Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Spring has arrived, and so have Easter, which came early this year! What is more befitting than to make everyone's favorite Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting...and the best part is to top it off with Shredded Sweetened Coconut, and the best...of the best part of this fabulous cake is
the Candied-Spiced Walnuts
which I happened to think of at the last minute! You can certainly skip the spice, and just go with the sweet, and crunchy glaze. Once they are dry and separated, it can be easy spread on the cake for decoration and an added yumminess that I guarantee will be the first to disappear before cutting the cake!

This was our first Easter holiday without family and friends, and not a very comforting feeling to all of a sudden just have a complete change. Just like from childhood, mine and yours perhaps, we can see the changes that are happening in our lives when it comes to the holidays that are spent with our loved ones and friends, and one day...everything changes, just like it did this year! Death of a loved one, family being separated from each other, dearest friends moving away across the United States whom you've been close to and spending the last 15 years each holiday, and now...gone, perhaps forever; very sad, but total reality which we must learn to adjust to!

Best Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese frosting recipe: courtesy of Chew Out Loud

Note: the only change I made to this recipe...I used 1 cup of canola oil (instead of 1 1/2 cup)...I omitted the sour cream. My addition was the shredded coconut, and the Candied Walnuts for decoration!

We have to appreciate everything in life...the small and simple things especially, family, friends, and our health, which is not to be taken for granted! Learn to be happy with ourselves, and one-another is the key to life's simple pleasures! I don't always have the energy or passion to cook and bake at home since this is what I have been doing for decades as a professional career, but I always make an exception to do my best for family and friends if the occasion calls for it. No holiday has gone by without my contribution to a special occasion, and that will always go on as long as I can physically make it happen. It brings me joy, and contentment to see the smiles on the faces of the people I love!

As the lyric of the song goes..."I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden"...we are not promised a rose garden, but we can certainly enjoy one, especially this particular one from 2 years ago when I visited extended family in Como, Italy. Could not believe my eyes, and how much joy it gave me to enjoy this beautiful little rose garden on a tiny little balcony overlooking a spectacular tall mountain, so actually I fared better, and I was promised a 'rose garden' ...and much more than that...love and devotion from a beautiful Italian family!

This beautiful white rose was from 'the actual' rose garden of Teresa...she so lovingly takes care of them, and they in return give so much peace and beauty for all eyes to gaze upon them!

I picked these gorgeous roses from the rose garden to put them in water, to enjoy!

As another saying goes..."stop and smell the roses"...yes indeed, you should take time to stop and smell the roses, whenever, wherever you might get the chance to do so. The only ones that really matter with such a beautiful perfume fragrance of their own are the ones that are naturally growing in a garden, and when you get the chance, don't pass them by!

I feel so blessed to have this opportunity to enjoy 'life's simple pleasures'...like this gorgeous scene looking out from the back of the house...never, ever, pass up the opportunity to find beauty in nature which are the simplest gifts from nature. You will never see the most beautiful healthy and the tallest pine trees, like in northern Italy, in the Como, and Lago di Como region. I was fortunate to spend 2 weeks there and loved every minute of it. I am so happy to share this with all my blogger friends!

Thumbprint Cookies

I made these lovely jewel cookies over the Christmas holidays, and did not bother to post them until now. I certainly was so perfect, buttery, and the different fillings, other than just the plain jams made a huge difference. So light,flaky, and melt in your mouth. You just couldn't stop at one, since the different jams, including my homemade mango jam, seedless raspberry, lemon curd, and the most favorite was the Nutella filling that the kids loved the most!

Creation of the 'Thumbprint Cookies' came from the 19th century, either from Sweden, or the Jewish people of Eastern Europe. It's such a versatile, popular holiday cookie with so many variations. Of course it's self explanatory about the 'thumbprint'...in which, one will press with the thumb in the center of the cookie dough, for jam filling. The jam can be filled while baking the cookies, or after it has been baked. I make mine both ways, but I do prefer to fill the cookies after it has been baked to enjoy the filling more!

You can't deny how flaky and light these cookies are...and just look at the 'jewel like' filling ones...and oh, I forgot the I also used orange marmalade filling, as well, but the Nutella filling was every one's favorite, except the lemon curd filling. It was not my homemade lemon curd, but if you find a nice bright yellow colored lemon curd in a specialty store, or your favorite supermarket, just grab it, because it will show that it's very fresh, vibrant and true lemony flavor! Never mind the cost, which is not really cheap...it's well worth it, rather than using the 8 egg yolks, and all that butter and fresh lemon juice, plus time consuming, can be costly as well!

The best part is the sharing...pack most of them up in a plastic container, just make sure you overlap them carefully, otherwise they will smear! This is the only time I wish that I had baked them with the filling...instead fill them afterwards, but I assure you, this way it has a more intense flavor from the various jams, lemon curd, and Nutella filling...yumm!

I used the recipe from my trusted Gourmet magazine, from Dec. of 2007...which they called it Trios, because 3 cookies were joined together and baked that way, but for me it did not sound logical, just to break them apart!

THUMPRINT COOKIES...A.K.A. TRIOS

1. • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
   • 1 teaspoon salt
   • 2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened
   • 1 cup sugar
   • 1 large egg
   • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
   • About 2 tablespoons seedless raspberry jam
   • About 2 tablespoons apricot preserves
   • About 2 tablespoons strawberry preserves
2. • Equipment: a 1/2-inch-thick wooden spoon handle or dowel

PREPARATION

1. Make dough:
   1. Whisk together flour and salt. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until very pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes, then beat in egg and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches just until a dough forms. Divide dough in half and form each piece into a 6-inch disk, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, about 1 hour.
2. Assemble and bake cookies:
   1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
   2. Roll 3 separate level teaspoons of dough each into a ball, then flatten each ball slightly (to 1 inch wide and less than 1/2 inch thick). Arrange them in a triangle on baking sheet with edges touching in center, then make a deep indentation in center of each round with wooden spoon handle. Make more cookies, arranging them 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
   3. Fill indentations in each cookie with about 1/88 teaspoon jam (each cookie should have 3 different fillings), avoiding any large pieces of fruit.
   4. Bake until cookies are baked through and golden-brown on edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 5 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
   5. Bake more batches on cooled baking sheets lined with fresh parchment.

Note: This is a fail proof recipe, whether you make them separate or make the 'trios' is up to you...they will turn out perfect, each and every time! Also with the filling, before baking, or after baking, works either way!

Another amazing thumbprint cookies I will want to make, which has lemon juice, and of course Lemon Curd filling; slightly different from the recipe above!

Lemon Thumbprint Cookies, from Redbook magazine

Cranberry Muffins

Since we're on the 'cranberry' page...I just wanted to share with you another delicious cranberry recipe! Who can resist fresh Cranberry Muffins, straight from the oven, fresh and homemade. So easy to prepare so moist, and delicious! Still using up my fresh frozen cranberries which I can no longer find in any supermarkets, so you have had to 'squirrel' away your very own! A few days ago, I made stuffing with fresh cranberries pre-cooked and folded in to the stuffing. Looked a little strange reddish in color, but oh, so good with roasted chicken!

These muffins were so incredibly good, I just wish I had saved more fresh cranberries in my freezer. There's so many ways to use up fresh cranberries. I will either look for frozen ones at Whole Foods or will have to wait till November again! For some reason,

I noticed in some of the Hungarian food bloggers' posts about muffins verses cupcakes...so if you make small muffins and put frosting on it...does that become a cupcake?...or is it the same thing...muffins with frosting?...I have never heard of such a thing! It's either muffins, or cupcakes! Seems to me that cupcakes get the frosting on them, and muffins may have a yummy glaze...but never, ever frosting! ...and anyway, cupcakes are more moist and delicate, and muffins seem to be more dense. I love the large muffins, but the regular basic size work just fine!

Today, was such a beautiful, pleasant, breezy, and sunny day, here in S. Florida, and especially on the beach, now that we have our beach back after practically losing the entire beach...due to heavy rains, and winds for the last few months, the beach erosion was terrible. We got tons, and tons. of sand being brought in, and have our beach back again to enjoy. Just wondering what will happen in the next 20 or 30 years from now...are we going to be washed away by the ocean?...seems like the beach erosion is such a problem here...wonder if 'global warming has anything to do with it! I would upload some photos for you re: the beach erosion problem, but that would be another long story that I would not want to get involved with on my 'food blog' at this time... (not that I haven't done that in the past.)

Cranberry Muffins
recipe; courtesy of Ocean Spray

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

2 cups Ocean Spray® Fresh or Frozen Cranberries, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Mix sugar and butter together in a medium mixing bowl until completely blended. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt in a separate medium mixing bowl. Add this alternately with the milk to the butter mixture. Stir in nuts and cranberries. Spoon into 12 paper-lined muffin cups, filling 3/4 full with batter.

Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 12 muffins.

I  haven't promoted any of my other recipes in a long time, but I'm really fond of my Blueberry Muffins, especially with the added sour cream to it...do try these, and forget about the calories or the added fat from the sour cream. Just enjoy, and have a wonderful week! Hugs, Elisabeth

Sour Cream-Blueberry Muffins

Cranberry Pancakes

Such a beautiful Sunday morning here, in S. Florida. Windy, mostly sunny, and 74 degrees F. which actually feels like in the low 60's...always about ten or more degrees cooler on the beach! A perfect time to make pancakes from scratch, especially when you still have a couple bags of fresh cranberries that you put in your freezer from last December...better use them up, although you can keep them in the freezer for at least 1 year! I always use my 'tried and true' Mark Bittman's Basic Pancake recipe, but this time I followed the Better Homes and Gardens, which has the addition of fresh orange juice as well. A good way to start your morning, on a lazy Sunday!

I have absolutely no clue, how many points these yummy pancakes are for Weight Watchers, but I quit temporarily again...for the third time, not easy to keep up with the points. You have to be really diligent to stay with the program!

Close up, you can see the beautiful ruby red chopped fresh cranberries, nestled in the fluffy light pancakes. This is a rare treat, which is the best way to enjoy at home, and forget about Pancake House, which we only have a couple left over now, in our area. Even if you would go out for breakfast or brunch, you will not find this anywhere...so stay home, and follow this easy recipe. You can also use frozen cranberries, but fresh cranberries are totally out of season for now!

Now, are you convinced how much tastier it is to make your own homemade pancakes from scratch, and adding cranberries, blueberries, chocolate chips that my grandchildren love...but one of my all-time favorite is perfectly ripe, sliced bananas dropped right on the top of the batter, as you're making it...yumm...enjoy!

Cranberry Pancakes

• 1 1/2
  cups cranberries, coarsely chopped

• 1/4
  cup sugar

• 2
  teaspoons finely shredded orange peel

• 1 1/2
  cups all-purpose flour

• 2
  teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2
  teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2
  teaspoon salt

• 1
  egg, slightly beaten

• 1
  cup buttermilk

1. In a small mixing bowl combine cranberries, sugar, and orange peel; set aside. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another mixing bowl combine egg, buttermilk, orange juice, and margarine or butter. Add to flour mixture. Stir just until combined but still slightly lumpy. Fold in cranberry mixture.
2. Heat a lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat until a few drops of water dance across the surface. For each pancake, pour about 1/4 cup batter onto the hot griddle.
3. Cook over medium heat until pancakes are golden brown, turning to cook second sides when pancake surfaces are bubbly and edges are slightly dry (about 1 to 2 minutes per side). Serve immediately or keep warm in a loosely covered ovenproof dish in a 300 degree F oven. If desired, serve with Maple Syrup. Makes 16
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Romaine and Potato Salad with Artichoke, Tomato, and Parsley Dressing

Just back in September, around Labor day, I was so inspired to make this healthy, and beautiful salad, not realizing that I might want to use it as an inspirational post for my food blog, so I just snapped a photo of it and that was 'that'...in retrospect, now I'm sorry that I didn't take more time getting better 'shots' of this delicious and unusual salad! As the saying goes..."it is what it is, and move on", so I'm moving on, not just with my photos, but with my blog, and mostly with my life!

Nowdays we are all so concerned about eating healthy, and 'clean'...so what really is, clean eating? In my opinion, free of chemicals, antibiotics, mostly vegetarian? I'm not too sure, but I do know it is wise to be eating fresh, raw, green vegetables, fruits, all free of pesticides, and buying organic as often, as you can. It does take a little more time and effort to create healthy, meals, but so well worth it!

This particular photo...I just decided to 'pop' it into my posts to show that even when we were asked to join a simple extended family Labor Day get together, this was my contribution! A healthy and refreshing fresh vegetable tray with simple plain Light Greek Yogurt, and sprinkled with Pink-Peppercorn Lemon-Thyme spice mix, that can be used on meats, and vegetables as well. I just love it and use it in dips as well!

 
 

Romaine and Potato Salad with Artichoke, Tomato, and Parsley Dressing

recipe inspired by; Real Simple magazine

• Per Serving

  • Calories454 calories
  • Fat24 g
  • Sat Fat3 g
  • Cholesterol0 mg
  • Sodium927 mg
  • Protein12 g
  • Carbohydrate49 g
  • Sugar4 1 1/2pounds fingerling potatoes, halved1 1/2

1. 1 1/2 pound fingerling potatoes, halved
2. 1 beefsteak tomatoes chopped
3. 1 15.5-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
4. 1/3 cup chopped roasted almonds
5. 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
6.  1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
7.  2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
8.  kosher salt and black pepper
9. 4 romaine hearts, halved or quartered if large

DIRECTIONS

1. Steam the potatoes in ½ inch water until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and let cool.
2. Meanwhile, combine the tomato, artichoke hearts, almonds, parsley, oil, vinegar, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
3. Serve the dressing spooned over the lettuce and potatoes.

Thanks!

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Torta Soffice di Mele {Light Apple Cake}

Hello everyone! Just when I thought I was returning to my blog...my world have seemed to have fallen off a large cliff, and it was not so easy to climb back. Since the first week of last October of 2015, everything have seemed to change...sudden death of my beloved older sister Anna (Aniko) in Cleveland...who I have blogged about one year ago...my weird and bizarre (at home) accident, ripping my upper arm open...(due to falling over my simple little Pilates chair in the middle of the night...goes to show you that if you can't see to go to the bathroom...have a 'night light'...which I do have but did not turn on! (some of those exercise equipment do have sharp edges that can actually, certainly injure you. Got rid of it after having it next to my bed for six years!

Spending two weeks in the hospital, due to allergies to 3 different antibiotics did not help either for the wound to heal, instead...making it worst for infections. I ended up having to be hooked up to a wound vacuum machine, at the hospital, and using a smaller version of it at home...having a nurse come out every day to change bandage! So, October and November of last year was the worst 2 months of my life...I must admit honestly. December was slightly better, and I went back to my beloved home town re-visiting my family and painfully missing my dear sister Aniko who has left this world but her presence is forever there at the house, and in our hearts!

It seems like I have abandoned my blog...which actually I did, in a sense that I did not even want to peak in to see what's going on; not just with my blog, but with others' as well! I owe all of you friends, and followers a huge apology...not visiting, and commenting on your beautiful blogs. To make things worst...I have lost nearly 100 followers, not blaming them for leaving because I was a 'no show'...simple as that! Since then, my photos have show up regularly and 'thrift' blogs...yet, another 'food and thrift' blog...taking away from entering into my blog...which is totally different. I tried to change the name, but will have to really start all over, perhaps and have my own domain?! which will co-host it, not worth the hassle! Besides the familiar name I decided to chose close to the 'food' name is taken by another blogger some time ago...so I will remain with the same title that I chose close to 6 years ago, and that's ...that!

I made this Italian apple cake last September, and was going to post it, and I did not get a chance. Photos are not the best, taken with my cell phone camera, but then again...I was not anticipating to want to post about it, so I did not bother taking better pictures with my camera...and of course, cloudy and dreary day did not help either...although, the sun does peak out just about every day here in S. Florida, even if for an hour or less which is really nice! The cake is light, buttery, and so very moist and delicious!

Since the last few months, I have been quite active on Facebook, keeping up with some of my food blogger friends, and old and new friends, as well. As for family, not so active...for some reason, they don't want to associate with their own...due to 'exposure', I guess, not wanting the world to know 'who belongs to whom'?! My daughter never, ever posts anything about me, and has told me, she wants to keep her Facebook page, and friends private...knowing that her friends know who her family, i.e. (mom) is...I suppose it's better this way!

Now, I have totally gotten off the subject about the Light Apple Cake! I made this amazing cake withe the fresh apples, at my sister's house when I was there last October, and I was so thrilled that she absolutely loved it, and wrote down the recipe...but sadly she passed away one week later!

Torta Soffice Di Mele{Light Apple Cake}

2 1/2 cups flour
2/3 sugar
3 eggs
2/3 melted, unsalted butter
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
1/3 cup milk
3 apples (golden delicious or granny smith work well)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients except the apples. Mix until smooth batter is formed.

Butter and flour a 9″ spring form pan. Pour in the batter. Peal and core apples, then slice thinly and arrange in a circle pattern on top of batter. Apples may sink slightly into the batter.

Bake the cake until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Remove room oven and let cake cool slightly on wire rack. Remove the pan sides and slip the cake onto a serving plate. Serve at room temperature.

The only addition I made, I added 1 teaspoon baking soda, juice of 1 lemon as well, 1 tteaspoon cinnamon powder ( for me, cinnamon goes well with apples, and it's a must have. I also changed it to 1/2 cup of cup of milk, for softer texture!

Our last 'selfie'...together, one week later
on Oct. 7th, 2015
she collapsed and 'died'!

I made the Torta Soffice di Mele the second time a month later in Cleveland, for my sister, and I do think it turned out better than the first time. I added the sliced apples in half of the batter, and added the remaining sliced apples on the top, and also sprinkled it with a mixture of cinnamon, and sugar. The additional added ingredients made it lighter, and not like a pound cake batter, which is also good, but I prefer a light cake. Pound cake is...pound cake, but this recipe is supposed to be a (Light) version, which the title says so, therefore I had to adjust it. Not every recipe is 'true'...so you have to make it 'tried and true'

I did miss all of you dear blogger friends, and I will try my best to keep blogging, which is a good 'therapy'...and NOT to be occupied with thoughts of sadness...life has to continue, which is proper to say, and most importantly we all have families and loved ones that need us here, right now. Everything in it's earthly, and heavenly order must be decided and done to the best to our ability, and... capability. Heavenly matters are, and will be decided by a 'higher power' at the right time when it is decided by God!
Love, and Peace,
Elisabeth