MY FAVORITE CARROT CAKE

CARROT CAKE

I've tried many carrot cakes, and this is my favorite recipe. This is a wonderful moist cake. If you don't like pecans, feel free to leave them out."

INGREDIENTS:

3 eggs
3/4 cup canola oil, 1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups white sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 cups grated carrots
1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

FROSTING

1/2 cup butter, softened
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, applesauce, white sugar, crushed pineapple, coconut and 3 teaspoons vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir in carrots. Fold in pecans. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped pecans. Frost the cooled cake.

HAPPY LABOR DAY & ROBERT REDFORD!!!

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership – the American worker.
US Department of Labor:

Better Than Robert Redford Dessert

My friend Rita Kenow use to make this and bring to work for us to enjoy, and believe me we did....This is sooooo good!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

First Layer:
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter, melted
1/2 cup broken pecans
1 cup flour
Mix and spread in a 9x13' pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.Let cool!

Second Layer:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1/2 of a(12- or 16-ounce) container thawed whipped topping
Beat and put on top of cool crust!

Third Layer:
1 (6-ounce) box or 2 (3-ounce) boxes instant chocolate pudding
3 cups (2-percent) milk, cold.
Beat and put on second layer. Cover with other 1/2 carton cool whip. may put chooped nuts, toasted coconut or slivered chocolate candy bar on top!
Refrigerate several hours!

Picture by Christy Jordan

~*~Yummy! Yummy! Easy To Make Sweets! Just In Time For Christmas~*~

I had to surf for a fast & easy recipe, because as usual at the last minute it was "Grandma I need"!.... Sooooooo I thought maybe someone else had a "I need" situation and here are 3 easy fantastic recipes from brightideas.com....Don't forget to sign up for my giveaway which ends 12-14-08 at 10pm....The pictures and info are just below this post!!!!

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Caramel Chocolate Treasures!

"Delectable thumbprints with a little candy surprise."
ingredients and directions:
24 pieces MILKY WAY® Chocolate Covered Caramels
½ cup flour
1 ½ cups finely chopped pecans, optional
1 tube (18 oz.) refrigerated sugar cookie dough
½ cup DOVE® Brand Dark Chocolate, optional
Plastic sandwich bag, optional
Scissors, optional
Yield: Makes 24 thumbprints.
Prep Time: 15 min.
Bake Time: 12-15 min.
Decoration Time: 3-5 min.
Difficulty: Easy
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Knead the cookie dough with the flour until smooth.
3. Divide the dough into 24 pieces. Roll each piece into a 1 x 1½-inch oval. Roll in the chopped pecans to coat, if desired. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and bake until golden, about 12-15 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven, and immediately press one MILKY WAY® Chocolate Covered Caramel into the center of each cookie.
5. Microwave DOVE® Brand Dark Chocolate in a plastic bag for 10-seconds, or until melted. Snip the corner tip of the bag and drizzle the chocolate over the cookies, if desired.

Nuggets Of Joy

18 pieces MILKY WAY® Bars Milk Chocolate Covered Caramels
1 roll (18 oz.) refrigerated sugar cookie dough
¼ cup flour
¼ cup cocoa powder
1 cup ground pecans
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 non-stick cookie sheets
Yield: Makes 36 nuggets.
Prep Time: 20 min.
Bake Time: 15-17 min.
Difficulty: Easy
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut caramels in half; set aside.
2. Knead cookie dough, flour, cocoa powder, pecans and cinnamon until smooth.
3. Divide the dough into 36 pieces, each about the diameter of a quarter. Tuck a piece of candy into the center of each piece of cookie dough. Roll the dough into balls, completely covering the candy. Place the balls on a non-stick cookie sheet.
4. Bake for 15-17 minutes.

Crispy Fudge Truffles

3 cups chopped 3 MUSKETEERS® Bars
2 tablespoons milk
2 ½ cups puffed cocoa cereal
3 tablespoons finely chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans), optional
3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar, optional

1. In a heavy bottom pan, melt 3 MUSKETEERS® Bars with milk, stirring constantly until smooth. Once melted, remove from heat immediately.
2. Stir in the puffed cocoa cereal, mixing thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto parchment-lined cookie sheets, making 40 mounds.
3. Cool 5-10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
4. With buttered fingers, roll mound into 1-inch balls.
5. If desired, roll balls in chopped nuts and/or confectioner’s sugar, or simply leave them plain.

Peach Dump Cake....Easy & Ummm Good!!!

This is for Pam....She doesn't like apples and wanted something made with peaches....



PEACH DUMP CAKE:

1 box cake mix (yellow cake mix or white cake mix)
1 can of chunky yellow cling peaches, drained
1 can of crushed pineapple, drained
1 stick of butter
1 - 1 1/2 cup of crushed nuts of choice (walnuts or pecans)
1/2 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly grease (bottom only) of a cake pan (13x9).
Melt cubed butter in microwave and set aside.
Open canned peaches, drain and dump into cake pan. If desired cut peaches into smaller pieces, no need to do this prior just cut them while they are in the pan.
Sprinkle entire (dry) cake mix on top of peaches.

On top of cake mix add crushed drained pineapple
Sprinkle desired nuts on cake mix.
Pour butter evenly over nuts.
Sprinkle brown sugar over the top
Bake for 45 mins to 1 hour.
Cake will appear wet and uncooked but once cooked it is delicious, almost cobbler in nature. It is especially good served warm a la mode