Carrot Cake!

Happy Easter! or at least Happy Easter yesterday! To celebrate RJ grilled up some Filet Mignon (medium rare)  and sauteed mushrooms and onions. I made a Cesar salad and roasted red potatoes, YUM! It was a wonderful meal especially since we followed it up with Carrot Cake. What did you make for Easter dessert?

This is probably one of RJ's most favorite desserts and well, I can't complain about it either. Except for when there are raisins in it, then I am not a fan. I just don't like re-plumped raisins. What about you? Do you like raisins in your baked things? I guess they are alright in oatmeal raisin cookies, but that's about it. I do like to eat them uncooked though, and I definitely looooovvvveee them in Raisin Bran cereal. Yes I do, it's been one of my favorites since I was knee-high to a grasshopper.

But since this post is about carrot cake and not raisins, I will get back on subject. It's weird how easily conversations adjust from one topic to the next until you completely forgot how the whole conversation started.  Weird...

Anyway, I made this recipe as a cupcake before and I received rave reviews, mostly from RJ but who's counting, he's my biggest fan. Or are you my biggest fan? j/k but maybe... When I made this recipe for Easter I changed it up a bit from the cupcakes, but I liked the original so I will post that.

Carrot Cake:

2 C. Grated Carrot
1 C. Grated Apple ( I like Grannie Smith)
1 C. Oil
1 C. Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
2 C. Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
4 Large Eggs
1/2 C. Nuts/Raisins (optional)

Preheat oven to 350* Line 12 muffin wells.

Grate apple and carrots, set aside. Actually, you'll probably want to do this before you turn the oven on, it takes a long time to grate this stuff, but don't worry, it's worth it.

In a mixer combine oil and sugar until it becomes thick. Add eggs incorporating them one at a time, then add the vanilla.

Whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl until lumps are eliminated. Gradually add flour mixture to oil mixture. Now fold in carrots and apples then the nuts and raisins.

Spoon into lined wells and bake for 20 minutes. Allow the cupcakes to rest for at least 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

1/2 C. Butter
8 oz  Cream Cheese
1 tsp Vanilla
2 Tbs Milk
3 C. Powdered Sugar

In a bowl combine the room temperature butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla and one cup of the powdered sugar, mix. Next the milk and one more cup of the powdered sugar can be added, mix. Gradually add the final cup until it is spreading consistency, you may need more or less than this final cup.

Now, "Let them eat cake!"

Piece.

Coconut Cream Pie

I think my love affair started very early in my life. It was only encouraged by watching my favorite TV show. Gilligan's Island. Have you ever seen this show? It is too too funny, I know it's old but I LOVE it. Anyways, if you haven't seen the show, it's about  7 people stranded on a tropical island and their fruitless attempts to get off. Since they are on a tropical island, they have an abundance of coconut so they make a lot of coconut cream pie.

I've never homemade coconut cream pie before, so I was scared... dun dun dun. I used to make coconut cream pie with instant pudding but not anymore, ever. One, this recipe was ridiculously easy and two it was waaaay better than instant pudding.

Aside from just liking coconut cream pie, I decided to make this recipe to use up left over coconut milk. I really debated on what to make with it, possibilities really are endless. But I obviously concluded with coconut cream pie and I am super glad I did! My recipe is adapted from Emeril's, so you can also check it out on here. If you make this, I promise you will be glad too.

Crust:
1/3 C. Melted Butter
1 1/2 C.  Crushed Graham Cracker
1/4 C  Sugar

Pulse enough graham crackers in a food processor to make 1 1/2 cups of fine crumble, about 1 sleeve. Combine all ingredients in a bowl until well mixed. Press into pie pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Filling:
1 1/2 C. Whole milk
3/4 C.  Coconut milk
3/4 C. Sugar
3 Egg yolks
1/4 C. Cornstarch
1 tsp.  Vanilla
11/2 C. Coconut
1 Tbs Butter
Over medium heat, in a medium sized pot heat 2 cups of the milks and sugar, bring to a simmer. In a heat safe bowl whisk egg yolks. Temper the eggs with the hot milks, then add to the pot. In yet another container dissolve the cornstarch with the remaining milks, until it's a slurry, then add to pot. Bring the pot up to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Stir constantly for 4 - 6 minutes, until it becomes a creamy custard. Fold in vanilla, coconut and butter, mix well. Pour into pie crust and allow mixture to set and cool completely.

To serve, top with whipped cream or whipped cream and toasted coconut. MMM...mmm...mmm.

Apple Cinnamon Granola

Did I tell you, or did I tell you? I said what I meant and I meant what I said, and elephant is faithful 100 percent... No marshmallows :- ) YAY!

Truth be told I was a little tired of all of the sweets, so I wanted something a bit healthier. A few weeks ago I made my Grandpa's granola recipe, it was fabulous! However, that is his recipe to give out, not mine. I recently ran out of the morning goodness and I desperately wanted more granola. I figured that since I really like Apple Cinnamon oatmeal, I would like Apple Cinnamon Granola.

Turns out I was right. I love granola in the morning over yogurt, especially if I sprinkle fresh blueberries over top *heaven*. How about you? How do you like your granola? Do you even like granola? How about granola bars? So anyways, I took what I knew from my grandpa's recipe and searched a few different ones online debating over what I liked and didn't like from all of them and this is what I came up with.

You can eat this plain as a snack, over yogurt, over frozen yogurt or with milk, it's all fabulous!

Apple Cinnamon Granola:

3 C.     Oats
1/3 C.  Chopped Pecans
2 tsp    Cinnamon
1/4 tsp  Cardamom
3 Tbs    Butter
1/3 C.   Applesauce
1/4 C.  Honey
2 Tbs   Brown Sugar
1/2 C.  Coconut
1/2 C.  Chopped Dried Apples

Preheat oven to 275 and line a cookie sheet with tin foil or silpat (if you have one)

Combine oats, pecans, coconut, cinnamon and cardamom into one bowl. Stir together so the spices get over everything.

In a second bowl combine and whisk together melted butter, applesauce, honey and brown sugar. Once those are combined add to oat mixture and coat evenly.

Spread onto cookie sheet in an even layer. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the granola is golden. Allow granola to rest and cool for about 15 minutes. Crumble granola and add dried apples.Store in an air tight container.

*As it turns out, Bailey (RJ's dog) like granola too. I accidentally left my container on the counter and left for work... Only to return to any empty granola container and busted Tupperware...* I'm not sure if I was more made that she ate my Tupperware or granola?

Oh and just so you know, Montey(our dog) who was trained with me, doesn't jump on counters for food!

S'mores Cupcakes

Shocking, I know... more marshmallow. Are you all getting tired of my fondness of marshmallow? Don't worry my next recipe won't have it. Scouts honor, I think I can say that... I was in Girl Scouts till I was 13, that's gotta mean something... right? Are you a scout?

I once adopted a dog and named her Scout, unfortunately, as my Dad says, I put the cart before the horse on that one. Things didn't quite workout and I had to take her to a no-kill shelter, it was heart breaking. But that's enough sad, let's get on with the good!

Oh on another side note, I'm typing this while watching the Pres. talk about Libya. I feel like that should take precedent, but I'm currently working on my multi-tasking. We'll see how well that goes :) Also, if I don't pay attention I don't have to "discuss" it with RJ later. He LOVES his politics.

Yesterday was unseasonably cold for NC, it was the lowest high they have a on record. Werid wording, but that's what the news said. Anywho, I didn't want to go out in the sleeting cold rain, so I decided to warm up with cupcakes. I've had this idea in my head for months so I finally chose to go with it and this is what I came up with.

I knew I wanted to make a graham cracker cupcake, as opposed to making a crust with a chocolate cake. I also wanted to use marshmallow in my frosting instead of making a meringue. Then came the chocolate... how to put that in there? Drizzle it? No. Coat the marshmallow? No. Fill the cupcake? You got it. So what we have here is a graham cupcake filled with chocolate and frosted with toasted marshmallow frosting. Oh, and a few chocolate crumbs on top.

Graham Cracker Cake:

1/2 C.   Butter
3/4 C.   Sugar
2          Eggs
1 tsp     Vanilla
3/4 C.   Milk
1 C.      Crushed Graham Crackers
1 C.      Flour
2 1/2 tsp  Baking Powder
1/2 tsp  Salt

Chocolate Filling:

1    Large Hershey Bar  (chopped)
1/3 C.   Heavy Cream

Toasted Marshmallow Frosting:

1  Bag Marshmallow
1/2  C.  Butter
3/4  C.  Crisco
1 tsp     Vanilla
3 C.    Powdered Sugar
3-4 Tbs Cream

Preheat the oven to 350 and line 14 - 16 muffin wells.

In a mixing bowl, fluff together the butter and sugar.

While that is combining, in a seperate bowl sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Then combine in your graham crackers. Make sure your crackers are fine and uniformily crumbled, pulse them in a food processor if you need to.

Add the eggs one at a time to the butter/ sugar bowl. Next add the vanilla, scraping the bowl when necassary.Alternatley add the milk and flour mixture to the butter bowl. Once combined fill wells about 2/3 or 3/4 full.  The cakes won't rise too much but if you top the well off it will bubble over. Bake for 22-25 minutes. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes in thwn pan then transfer them to a wire rack to finish.

Chocolate Filling:
Chop the chocolate bar into little pieces and put in a heat proof bowl.  Heat the cream in a sauce pan until it simmers then pour over chocolate. Mix until all the lumps are gone and set aside to rest.

While the chocolate rests, cut out a little well in the cupcake top. Just use a pairing knife and at an angle slice a shallow well in the top. Fill the wells with the chocolate and then put the cut out on top of the chocolate, so it looks like a little hat.

Toasted Marshmallow Frosting:
Pour a whole bag of marshmallows on to a tinfoil lined cookie sheet. Turn the broiler on low and place the marshmallows in the oven. You can bake them for as long as you want. I recommend toasting them golden then smooshing them and putting them back in so they get more toasty.

In a bowl, while the marshmallows are toasting, combine together the butter, crisco, 1 C.powdered sugar and vanilla. Let the marshmallows cool for a minute or two then add them to the frosting base. Immediately pour a cup of powdered sugar on the marshmallows and then beat, if you don't your beaters will be taken over by goo. Then add the rest of your powdered sugar and cream. Once combined top your cupcakes and sprinkle a few bits of chocolate over it.