Old Fashioned Carrot Cake

Here is an old recipe from believe it or not...The 70's ..That needs to come back!

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup canola oil
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 to 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
•  2 cups grated carrots

FROSTING-

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 to 3 tablespoons 2% milk
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, optional
• Orange and green food coloring, optional

DIRECTIONS- 

• In a large bowl, combine the eggs, sugar and oil. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt and nutmeg; beat into egg mixture. Stir in carrots.
• Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• For frosting, in another large bowl, cream butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Add enough milk to achieve desired spreading consistency. Reserve 1/2 cup frosting for decorating if desired. If desired, stir walnuts into remaining frosting.
• Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. If decorating the cake, tint 1/4 cup reserved frosting orange and 1/4 cup green. Cut a small hole in the corner of pastry or plastic bag; insert #7 round pastry tip. Fill the bag with orange frosting. Pipe twelve carrots on top of cake, so each slice will have a carrot. Using #67 leaf pastry tip and the green frosting, pipe a leaf at the top of each carrot.
• Store cake in the refrigerator.

And there it is.....(Wait until after this heatwave to bake this...)Enjoy! Eat well my friends!

Berry Pie Tarts

Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy guys and gals..If you've ever wanted to eat pie like a cookie, these pie bar cookies are for you. The bright berry filling and buttery, flaky crust make them totally irresistible.

INGREDIENTS: 

Butter or nonstick vegetable oil spray (for pan)

1 batch Our Favorite Pie Dough, divided into 2 discs,

chilled All-purpose flour (for rolling)

3 cups mixed berries, preferably a mix of blueberries and hulled, quartered strawberries

1 cup blueberry preserves

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1 large egg (optional)

2 teaspoons milk (optional)

1 teaspoon coarse sugar (optional)

Special Equipment 

An 8x8x2" baking pan (preferably metal)


DIRECTIONS:

Butter baking pan and line with parchment, leaving a 1" overhang on both long sides. Roll out 1 disc of dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 13" square. Roll dough loosely around rolling pin, then unfurl into baking pan. Gently lift and settle dough into bottom and up sides of pan. Trim any excess dough that extends past top lip of pan. Chill.

Roll out second disc to a 13" square. Transfer to parchment or a large cutting board. Using a ruler or straight edge, cut dough into 10 (1"-wide) strips for lattice, or use a round cookie cutter or glass to cut into circles. Chill both crusts while you prepare the filling.

Place racks in center and bottom of oven; preheat to 425°F. Place a rimmed baking sheet on bottom rack to preheat.

Bring berries, preserves, cornstarch, lemon juice, and salt to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently to avoid scorching, until berries are broken down and mixture has thickened, about 7 minutes. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl and chill 15 minutes.

 Pour cooled berry mixture evenly over bottom crust. Arrange strips in a lattice pattern or overlap circles on top. Fold excess dough from top lip of pan down over itself to create a border. Crimp slightly, if desired. Chill 15 minutes. Beat egg and milk in a small bowl, if using.

Brush top crust with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar, if using. Transfer baking pan to preheated baking sheet. Bake bar until crust begins to turn golden, about 25 minutes. Rotate sheet, move to center rack, and reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Continue baking, covering loosely with foil if crust gets too dark, until crust is golden brown and thickened juices are bubbling, 30–35 minutes more. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Lift bar out of pan using parchment overhang and cut into 16 squares.

Do Ahead

Bars can be made 3 days ahead; Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

ENJOY!  Eat well my friends!

Banana Walnut Bread

Hey Folks...Here is an easy to fix Banana -Walnut Bread recipe that is actually good for you....You know how most things you love aren't...Well this is the exception...This is healthy, nourishing, and incredibly indulgent. Quick-cooking oats, tangy buttermilk, brown sugar, a double nutty dose of chopped walnuts and walnut oil, and course—bananas—take this moist banana bread to a whole new level.Check it out.

INGREDIENTS:

¾ cup	Organic Coconut Flour
¼ teaspoon	Baking Soda
6	Eggs
¼ cup	Coconut Oil
1 teaspoon	Vanilla Extract
½ teaspoon	Almond Extract
2	bananas ripe
¼ teaspoon	ground Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon	Nutmeg
1 cup	Chopped Walnuts
½ cup	Almond Flour
2 tablespoons	Coconut Oil
2 tablespoons	Honey
1 tablespoon	ground Cinnamon
½ cup	Chopped Walnuts (chopped)

DIRECTIONS:

Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl, set aside. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup with a spout, set aside. Lightly brush a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan with butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric hand-held mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the butter while mixing until incorporated. Add the bananas (the mixture will appear to be curdled, so don't worry), and remove the bowl from the mixer.

With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the nuts and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn the bread out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack. Wrap in plastic wrap. The banana bread is best if served the next day.

Don't Sweat The Technique- 

 Banana bread is easy to make-just a few simple steps-and irresistible to eat. I recommend making a few extra loaves, wrapping in plastic, and freezing. Thaw at room temperature for an hour and you'll have fresh banana bread ready to go by the time everyone wakes up. Freezing individual slices works well too.

Enjoy!  Eat Well My Friends!

Apple Cabbage Salad

It's in the middle of Summer...It's hot...Sooooo maybe you don't feel like turning on that oven....

How about something light like a salad...But you don't want the traditional salad...

This one is for you!


INGREDIENTS:

1. 1/2 head Savoy cabbage
2. 1/2 head red cabbage
3. 1 Fuji apple
4. 1/4 red onion
5. 1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
6. 1/2 cup golden raisins

For The Dressing-

1. 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2. 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3. 1/3 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
4. 2 teaspoons agave nectar
5. 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
6. 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

 DIRECTIONS:

1. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, thinly slice the cabbage, apple, and red onion to resemble extremely fine confetti; transfer to a large bowl.
2. Add the walnuts and raisins. Toss gently to combine.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing.
4. Top the salad with the dressing. Using salad tongs, mix until evenly dressed.

There you have it...Enjoy ! Eat Well My Friends!

Yakisoba Noodles

I was introduced to this dish when I was a cook in the U.S. Air Force...Stationed in Japan, Okinawa, to be exact...

I've loved it ever since...I don't know if this is a Japanese dish or not...(I was in a Restaurant run by Americans..Ex-Servicemen who specialized in "Pan Asian "Cusine..I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.)

It is Japanese...If you’ve never had stir-fried Japanese yakisoba noodles before, I urge you to invite them into your work week rotation. They are fast, highly-adaptable, and couldn’t love summer’s bounty any more. In Candice Kumai’s Kintsugi Wellness, the cookbook author and wellness writer shares her nostalgic recipe for Light Yakisoba Noodles.

Here, I used a mixture of shiitake mushroom, kale, onion, and garlic to befriend the fresh yakisoba noodles, but you could easily swap in any number of vegetables to suit your taste (cabbage, carrot, scallions, and bean sprouts are traditionally used), as well as adding in some cut-up chicken, pork, shrimp, or tofu if you fancy a protein.
This easy-to-make (and easier-to-love!) yakisoba hits all the right notes, and scales up readily for a larger group. Throw it together on any given busy weeknight, with plenty of time to let you sit back and soak up the last of the evening's pinky orange-hued suns.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps
• 3 cups fresh yakisoba noodles (look for these at the Japanese market)
• 2 cups finely chopped kale
• 1 1/2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
• Light yakisoba sauce
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (or try sriracha)
• 1/4 cup vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup purified water

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a medium sauté pan warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes more, stirring well.
2. Add all the ingredients for the light yakisoba sauce to the pan and stir. Add the fresh yakisoba noodles and sauté for a few minutes, tossing to coat all the noodles with the sauce, and cook until the water evaporates.
3. Add the chopped kale and toss to slightly wilt and coat with the sauce. Divide the noodles among individual serving bowls and top with 1⁄2 teaspoon of sesame seeds per bowl. 

There you have it....Enjoy...Eat and Drink Well My friends... Special thanks to Candice Kumai  for this great recipe!