The Very Best Carrot Cake Ever !

The carrots in my garden are calling to be picked before the rains make them soggy.  I have to admit that they are not my favorite vegetable.   I enjoy them raw, but I am not fond of them in any cooked fashion. I have given away much of my carrot crop  but a small package of seed seems to produce a lot of beautiful orange spears.

I seem to remember sitting at the kitchen  table as a young child with a lump of cooked carrots on my plate wondering how I was going to get away. (Dad saved me and ate the veggie that I would learn was not his favorite either.) 

My cousin shared this recipe and I fell in love with the flavors of carrot, pineapple, coconut and cream cheese.    Try this recipe and you won't go back to your standard carrot cake.

My Favorite Carrot Cake 
by Marvel Mitterholzer

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 C. oil
• 2 C. sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 1/4 C. flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp soda
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 C. shredded carrots
• 2 C. coconut
• 1 C. chopped walnuts
• 1 8 oz can of crushed pineapple

Mix moist ingredients and sugar with a spoon; mix with dry ingredients.
Bake in a 9X13 greased & fkiyred oanm fir 50 min-1hr at 350 degrees
Frosting:

• 1/2 C. soft butter
• 8 onces softened cream cheese
• 1 pound of powdered sugar ( 4 cups )
• 2 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Beat together; frost cooled cake.  Store cake in refrigerator
or freeze.    I generally make two 9X9 pans and freeze one.

Double Tomato Bruchetta

It's September and we finally have RED tomatoes!!!

It has taken many years of disappointment but I have learned patience in waiting for a ripe "red" tomato.   In the NW we don't seem to have those wonderful six weeks of tomato abundance.   We wait all summer long and when we are lucky, we have a short spurt of gleaning little red fruits on the cherry tomato plants.   There are summers that are rainy and we find nothing more than bushes  of gray mildew caked on hard green fruit.  We always finish the autumn with our plants hanging upside down in the garages hoping to pull a few more of those tasty home grown tomatoes.   

 This year I read an article about taking off some of the foliage from the plant to let the sun warm the roots.  This produced larger fruit and it even eventually turned red.   ( I know that some of you are thinking that I chose a plant that needs a long season....... no, I only choose those with the shortest number of days).

 The fruit you are seeing above weighted in this afternoon at 16.2 oz. and I have about 12 of them!!  I love the little tomato clips.   They keep the plant from dropping to the ground and the fruit from becoming too heavy for the vine.      

We traveled to the Almaphi Coast of Italy last September and the tomato flavors are unforgettable.   This Bruchetta recipe brings those flavors to my kitchen.

Double Tomato Buchetta
Ingredients

• 6 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped - I use whatever is ripe.  If they are too moist, I let them drain for awhile.
• 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil   I dry my own tomatoes.  I chopped them and added to the olive oil below and let sit for about   10 minutes before continuing.

• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, stems removed ( The fresh basil makes this fabulous - I may try with dry in winter)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 French baguette
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven on broiler setting.
2. In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.
3. Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.
4. Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese.
5. Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Purple Cabbage Salad

I always think of cabbage as a fall harvest plant.   I went out out to my garden yesterday and found that one of the heads of my cabbage was beginning to split.   I guess I will pick  them  now or share them with little animals and insects.  I washed and cut the head and decided to share half with the neighbors.   We started a communal harvest bowl of our extra produce when we first put in the garden.   We set it out by the street for the neighborhood walkers.  They are free to take some home and enjoy it while it is fresh and in season. I don't really can or freeze more than a few pints of any of the things I grow.  It is fun to have the neighborhood try the new hybrids  with us and they share what is their favorite.   They stop and tell us how they like it picked and what I should plant again next year.  They also help chase the deer and bring their grandchildren to see how the garden grows.  

I love cole slaw but it has to be very freshly made.   Cabbage can be a strong flavor when it stands very long.   Fred enjoyed this cabbage salad so much that he offered to go out to the street and return the other half of the head I thought I was going to share.  He didn't anticipate finding four of our neighbors looking over the days produce with his cabbage in their hands.

PURPLE CABBAGE SALAD

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1 med. head purple cabbage, shredded
1 med. head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 med. onion, finely chopped
1 head fresh broccoli, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen peas, thawed, but not cooked
1 lb. bacon, fried crisp & crumbled

DRESSING:

2 c. mayonnaise ( not Miracle Whip)
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Prepare vegetables and toss with dressing. Sprinkle bacon over all.

Cold Crops are Ready - Broccoli/ Cauliflower Salad

 

     Isn't this cauliflower beautiful?   What is missing?  Those little  yellow butterflies that chew on the heads and make you wash every flowerette before you can eat it.   I actually got to pick four heads of white bug free cauliflower this year.  I wish I knew the magic trick so I could share it or repeat it next year. Maybe it is because  the bugs were drawn to my pole beans.

     Our family has a wonderful raw veggie salad that shows up at graduations, reunions and summer evening meals.  I had this at my nieces and my sister Carol said she would share it.    This recipe is a keeper.

Broccoli Salad

Carol Orvick-Larson

3 cups chopped broccoli

1 cup chopped celery

¼ cup sweet onion

1/3 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup real bacon bits that you can buy in a jar

2 cups green and red grapes

1 cup raisins and/or chopped dates

          *I like to buy whole dates and cut them up.

**Chopped cauliflower and chopped carrots can be added too.

Sauce to mix into the salad as needed:

1 T. vinegar

1 c. mayo

2 T. sugar

Chopping veggies by hand is ideal, but using a food processor works well also if you keep an eye on it and don’t allow the processor to run too long.

I know you can not eat delphiniums, but they were too beautiful to sit in the camera and not share.   They were so tall in the garden that they fell over,  I stuck them in a vase and took a quick pic.  They don't seem to last long inside.

I Hate to Thin My Veggies!.. Sauteed Beet Tops

I hate to thin my garden!!   I know that in order to get a lovely large crop, you have to take the small failing plants out of the row and let the healthy plants develop big strong produce..... I still hate to do it.    I have watched over these little seeds and urged them to germinate.  It seems a shame to rip them out of the soil and cast them aside.

Thank heaven for google!!  I don't have to struggle through the garden books looking for the right section   ( Although I own far too many)  I simply type.  "Can you eat beet greens?"  I wait two seconds and the articles are right before your eyes.  Beet tops are part of the chard family!!  Yes you can eat them, and some people like them even more than the beets themselves.     I am going to try this sauteed beet recipe tonight.  Melissa who has a fine fresh food blog has assured me that I will want to start robbing the healthy plants to make this recipe.   My friend Jeff, loves pickled beets and I need to keep a few so that I can have a jar or two just for him, so I will try this first.

Sautéed Beet Greens with Garlic, Olive Oil and  Lime      ( Melissa's Freshest Ideas-Blog)

Serves: 2
Ingredients:1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large bunch beet greens
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced (about ¼ -inch thick)
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Zest of 1 lime, plus juice of ½ limes
1/8 tsp. honey
Pinch of salt
Preparation:
Rinse beet greens several times in a basin of cold water to remove any sand, and then drain on paper towels. Chop greens and stems into 1-inch slices and place into a large bowl, and then set aside.
Heat a large wok over medium-high until hot.  Add oil, beet greens and immediately start to flip over greens in the pan using tongs.  As the greens start to wilt (about 25 seconds), add garlic and toss with tongs several times— garlic should still be raw but slightly warm. Add lime juice, zest, honey, and salt. Toss with tongs several times until incorporated. Remove from pan and serve immediately.
Notes from the Author:This dish cooks very quickly – no multi-tasking while preparing this one. The finished dish should still be a bit crunchy and look vibrant.  Its flavor is best when served warm or at room temperature.

Herbs - Landscape or Salad Dressing?

 This sweet little plant is Le Creme Sage.  I thought it was far too pretty to hide in my herb garden so  it is now a landscape planting in my front yard.  I have had guests ask about this plant was and they were all surprised to find it a round compact and variegated herb.

All my herbs are ready NOW.   I have oregano  & chives that is bolting, lavender, rosemary, thyme all ready for use..... It is summer, do I really want to cook?    I am drying all these lovely spices and will save them for those savory autumn meals. 

But, I could make some summer vegetable dips.

Ranch-Style Dressing Dip Mix
Give this dip and dressing mix in decorative jars with instructions for making dip or dressing. Make a basket up with this dip, a pretty serving bowl, and fancy breadsticks, croutons, or bagel chips,

2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons dried minced garlic
3 tablespoons dried minced onion
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

Combine ingredients; blend well. Store in an airtight container. Give in decorative jars with directions below for dressing and dip. Makes 1/2 cup of mix, or 8 portions for dressing or dip.

Dressing:
In a bowl or jar combine 1 cup of mayonnaise and 1 cup buttermilk.
Add 1 tablespoon mix and blend well.

Dip:
In a small bowl blend 1 tablespoon mix with 1 cup sour cream. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Marinated Artichoke & Curry Rice Salad

Artichokes
I have a single plant, so I don't know if I will have enough  to marinate as my recipe requires.   I am trying my first plant this year and  I understand that the stalk will live for three years and then you need to replace it with a new seedling.  I was surprised to find that it is providing fruit even now.   The blossoms was very beautiful (although somewhat reminiscent of the dreadful farm weed Canadian Thistle). My dear friend reminded me that the Artichoke is a member of the thistle family so I should not be surprised.

I bring this main dish salad to almost every picnic I attend.  It doubles, triples and can be adapted to the palate of almost everyone.  It is seldom a duplicate on the pot luck table and is a good replacement for a potato or pasta salad.   I am always asked for this recipe, so I hope you enjoy.

Marinated Artichoke & Curry Rice Salad
Lark Orvick-Moore



1 cup rice cooked in 2 cups of chicken flavored broth *
Cool cooked rice before adding salad ingredients

2-3 green onions ( more or less if you like or dislike)
10 chopped stuffed green olives ( more or less if you like or dislike)
 2 small jars of marinated artichokes drained and chopped ( save marinade)

Salad dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise mixed with 1/2 teaspoon curry and thinned with artichoke marinade.
Mix with rice mixture until moist.   If your are making this the day ahead, you may want to add more dressing before it is served.    If you like curry, add more.  This is a very adaptable recipe.

* I have made this for my vegan friends by cooking the rice in vegetable broth instead of chicken.