Apple-Pecan Carrot Cake

Top a showstopping crown of Mascarpone Frosting with swirls of Apple Cider Caramel Sauce and a scattering of salty-sweet Spiced Pecans (minus the ground red pepper). Caramel sauce, rather than frosting, sandwiches together the moist cake layers.

Yield:

Makes 10 servings

Total time: 3 Hours, 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

2 1/3 cups finely chopped lightly toasted pecans, divided

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons apple pie spice

1/2 teaspoon table salt

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup vegetable oil

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups peeled and grated Granny Smith apples

1 1/2 cups grated carrots

2/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp. Apple Cider Caramel Sauce

Mascarpone Frosting
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Sprinkle 1 1/3 cups toasted pecans into 2 well-buttered shiny 9-inch round cake pans; shake to coat bottom and sides of pans.
2. Stir together flour and next 3 ingredients.
3. Stir together eggs and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl until blended. Add flour mixture, stirring just until blended. Fold in apples, carrots, and remaining 1 cup pecans. Pour batter into prepared pans.
4. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
5. Place 1 cake layer, pecan side down, on a serving plate. Spread top of cake layer with 2/3 cup Apple Cider Caramel Sauce; top with remaining cake layer, pecan side down. Spread Mascarpone Frosting over top of cake. Drizzle 2 Tbsp. Apple Cider Caramel Sauce over frosting, and swirl sauce into frosting. Serve immediately.

Source:  southernliving.com/recipes

Chili-Roasted Carrots

Roasted with chili powder and cumin then tossed with cilantro and lime juice, these carrots are bursting with zesty flavor. Serve them with simple roast chicken or pork.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 pounds carrots (10-12 medium), cut into 1/4-inch diagonal slices
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons lime juice

 
Directions:

1. Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 450ºF.
2. Combine oil, chili powder, cumin and salt in a medium bowl. Add carrots and toss well to coat. Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the carrots, stirring once, until tender and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Toss the carrots with cilantro and lime juice. Serve immediately. 

Source: eatingwell.com

Crunchy Slaw

This crunchy slaw is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Sweet, salty & crunchy~this is one of the best slaws you’ll ever eat!

Ingredients:

• For Slaw:
• 2 bags cabbage slaw (not angel hair--it doesn't hold up well)
• 1-2 packages ramen noodles (broken into small pieces--flavor packets discarded)
• 1-2 bunches green onions, thinly sliced
• ½-1 package Craisins
• 1-2 packages honey roasted almonds (or these fabulous homemade sugar glazed nuts)
• handful of slivered almonds, lightly toasted
• 1 package broccoli slaw (optional)
• sunflower seeds (optional)
• For Dressing:
• 1 cup canola oil (can mix with some EVOO if desired)
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 TB soy sauce
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slaw:
2. Layer all slaw ingredients in a bowl.
3. Add dressing, small amounts at a time, and toss well.
4. Dressing:
5. Add all dressing ingredients.
6. Shake well or blend for 30 seconds in a blender or Vita-Mix.
7. Keeps a week in the fridge.

Source:  familysavvy.com

Whiskey Glazed Carrots

Ingredients:

1 stick Butter, Divided
2-3 pounds Carrots, Peeled And Cut Into Thick Circles
½ cups Jack Daniels Or Other Whiskey
¾ cups (to 1 Cup) Brown Sugar
½ teaspoons (to 1 Teaspoon) Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over high heat.

Add carrots in two batches, cooking for 60-90 seconds each batch.

Remove from skillet.

Pour in whiskey and allow to evaporate 30 seconds.

Reduce heat to medium, and add remaining butter.

When butter melts, sprinkle brown sugar over the top.

Stir together, then add carrots to skillet.

Cover, and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

Remove lid and add salt and pepper.

Continue cooking until carrots are done and glaze is thick, about 5 more minutes.

Pour onto a platter and serve immediately.

Sprinkle with chopped chives if desired.

Source: texasrecipes

Chicken Pad Thai

Air-chilled chicken has less moisture than chicken conventionally cooled in water during processing. Though more expensive by weight, air-chilled chicken shrinks less during cooking and has superior flavor and texture.

Ingredients:

1/2 pkg (14 oz/400 g) wide rice stick noodles
2/3 cup (150 mL) chicken stock
1/2 cup (125 mL) ketchup
1/4 cup (50 mL) fish sauce
2 tbsp (25 mL) granulated sugar
2 tbsp (25 mL) cornstarch
1 tsp (5 mL) grated lime rind
2 tbsp (25 mL) lime juice
1 tsp (5 mL) hot pepper sauce
4 tsp (18 mL) vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 lb (454 gr) boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced
4 carrots, thinly sliced
1 sweet red pepper, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) minced ginger root
2 cups (500 mL) bean sprouts
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped unsalted peanuts

Directions:

In large bowl, soak noodles in warm water for 20 minutes; drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, in small bowl, whisk together stock, ketchup, fish sauce, sugar, cornstarch, lime rind and juice and hot pepper sauce; set aside.
In wok or large skillet, heat 2 tsp (10 mL) of the oil over medium heat; cook eggs, stirring often, for 2 minutes or until scrambled and set. Transfer to plate.
Wipe out wok; add remaining oil. Brown chicken, in batches, over medium-high heat. Transfer to separate plate.
Add carrots, red pepper, garlic and ginger to pan; cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes or until slightly tender. Add noodles; stir gently for 1 minute.
Return chicken to pan. Stir sauce and pour into pan; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until thickened, noodles are tender and chicken is no longer pink inside.
Return egg mixture to wok along with bean sprouts; toss gently for 1 minute or until heated through. Serve sprinkled with green onions and peanuts.

Servings: 4

Source:  cbc.ca/bestrecipes

Flour-less Mini Carrot Cakes

Ingredients:

4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp. white sugar
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup almond meal/flour (or substitute hazelnut flour)
1 1/4 cups finely shredded carrots

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, then arrange the 8 English Muffin rings on top and coat them all with cooking spray.  Or, prepare 4-inch custard dishes in the same way.

Separate 3 of the eggs, placing the egg whites and yolks in separate bowls.  Add the last (whole) egg to the egg yolks.  Using an electric mixer, beat them together.  Add the 1/2 cup sugar and continue beating.  Add the lemon juice and zest, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and vanilla.  Finally, beat in the almond flour and carrots.

Now rinse off your mixing paddles, and then beat the 3 egg whites and 1 tbsp. sugar together until stiff peaks form (about 2 - 4 minutes).  Gently fold the egg whites into the carrot-almond mixture.  Spoon equal amounts gently into each of the English Muffin Rings or custard dishes.

Bake at 350 F for about 30 minutes, or just until set.  The tops should be slightly browned and should spring back when you push on them lightly, and a toothpick inserted into the middle should come out clean.  Remove from oven and let sit on the cookie sheet for about 5 minutes, then slide the parchment paper off of the hot tray and onto the counter to cool the rest of the way.  Let cool for a full 45 minutes to an hour before serving.

Top with a light vanilla glaze or sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon to serve.  (Check to make sure that the ingredients you use for that are kosher if you want it to be a Passover dessert, though!)  Keep these in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Simple Vanilla Glaze

2 tbsp. Tofutti Vegan Cream Cheese
1/4 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 - 2 tsp. vanilla
Dash of cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together very well until there are no clumps.  Drizzle or spread over the mini-cakes in a thin layer. Sprinkle some cinnamon over the top for a nice visual.

Makes 8 mini cakes (can easily be doubled according to recipe in link above)