Whole Wheat Carrot Cake by Steph

2 cups sugar or 1-1/3 honey
4 eggs
1-1/4 oil
2 cups carrots
1#2 can crushed pinapple, drained
1tsp vanilla
2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 cup nuts
1cup raisins (I never put raisins)
combine sugar(or honey), eggs and oil in large bowl. Blend. Add Shredded carrots, crushed pineapple and vanilla, blend again. Blend in whole wheat flour, soda and salt. Add nuts and raisins. Pour batter into dreased 9X13 pan bakde for 40-50 minutes or until cakes springs back to the touch. bake 350 degrees.

cream cheese icing recipe
3 oz. cream cheese
1tsp vanilla
1/2 cup margarine(margarine is poison.... use something else maybe butter)
1 pound powder sugar
blend cream cheese and margarine together in bowl. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and blend with mixer.


Posted by Steph

Christmas Cooking by Stace

Food is the reason for this blog -- making memories with family and friends around a shared, joyful experience. I am excited that holiday baking time is finally here. I love this time of year the most because of the warm, settled, happy feeling I get when cooking and baking with family. There is nothing like steaming up the kitchen with loved ones when it is cold and gray outside. Our family tends to slow things down a lot this time of year-- we have more patience for little fingers in ingredients, and we just enjoy each others company without the stress of deadlines, homework, sports etc.

I was going to scale way back this year (due to new baby and no sleep), but I would miss out on the fun of cooking with family -- so we have scaled back a little. We have settled on the following menu for Christmas Eve and Christmas:

Tonight -- Potato soup with homemade bread (my family cannot get enough of this simple bread recipe -- we eat it fresh from the oven with some fancy salted butter, and it is gone in minutes!). We usually have a seafood gumbo for Christmas Eve dinner, but we had that for Thanksgiving this year (thanks to Pa Pa Skipper), so we wanted something different.

Christmas Eve goodies: - we are making this orange chocolate chunk cake (I am so excited about this-- I love orange and chocolate combinations). We are making Christmas cookies (our tradition Boddhi loves to make these -- we have made them the past 3 years-- usually deliver some to meals on wheels recipients but not this year). We are also making peanut butter balls (not our traditional family recipe because I don't want to use paraffin wax -- but this one is very similar -- just a different chocolate coating).

Christmas brunch - We are having a simple breakfast of chocolate chip scones (recipe from The Art of Simple Food), bacon and eggs (I might do a frittata if I am up to it -- saw one with apple, bacon and cheddar that looks delicious).

Christmas dinner - We are making pan fried pork chops (similar to our fried chicken recipe), mashed potatoes, yeast rolls, and cabbage.

That is it I think. What are you guys making? Mom, Steph and Bob -- feel free to edit this post and add what you are making for the Holiday.

Will be thinking about you all (family on both sides) since we cannot be together this holiday. We love you and miss you.

Enjoy your Christmas in the kitchen with loved ones.

Posted by Stace