add the meat followed by the sautéed veggies. Lastly top with salsa, cheese, and sour cream.  

Enjoy!