Carrot Cake...

2 cups Flour
2 cups Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
3 cups Carrots (finely shredded)
1 cup Oil
4 Eggs

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add carrots, oil, and eggs. Beat until well combined. Pour batter into prepared baking pans. I usually use 2 round cake pans. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Frost when completely cooled. We like cream cheese frosting.

Cream cheese frostng: 1 stick butter, 1 stick cream cheese, 2 tsp vanilla, 4-5 cups powedered sugar... depending on how you like your frosting consistency.

Orange Chicken

Here is a SUPER easy and delicious Orange Chicken recipe! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 lbs of Chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces

1/2 cup Cornstarch

1/4 cup Flour

2 Eggs

1 cup Oil

1 tsp minced Garlic

1 tbsp ground Ginger

Salt & Pepper

The Sauce

Mix these together in a bowl:

1 1/2 tbsp Soy sauce

1 1/2 tbsp Water

5 tbsp Sugar

4 tbsp vinegar

Zest of 1 Orange

The Chicken

In one bowl mix Cornstarch and Flour. In another bowl mix Eggs with some Salt and Pepper. On the stove heat one cup of oil on the skillet. Dip the Chicken pieces into the dry mixture, and then into the Egg mixture, then drop them onto the skillet. Fry until crispy. Remove cooked Chicken from skillet onto a paper towel lined plate. Put Ginger and Garlic into the skillet and fry for one minute. Then add the sauce and bring to a boil. Mix in the Chicken, then serve over Rice! YUM!

Red Skinned Mashed Potatoes

Looking for a twist on tradition? Want to add something a little different to your Thanksgiving dinner menu? Give this a try, it's a YUMMY family favorite!

6 large red skin potatoes
1 stick butter or margarine
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. sour cream
6 green onions, chopped (optional)
Shredded cheese (pick your favorite and add to taste.)
Salt and pepper to taste

Wash potatoes thoroughly.
Chop potatoes into medium sized slices, LEAVE the peels on!
Boil for about a half-hour (or until soft.)
Drain off all the water.
Add butter, milk, sour cream, green onions, and cheese.
Whip together well.
Season to taste.
Serve with some shredded cheese sprinkled on top and enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Dessert

The family I grew up in is slightly obsessed with pumpkin pie. We often requested round pieces of pumpkin pie...meaning the whole pie. And it wouldn't be unheard of someone eating their own pumpkin pie by them self or having leftover pie for breakfast, after all it is healthy with pumpkin!! Unfortunately my husband and girls don't like pumpkin pie...so crazy. They do however enjoy this pumpkin pie dessert, so I will probably make this for Thanksgiving and save the pumpkin pie for Christmas time when my sister is here to help me eat it! Hope you give it a try sometime and enjoy it too!

Pumpkin Pie Dessert

Crust:
1 Package yellow cake mix, keep one cup out and set to the side
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg
Grease the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Combine cake mix, butter and egg. Press evenly into pan.

Filling:
3 cups (1 lb. 14 oz. can) Pumpkin Pie Mix (I'm a Libby's fan)
2 eggs
2/3 cup Evaporated Milk (or you could use regular milk)
Combine ingredients with beater until smooth. Pour over crust

Topping:
1 cup reserved cake mix
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup cold butter
Cut all ingredients together with a pastry cutter until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes, until sharp knife inserted near center comes out nearly clean. Cool. Serve warm or cook with whipped cream, ice cream, or plain! Enjoy!

This also makes a great morning after Thanksgiving (or any day) breakfast!!

Yummy!

Okay...last night we tried the black bean salsa chicken that Guinevere posted awhile ago. It is under the crock pot section on the right. It was REALLY good and soooo easy! We used pinto beans instead of black beans and I added extra cheese to the top as we served it. One of my girls used chips to scoop up the dinner instead of eating it with rice!! I say try it...I think it was totally worth it!

Sweet Potato Casserole

1 ½ cups mashed sweet potatoes

½ cup sugar

4 Tablespoons melted butter

1 egg

½ cup flaked coconut

1/3 cup milk

½ teaspoon vanilla

Topping: ½ cup brown sugar

½ cup nuts

¼ cup flour

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

Dash salt

Combine ingredients and pour into a 1-1/2 quart buttered casserole. Mix topping and pour sprinkle over the top. Bake at 350 for 20 to 30 minutes.

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls... Delicous!

I dont know anyone who doesnt LOVE cinnamon rolls... so warm and gooey!!! But I must admit some are much better than others... this recipe is one of my faves and it really not all that difficult!

Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls


Rolls:
1 4oz pkg active dry yeast
1 c warm milk
1/2c sugar
1/3 c margarine, melted
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
4 c. flour


Filling:
1 c packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 c margarine, softend(leave on counter till no longer cold to touch, do not heat in microwave)

For Rolls:
1. Dissolve yeast in warm milk, in lg bowl. Add sugar, margarine, salt, egg & flour (one cup at a time) and mix well.

2. Knead dough into a large ball, dust dough and bowl with flour. return dough to bowl, cover with towel and place in a warm place and let rise for 1 hr.

3. After 1hr roll out dough on a floured surface. Roll flat to aprox 21" long and 16" wide and abt 1/4" thick.

4. preheat oven to 400

For Filling:
5. Spread softened butter on dough, mix brown sugar and cinnamon and spread mixture on dough.

6. Roll dough long ways (21" side)

7. Once dough is all rolled slide non flavored dental floss under the roll (about 1 3/4" pieces) cross ends of floss and pull tight to cut dough. Repeat until entire roll is cut (makes about 12).

8. Place 6 rolls on a greased baking pan and cook for 10 min.

9. Let cool till rolls are cool to the touch but not cold and coat generously with frosting.


Cinnabon Cream Cheese Frosting

8Tbs ( 1 stick) margarine, softened
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1/4 c (2 oz) cream cheese
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Combine ALL ingredients in a large bowl. Beat on med and increase speed till fluffy.