Recipe – “Spiced Carrot and Nut Cake”

“Spiced Carrot and Nut Cake”

“Food for Thought” by Judith Ferguson, “Color Library Books Ltd.”

 

 

8 oz.          Plain flour

2 tsp.         Baking powder

2 tsps.        Mixed spice

12 oz.        Granulated brown sugar

                  Pinch of salt

8 fl. Oz.      Vegetable oil

4                eggs, beaten

12 oz.         Carrots, peeled and grated

4 oz.           Chopped almonds

 

Filling:

4 oz.           Butter

8 oz.           Cream cheese

4 tbsps.       Icing sugar

1 tsp.          Vanilla essence

 

Grease three 8 ” cake pans and place a circle of greaseproof paper in the bottom of each. 

Lightly grease the paper and dredge the inside of the pans with flour.  Tap out the excess.

  Sift the flour, baking powder and spice into a bowl.  Add the sugar and a pinch of salt and make a well in the centre.  Pour the oil and eggs into the well and add the carrots and almonds.   Stir the mixture until all the ingredients are well mixed.

   Divide the mixture between the pans and smooth the tops.  Place the pans in a preheated 375 degrees Fahrenheit oven for about 40 minutes.  Change the position of the pans after about 20 minutes.  When the cakes are done, the centre will spring back when lightly touched.   Allow to cool in the pans for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

   Beat the butter and cream cheese together to soften.  Gradually beat in the icing sugar and add the vanilla.  Beat until light and fluffy.

   Sandwich the layers together with the cream cheese filling.  The top may be sprinkled with icing sugar, if desired.

Recipe – “Blackberry Iced Tea”

“Blackberry Iced Tea”

Victoria – “The Pleasures of Tea by Kim Waller & Nancy Lindemeyer

 

1/2    to 1 ounce pesticide-free marigold flowers

4        cups hot black tea, such as orange pekoe or Darjeeling

1        cup blackberries

          Honey, to taste

 

1.    Remove the petals from the flowers.

2.    Place 3 to 4 petals in each compartment  of an ice-cube tray.   Fill the compartments halfway with water and freeze for at least 2 hours.  Fill each compartment to the top with water and freeze until solid.

3.    In a medium-size bowl, combine the hot tea with the blackberries.  Set aside to steep for 1 hour.

4.    With the back of a wooden spoon, crush the berries against the side of the bowl.  Pour the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into a pitcher, pressing on the solids with the back of the spoon to extract all the liquid; discard the solids.  Add honey to taste and chill for a least 2 hours.

5.    Serve in a tall glasses with the marigold ice cubes.

 

Makes abut 4 servings.

 

www.lavendarcove.ca

***Inspired music by “Oleta Adams” – “We Can’t Stay Here” (“Let’s Stay Here – Album)

“Italian Vegetable Soup”

A great warm soup for the wintry days, easy to make and simply delicious.

“Italian Vegetable Soup”

“Betty Crocker’s – Working Woman’s Cookbook”

 

1           pound bulk Italian sausage

1          medium onion, sliced

1          can (16 ounces) whole tomatoes

1          can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained

1          can (10.5 ounces) condensed beef broth

1-1/2  cups water

2          medium zucchini or yellow summer squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices

1/2      teaspoon dried basil leaves

Grated Parmesan cheese

 

Cook and stir sausage and onion in 3-quart saucepan until sausage light brown; drain.  Stir in tomatoes (with liquid), beans, broth, water, zucchini and basil; break up tomatoes with fork. Heat to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer until zucchini is tender, about 5 minutes.   Sprinkle with cheese.

Recipe – “Fit-to-Be-Thai Iced Tea”

 “FIT-TO-BE-THAI ICED TEA”

“The Little Black Book of Tea” by Mike  Heneberry

 Pinch of crushed star anise

1          drop red food coloring

2          Tablespoons sweetened condensed milk

Crushed ice

2          cups strong brewed black tea, chilled

*Stir anise and food coloring into condensed milk and pour into 2 tall glasses.  Fill glasses with crushed ice; then cover with tea.  Stir once or twice-just enough for the milk to start to rise up into the tea.

– Makes 2 tall glasses

Recipe – “Orange Ginger Punch”

“ORANGE GINGER PUNCH”

“Farm Journal’s – Country Cookbook”

3    qts. orange ice (or sherbet)

5    qts. chilled ginger ale

*Place large chunks of orange ice in chilled punch bowl.

*Pour ginger ale over, holding the bottles some little distance above the punch bowl.  Garnish with fresh mint leaves and marashino cherries, if desired, or with seedless green grapes when in season.   Makes 55 punch cup servings.

**Try using another flavor of sherbet.

Recipe – “Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Brownies”

“Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Brownies”

“Fare for Friends”

 

Chocolate Chip Batter

1                 cup shortening

1                 cup brown sugar, packed

½                cup sugar

1                  teaspoon vanilla

3                  eggs

2                 cups all-purpose flour, un-sifted

1                 teaspoon baking soda

1                 teaspoon salt

1-1/2        cups chocolate chips (pure & semi-sweet)

 

Cream cheese batter

2                 packages (each 8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

¼                cup sugar

2                 eggs

1                 cup pecans, chopped

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Cream shortening, sugars, and vanilla; add eggs and beat well.  Combine flour, baking soda and slat.  Add to creamed mixture and stir in chocolate chips.  Spread one half of the chocolate chip batter in the bottom of a lightly greased 13” x 9” baking pan.  To make the cream cheese batter, combine cheese with sugar and eggs in food processor or mixer and blend until creamy.  Pour on top of chocolate chip batter in pan.  Sprinkle with nuts.  Spread or drop remaining chocolate chip batter by small spoons-full over cheese filling.   Do not be alarmed by tiny sections not filled in by batter – it will spread in the cooking process.   Bake in oven for 45 minutes.  Cool and cut into pieces.    Makes about 36 pieces.

Pairing tea blends to go with recipe:

Caramel Au Rooibos

Hunwal