I wanted to make a carrot cake for my dad’s birthday. He is here with us right now. So I called my mother in law up, and asked her to send me some recipes. She sent me 2 and I just picked one. I personally HATE carrot cake. Never eat it. Do not like it…you get the point! But since it is his birthday I had to have a piece. If you like to try new things, YOU have to try this out. IT WAS SO GOOD! SO very good, that I kept eating it! It was so moist! So I guess I like “this” carrot cake! Enjoy!

From 2010-05-28

MIX ALL THESE TOGETHER:
1/2 cup oil, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 tsp cloves, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 cup grated raw carrots, 1/2 cup crushed pineapple, 1 1/2 cups flour.
****if it seems too dry, just keep on mixing until it gets moist or you can add about a tablespoon more of crushed pineapple.

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.
This can be used for a 8 x 8 pan or 2 dozen muffins. ( I USED A CIRCLE PAN) I bet these would be great for breakfast. You could even add walnuts, or maybe raisins or coconut, if you wanted to get adventurous!

And it would not be complete unless you put Cream Cheese Frosting on it!
Cream cheese icing:

4 oz Philadelphia cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups icing sugar. Beat together. When cake is cool, spread frosting on top of cake. Keep refrigerated after it is frosted.

Categories: My Kitchen, My Thoughts | No Comments »

So I was looking for a good recipe of Biscuits. I have tried several others and they just do not turn out very good. So, I stumbled across Paula Deen’s recipe for Buttermilk Biscuits and made them. OH MAN! They were SOOO good. I used a cast iron skillet to bake mine. For reference, I also baked a few on a cookie sheet, and they did not turn out as good. So I highly recommend using the cast iron skillet. If you don’t have one, you can get one at Wal-Mart for like 12 bucks. I wish I had taken pictures, but I did not. Anyways, try these out! So yummo!

Ingredients

* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* Pinch of cayenne pepper
* 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
* 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
* 1/4 cup butter, melted and divided
Steps

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cayenne pepper. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender or two forks until crumbly. Gradually add milk, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Dough should be sticky. Do not overwork dough.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness with a floured rolling pin. Cut 12 biscuits with a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter. Place biscuits in a cast iron skillet or hoecake pan that has been sprayed with a non-stick spray and brush tops with half of melted butter. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until lightly browned. Brush with remaining melted butter before serving.

* Sausage Gravy:
* 1 pound Paula Deen Breakfast Sausage by Smithfield (either hot or mild)
* 3/4 cup flour
* 4 1/2 cups milk
* 1 tablespoon Louisiana Style hot sauce
* 1/2 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
* Salt to taste
* 2 tablespoons butter

While biscuits are baking, start gravy. In in large saute pan or cast iron skillet, cook sausage over medium-high heat until browned and crumbly. Reduce heat to medium and add flour to sausage; mix thoroughly. Cook until flour browns, about 4 minutes stirring constantly. Add milk slowly and increase heat to medium-high. Continue to stir. Add hot sauce, pepper and salt. As the gravy comes to a boil, it will thicken. If too thick, add additional milk. After boiling, reduce heat to a simmer and add butter.

To serve place two of the buttermilk biscuits on each plate and top with sausage gravy and garnish with freshly cracked pepper.

Categories: My Kitchen, My Thoughts | No Comments »