Carrot Cake

This was the cake that I was supposed to have for my birthday. If you know me, you know that I am totally addicted to carrot cake, it is my favorite cake, the more carrots and nuts the better. This has been my favorite since I was a girl. Going through all of the recipes on the Internet, I made my favorite recipe from my Mom and Baby Wayne. This was the cake that we would make for parties and birthdays. When it was baking, all the memories of those parties started flooding back, my Mom and I with all the guys from the Floral Market. Since I told my daughter that I was going to make this cake and then made my Gingerbread Cake. She hadn't forgotten, and asked if I could make it when I got a chance. Since Amy's Annual Wreath Making Party was coming up, I thought this would be perfect for the party. Everyone loves Carrot cake.

 

Carrot Cake

Ingredients

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

2 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups vegetable oil

4 unbeaten eggs

3 cups grated carrots

Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease tube pan or two cake pans.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, sift these ingredients. Set aside.

In another bowl, cream oil, sugar and eggs. Add dry ingredients to the egg mixture. Add carrots. Pour batter into tube pan or two cake pans. Bake for 45 minutes in tube pan or 30 minutes in cake pans or until toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes on cooling rack. Invert cake on to plate, let cool completely before frosting. 

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

1 stick butter- softened

8 oz cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans ( optional)

Method

With a mixer or Kitchen Aid, blend butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. On low speed, add 1 cup of sugar, mix until blended, add another cup of sugar. Frost cakes. Sprinkle nuts on top of frosting.  

Moore Potato Salad- An Old Fashioned Recipe with a Twist

Summertime is full of parties and BBQ's and Pool Parties. We were invited to a neighbor's home for BBQ and I said that I would make a Potato Salad. Why did I say that? I have never ever made potato salad, I always make pasta salad or a green salad or dessert, but  potato salad, never. Lucky for me I always have potatoes on hand because my family could eat potatoes every day. Hubs is Irish, so potatoes are like a main course for him, he could have potatoes with a side of potatoes, well so could I..... This is an Old Fashioned Potato Salad with a twist. I add Kalamata Olives, which gives it a full flavor, I use green pepper which adds crunch and color. I like my Potato Salad with egg, it adds a creaminess and yummy texture. This could be a meal if you would like to add bacon, but our friend is vegan so I did not include that ingredient, but it does sound delicious.

Here is how you make Moore's Potato Salad, To make the perfect hard boiled eggs: Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10-12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add quartered potatoes and cook until tender, but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, chop into bite size pieces, I leave the skins on my potatoes, love the flavor, you can choose to peel or leave the skin on, your choice.

Chop onion put in a large bowl.

Chop green pepper, next time I make potato salad, I am going to use red and orange and yellow, what a pretty salad that would be! Add to onion in large bowl.

Chop Kalamata Olives, add to bowl.

I add 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard.

It says 1/4 cup, but I added 1 cup of Mayonnaise, I like my Potato Salad creamy.

Penzey's Spices Dried French Tarragon, add 1/4 tsp.

Chop Bread and Butter Pickles, add to bowl.

Chop 2 hard boiled eggs, add to bowl, see a pattern here?

Drain Potatoes, let cool, chop.

Try the potatoes with the skins on, I bet you will like it.

Chop up the potatoes into bite size pieces, you got it! ADD TO BOWL!! I am just checking to make sure you are paying attention and you are!! What a good student you are!

Taste, add fresh ground pepper and salt, you may not need much salt, Kalamata Olives are salty.

I added a couple tablespoons more of mayo, it was a bit dry for my liking.

Perfect Potato Salad for the BBQ!!

I couldn't wait for the BBQ, I had a bowl for lunch!

I am doubling the recipe next time, this potato salad is so delicious, why have I never made it before??

This is just as easy to make as my Pasta Salad and the great thing is you can add whatever you have in the cupboard, you can also kick it up a bit with jalapenos or banana peppers that aren't too spicy. Basil or Parsley would be a nice addition also, have fun! Happy BBQ's! Nettie

Ingredients

• 7 potatoes ( cut into quarters)
• 2 eggs- chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped Kalamata Olives  
• 1/2 cup chopped Bread and Butter Pickle Chips
• 1/4 teaspoon French Tarragon Dried
• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• Fresh Ground Pepper and Salt to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool, peel and chop.
2. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop.
3. In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, eggs, Kalamata Olives, green pepper, onion, pickles, Tarragon, mustard, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Mix together well and refrigerate until chilled.

Makes 8 Cups. This post has been linked up with these fabulous blogs! This recipe has been featured at The All Star Block Party!!

Cranberry Nut Muffins

Cranberry Nut Muffins

Merry Christmas and a very Happy Healthy Holy New Year! This is my first blog post for 2012 and I am still in the Christmas spirit! Today is still Christmas on some of your calendars and I still have my tree up! Hubs gave me a new laptop as my big Christmas gift, he is just the most thoughtful wonderful person! Now I can blog anywhere in the world! I have one of those older brains, which takes me a while to figure out these new electronics, so please bear with me.This is why I haven't blogged in weeks, but I am excited to learn and hoping it will make my life easier! This is one of my favorite recipes for the holidays or anytime. I really love the taste of cranberries, tart and crisp the way the cranberry bursts in my mouth. It has such a clean healthful taste as it lingers on, fruity-fresh. I have made this recipe before as a bread and wanted to experiment as to how they would turn out as a muffin.My kids absolutely adore muffins, I had to shoo my daughter away just to do a photo shoot, before the muffins were all gobbled up.

I use the whole cranberries, not chopped so that the muffins are bursting with cranberry flavor. Please make sure the cranberries are completely cooled so that you don't have 3rd degree burns in your mouth like me...

I love how the cranberry muffins look with Lily's Roses!

Oh great! The Barbie muffin paper got in the shot- so professional- Right??

It's Christmas by the bay and unseasonably warm, but there are no complaints here from "The L. A. Girl"! I can get used to this Maine living...last I heard at the local donut shop is that we are going to be making up for it and it will be a "Wicked Snowy Wintah!!" OH-OH.... the word wicked and wintah is really scaring me....but wait...I can bake all day if I am snowed in..yippee!!



My favorite tugs.

I love our harbor, I am so lucky that I can walk here everyday!! I have counted my blessings for 2011 and am very excited for 2012. Happy New Year to you. Love, Nettie

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup orange or clementine juice
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil

1 egg, well beaten
1 1/2 cups Fresh or Frozen Cranberries ( I use whole cranberries)
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare muffin tins by placing muffin papers inside.If you are doing a photo shoot, leave the Barbie papers for personal use.

Mix together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Stir in orange juice, orange peel, oil and egg. Mix until well blended. Stir in cranberries and nuts. Use an ice cream scooper and scoop batter into muffin papers.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Makes 18- 24 muffins, depending on size.  This recipe has been linked up with my favorite fabulous blogs!