Carrot Cake

Ok, so a couple of post back I told you all that I can NOT decorate cakes! I don't know why, I can picture it in my head but what ends up happening is NO WHERE close BUT, with that being said, the cake was amazing! I got the recipe from the sister of one of the football players on my son's team. The frosting I found on Pinterest (link by the directions!)

This is the first time I've tried to take pictures through the whole process of baking something (I think I got it all but we'll see what comes off the camera!)

All of the ingredients together

Action shot of sugar & oil beating together

I always do one egg at a time

(I thought this was a pretty cool shot of the egg going in)

Beat this well to a nice light color

While that is beating & it takes a minute or two,

get your dry ingredients together. I always give the dry ingredients a stir together.

Mix the dry in the wet until just combined

Now the directions said to mix carrots in by hand. I ignored the directions and just gave it a couple of slow turns with the mixer then a little bit by hand. Guess I felt like being a rebel lazy.

Pour the batter into a greased & floured pan ~ in the oven it goes

Here is the carrot cake when it comes out! Looks hard around the edges but it's a really soft yet dense & moist cake!

 

Phew that's a lot of pictures ... just a couple more.

 

I made cream cheese frosting because that's what goes on carrot cake right? Well I had a back up (there on the left) just in case ... I haven't had much any luck with homemade frosting (probably why I stick mostly with cookies!) I let my son be the judge of what I should use ~ I mean it is our Easter dessert and we had a houseful of people.  I was surprised, shocked really that he picked the homemade frosting!

 That I found here: BubbleCrumb's Best Cream Cheese Frosting via Pinterest

 

I found the cute marshmallow carrots at Wal-mart

Here is my horrendous decorating job ~ but oh boy did it taste GOOOOOOD

There you have it couple of easy steps and a delicious carrot cake!

 

Recipe:

1 ½ cups of vegetable oil

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking power

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

3 cups peeled and grated carrots

 

 

Blend sugar & oil. Than add eggs and beat.

Mix the dry ingredients and than add to the above

Hand mix in your carrots

Grease & flour 13x9 pan

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean

 

(thank you to my niece KaLeigh for this picture!)

 

 

 



 

Happy Hoppy Easter!

Wishing you & yours a very Happy Easter!! I have been doing a lot of cooking & baking so I didn't get on here but I have some stuff to post soon!! Carrot cake is up next ... I got a great shot of my egg LOL Enjoy your day!!



Apple Cake

My husband asked me to find a recipe for cake using apples.  He has been on a kick of eating apples everyday now for whatever reason! It must keep the doctor away like you always heard as a kid because he's pretty darn healthy! As in he never has to go to a doctor *knock on wood*
So anyhow, I have made this cake countless times, honestly countless and it is always perfect! I have made it chopping the apples up really small and leaving them a bit on the chunky side (our preferred way).  Mine looks very different than the recipe I copied it from but I assume because I used a different pan!

Here it is! Paula's is on the left mine is on the right!!

It's healthy because it has fruit right?! *giggling*

I use macintosh apples I'd like to try it with granny smith apples but they aren't a favorite of hubby's. 
Pretty much great for any time of day! And I was just thinking as I was typing ~ this would be so good if before the glaze you sliced it / dipped it in egg and made it into french toast ... Oh yum! trying this next time I make it!!!!  ~  Enjoy


Recipe by Paula Deen found here: Paula Deen - Uncle Bobs fresh apple cake

 



Helloooo Bacon Dip!!

Ok, so I'm more of a copycat with a twist than a "brainiac" that can come up with my own recipes!! (Oh boy how I LOVE Pinterest!) This is a recipe I found awhile ago (not on Pinterest actually) and I honestly can't remember where, so if you came up with it and you see this please let me know so I can give you credit!
I made a small change to it but OMG it's soooooo good!!!!! I always double the recipe ~ I eat it on beer bread ~ my son however loves it on a lot things ~ pizza, burgers, sandwiches!
Give it a try I'll bet you love it too!

 

 

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons bacon bits (the real fake ones not those crunchy red things)
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

mix it all together and refrigerate OVER NIGHT ...

this is a MUST for the flavors to come all together!

Stir & serve & enjoy!!

 

 



Where to start

So I'm not sure where to start ... why I bake / where I bake / what I bake ...

So here goes:

WHY: It relaxes me! It keeps me busy! My husband has started to travel a lot for work, I'm bored & lonely so I bake. When your putting things in the oven and pulling them out every 9 minutes it makes time go by faster!

WHERE: In my new kitchen! Well I guess it isn't so new now but when you're use to one kitchen for the last 16 years and you've only been in this one for less than a year we'll call it new! We lost our home & everything to a fire in January 2012 ... the first thing I replaced for a kitchen was my Kitchenaid!! (we were living with my sister in law so we didn't need dishes until we could get a temporary apartment (while we looked for a house) got all that?) I love this kitchen because it is wide open to the dining room & living room so I'm not tucked away in another room so to speak! When I get it cleaned up I'll post a picture!

WHAT:  Mostly cookies YUMMMM!! Some cakes (although I'm not a decorator), quick breads, yeast bread, cupcakes, snacks in general & regular everyday comfort food! The favorite thing I learned how to make this year is prime rib! My son likes it better than the restaurant and talk about saving money by making it yourself! Not like we have it every week once every couple of months works great!!  This is my son's plate! I think he may have had a spoon full of corn as well :o)



Getting Started

Hi Everyone!!
  I have blogged a little bit before but haven't done it in a very long time ... I post so many things on Facebook that I make I thought I'd put it in a blog instead or in addition to or whatever I feel like doing that day!! I'm pretty random and a lot of times I know what I'm talking about but no one else does so if I get that way feel free to ask what the heck I'm rambling about :o) Hope you like my adventure in my kitchen!!