BEST IN THE WORLD Carrot Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Seriously, this is the best carrot cake ever. I made it for my dad's birthday last weekend and we ate the whole thing! This is a giant cake, too! THREE LAYERS.

Anyways, here's the recipe. I mixed everything (except the frosting) by hand because I think it's better that way, but feel free to use a mixer.



INGREDIENTS:
2 C sugar
1 1/4 C vegetable oil
4 large eggs
2 C all purpose flour
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups finely grated carrots
1 cup crushed pineapple (drain the can first till it's one big lump of pineapple)
1 cup sweetened coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour three 8 inch pans. LINE WITH PARCHMENT PAPER. I forgot to do this and the cakes stuck like NO OTHER. I would highly suggest not forgetting this step.

In a medium bowl sift together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. If you are feeling lazy at least sift the baking powder and soda because it clumps a lot.

In a large bowl whisk together the oil, sugar and eggs until smooth. Stir in the dry ingredients in three different increments until just combined. In ANOTHER bowl, mix the carrots, pineapple, coconut and nuts. Then stir it all into the batter.

Divide it evenly between the three pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when stuck in middle.

Let cool in pan for 20 minutes. Invert on cooling rack. Let cool completely before frosting.



CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: delicious

INGREDIENTS:
8 to 16 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
8 ounces unsalted butter (at room temperature)
6-8 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS:

Whip the cream cheese and butter until combined and creamy. Add extract, cinnamon and half the powdered sugar. Mix well. Add enough powdered sugar slowly until thick enough to frost and leaves a mark when spoon is insert and then removed.



ASSEMBLY:

Frost cake evenly between all three layers, and then frost the outside. Pretty simple.

Apple Coffee Cake

Coffee Cake...Well yes, but it could be called Apple Tea Cake, or Apple Tall Glass of Milk Cake.

It is good fall comfort food, when time limits you from making a full fledge apple pie. Your kitchen will have a hmmm aroma after it's baking!

1 c. oil

2 eggs

2 c. sugar

3 c. flour (I add oatmeal or wheat germ and delete some flour)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. salt (I use 1/2 tsp.)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. soda

3 c. chopped apples

1 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Mix and bake in ungreased 8x8 pand for 45 minutes. Serves 9

Uncle John's Garlic Dressing

This is our daily salad dressing, inherited from the Burns household where they feasted on it every evening as well. The combination of good greens and the garlic in this dressing will keep you in good health, feeling grand. I would recommend a good after dinner mint in pocket for

freshening your garlic breath, with anyone you may be in contact with who did not also feast on this salad with you!

1/3 c. apple cider vinegar

2/3 c. olive oil

press garlic: 2-4 cloves

salt: sprinkle in, until it falls

pepper

Add the above ingredients to a jar. Shake it up. Use throughout the week on your favorite greens. We like to add freshly grated parmeson cheese and good croutons.

Mac and Cheese Please

Each Fall we start our craving for Macaroni and Cheese. It is that cozy up with a quilt kind of comfort food.

1/2 lb macaroni

1Tbsp. butter

1 egg beaten

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 Tbsp. hot water

3 c. grated sharp cheedar cheese

1 c. milk

1/2 c. seasoned croutons, crushed

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Boil macaroni in water until tender and drain.

3. Stir in butter and egg; mix mustard and salt with hot water and add to macaroni.

4. Add cheese, leaving enough to sprinkle on top.

5. Pour into buttered casserole dish;add milk, sprinkle with cheese and croutons. Bake about 45 minutes. serves 8