when life gives you carrots....

i really like carrots

raw dipped in a bit of sea salt

honey roasted with onion dip

deep fat fried loaded into a feedbag

all good

but 

best of all?

baked in cake

 

 carrot cake

-this recipe comes from my culinary school notebook, it is not my own

(printable recipe)

4 large eggs--room temperature

6 oz vegetable oil

14 oz granulated sugar

1/2 tsp salt

9 oz flour

1 Tbs cinnamon

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

1 lb carrots--peeled and grated

2 1/2 oz walnuts-toasted and roughly chopped

whisk together sugar, salt, flour, cinnamon, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl. in a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment whisk together the eggs and oil until the eggs are thick and pale yellow (about 10 minutes).  mix in the dry ingredients, just to fully incorporate.  fold in carrots and walnuts.

split evenly into 2 prepared* 9" cake pans. bake at 325 for approximately 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean

*preparing cake pans includes spraying with pan spray and lining the bottom with parchment paper

allow to cool and split each cake round into 2 layers.  

frost with your favorite cream cheese frosting**

decorate with marzipan carrots

**i'm not opposed to sharing my cream cheese frosting recipe, but truth be told...i don't measure.  i   use 1 part unsalted butter to 2 parts cream cheese, a pinch of salt a bit of vanilla and enough powdered sugar to reach your desired sweetness. 

2012 begins...{honey roasted carrots}

Happy New Year!
a well worn phrase

with

genuine intent

i find

when spoken

it is always with a positive lilt

and rarely 

a

tone of indifference

or

sarcasm

no gifts to buy

no religious or political schism

just

the turn of the calendar

giving us all 

a chance

to

review

renew

resolve

for 2011

my goals were

i will not judge in disappointment, 

as i am confident

i too fall short of expectations 

others place on me

-

rather than toss the years of the past i will carry them forward

both as

fond memories and retrospective caution

and 

i will eat more fruit

for 2012

i have chosen a theme

...dust yourself off...

simply

bootstrap mechanics

get up

wipe off the dust

and give it another go

oh

and eat more vegetables

like these

 
  

honey roasted carrots

2 dozen small carrots-washed, peeled and trimmed

2 Tbs honey

1 Tbs white balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp toasted whole cumin seeds

warm the honey and vinegar to thin.  toss the carrots in the mixture and place on a lined sheet pan.  sprinkle with cumin seeds.  place in a 350 oven and cook until soft and caramelized, about 30-35 minutes.

i also like to serve these, with some tooth to them, as a crudite with dip.  you only need to cook them until they are softened but not colored--about 25 minutes. they are delicious with a simple tahini/soy sauce dip.

linking up to
full plate thursday