This really is the best carrot cake recipe ever! The buttermilk glaze makes all the difference - do not skip that part!

CARROT CAKE

Ingredients
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated carrots (about 3 large carrots)
• 1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
• 1 (3 1/2-ounce) can sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Directions
1. Stir together first 4 ingredients.

2. Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrots and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into a greased and floured 13- x 9-inch pan.

3. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes; cover pan loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning, and bake 13 more minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over cake; cool completely in pan. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting evenly over cake.

Yield: Makes 10 to 12 servings


BUTTERMILK GLAZE

Ingredients
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Bring sugar, baking soda, butter, buttermilk, and corn syrup to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes or until mixture is golden brown. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla extract.

Yield: Makes 1 1/2 cups


CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Ingredients
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions
1. Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.

2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract; beat at high speed 10 seconds or until smooth.

Yield: Makes 4 cups

I'm almost always too lazy to make this myself, but when I visit my family and my mom asks what I'd like for dinner, my usual answer is....

Mexican Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 to 1.5 lbs. of ground beef
  
• 1 medium onion
  
• 1 package of taco seasoning
  
• 16 oz. of tomato sauce
  
• 1 cup of cottage cheese
  
• 1 cup of sour cream
  
• 4 oz. can of diced chilies (look near the Old El Paso taco stuff)
  
• 8 oz. of cheddar cheese
  
• 10 oz. of tortilla chips
  

Directions

Brown 1 to 1.5 lbs. of ground beef, crumbled up. As it's browning, add a medium onion, chopped up. When the hamburger is all browned, don't drain off all the oil/fat; it should be slightly greasy. Add 1 pkg. taco seasoning and a 16 oz. can of tomato sauce, and mix it all together.

Meanwhile, mix together 1 cup cottage cheese, 1 cup sour cream, and one 4-oz can of diced chilies. Also have on hand 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese and 10 oz. tortilla chips.

In a greased (or oiled) casserole dish, layer ingredients: 1/3 bag tortilla chips, crushed up; 1/2 hamburger mixture; 1/2 shredded cheese; 1/2 cottage cheese mixture. Repeat layers and end with remaining crushed tortilla chips. Bake at 350 for about 35-40 minutes.

ginger biscuits

makes 2 trays

350 g plain flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tblsp ground ginger
1 tblsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
125 g butter
175 g soft light brown sugar
2 tblsp golden syrup
1 medium sized egg

375 f / 190 / gas 5

* sift flour ,bicarbonate of soda and spices in to a large bowl
rub in mixture until it resembles bread crumbs
stir in sugar

* warm syrup in a bowl over hot water
beat the egg in to syrup allow it to cool slightly then add it to the flour mixture
Stir then knead until smooth

* roll it out then put it in the fridge for 15 mins

* cut out shapes

* bake for 6 - 8 mins

my mum made these every christmas

Gyoza!

These are extremely easy to make by hand. They are cheap and freeze beautifully. Just lay them all out on plates or cookie sheets and freeze them individually. Once they are all frozen, pop them into plastic bags, tupperware, etc. This recipe will make about 60 gyoza, which is tons and tons. I make to freeze, baby! The skins also freeze well, so that is always an option if you have extra skins left over.

It's a very open ended recipe and impossible to screw up. Add however much you want of each ingredient. I can make about 60 of these in half an hour; it's a GREAT dish to have on hand, as they are simple to cook and filling when you don't have much time. People are also very easily impressed by these.

1 or 2 packages gyoza wraps, depending on how many gyoza you want to make. I like the Azumaya ones best! Wonton wraps will work, too
1 package ground lean pork or beef
1 package extra firm tofu (optional) Again, I like Azumaya the best
1 head Napa cabbage (use as much or as little as you want)
1 bunch green onions
1 egg
fresh ginger
garlic
sesame oil

You can chop everything up by hand or by Cuisinart. Make sure not to chop it too fine (esp. in the Cuisinart) or the mixture will become too soggy and they will fall apart when you're frying the little guys up.

If you'd like to make the gyoza more nutritous and spread the filling a bit more, use a block of tofu and tons more Napa cabbage. If I want to make 120, I'll use ground pork, tofu, and half a head of cabbage.

Cook the tofu in boiling water. Drain, rinse, and mash the tofu up. Add in everything else; the chopped cabbage, chopped green onions. Season with the grated ginger, crushed garlic, and sesame oil. Add the egg in last to make the mixture stick together. If you think it needs another egg, go for it!

Put a tablespoon in the center of each gyoza wrap, wet your finger, and run it around the edge of the wrap. Seal shut. Do this for each wrap, or until you run out of the filling. Freeze or use immediately.

To cook; heat oil in a pan over low/medium heat. Drop desired number of gyoza in the pan. Cover with a lid to avoid splattering. You can also add water to steam the gyoza instead of frying them. Turn them when ready; they should be brown and crisp. Don't turn them prematurely or the skin will stick to the pan. Serve with soy sauce and rice vinegar, mixed in a dish. It's best when served alongside rice!

Sorry, I'm totally shit at writing directions.

Corned Beef & Noodles Casserole

3/4 bag Wide Egg Noodles (cooked according to package directions)
2 cans cream of whatever floats your boat
2 slices american cheese - broken up
1 can Hormel corned beef
Enough milk to make it a little sloppy

combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl
Cook @ 375 for about 40-45 minutes




EDIT AMOUNT OF NOODLES
[Edited 10/29/05 15:27pm]

EskomoKisses said:

RipHer2Shreds said:

I think it's Hormel it's usually in the same aisle as the skettiOs 'n such up on the top shelf.

It's one of my grandma's recipes...and something my hubby will actually eat he's picky!

I remember when Shanna started this..

I still have those recipes....

EskomoKisses said:

I can't wait. I'm going to make it tonight!

sag10 said:

wtf?! I was never in on that!

2the9s said:

My step-dad is 100% Swede and his family's recipe is faboulous, but it takes FOREVER to make...so it's more of a once a year @ the family reunion kinda thing unfortunately.

EskomoKisses said:

It's a little fussy, but I'm pretty slapdash!

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2/3 C. butter or margarine, softened
2/3 C. brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ C. old-fashion oats
1 ½ C. Flour
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 6oz package Craisins
2/3 C. white chocolate chunks or Chips

Preheat oven to 375

Using an electric mixer, beat butter, and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, soda, and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in craisins and white chocolate chunks. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes approx. 2 ½ dozen cookies



More recipes people!!

Nothinbutjoy said:

WTG. Im so proud of u!

Delicious tossed salad:






Add oil and vinegar if you'd like.

littlemissG said:

aww, but look how CUTE Herman is

I just wanted to note here that I changed the amount of noodles in the Corned Beef and Noodles recipe...

Also, you can use tuna instead of the corned beef, and add frozen peas to that

EskomoKisses said:

Isn't he though?

In a small bowl, combine the following ingredients:

Cap'n Crunch - fill to top of bowl
Milk *(can be substituted with soy milk) - add to desired level

Serve with a spoon. Makes enough for 1 (one) person.

TMPletz said:

My hubby would disagree with the "small bowl" part

EskomoKisses said:

Well, as opposed to a large mixing bowl....

EskomoKisses said:

PURRRR

TMPletz said:

which is called the cereal bowl in our house

HamsterHuey said:

EskomoKisses said:

In that case, I'd modify it to state "Empty contents of newly opened box into a large mixing bowl."

TMPletz said:

My "Gooey Gets Happy"-recipe'yoghurt with hunny and muesli...

Wow....

It fills you up, it is healthy and tasted goooood!

EskomoKisses said:

I used to use a sauce pan when I was a kid.