Carrot Cake

We've been searching for what seems like forever for two jars of junior baby food carrots. My mother uses them to make Carrot Cake. So do I. It works. They taste fine in the cake and no one knows you cheated unless you tell them.

There comes a point, however, when it's time to throw in the towel. Just give up. Grate the carrots. Put them in the food processor. Just get on with it! I reached that point about a year ago. I was alone. My mother never gave up hope. So we've searched for junior baby food carrots in Target and Walmart. We've done so at the commissary (repeatedly!) and at more supermarkets than I care to remember. No junior baby food carrots.

The other day Mother came in and -- you guessed it -- she produced two jars of junior baby food carrots from a brown paper bag. They were suddenly at the commissary. I don't know if the folks out there simply decided to start selling them or if the pleading talk I had with a baby food company rep influenced their decision. I don't even care. We've got the carrots. Now, maybe, we'll get the cake.

Carrot Cake

2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup Crisco oil
4 eggs
3 cups grated carrots OR 2 jars junior baby food carrots

Sift flour, baking soda and salt. Mix with sugar. Beat in oil. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Add carrots.

Cut wax paper to fit cake pans. Use margarine on each side of wax paper, then place the wax paper in each pan. Grease sides of the pans.

Divide batter equally in three or four cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until cake starts to pull away from sides.

Frosting

1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1 stick margarine, softened
1 box confectioners sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla

Blend cream cheese, margarine and sugar. Add vanilla. Stir in nuts until well blended.

Frost cake.

Ginger Carrots

It's almost time for the garden to start producing. Well, maybe in a month or so. We planted a little late this year. Still, don't you love fruits and vegetables? They are so tasty and good for us too!

Here's an example of an easy vegetable. The recipe comes from the original Cooking Light cookbook from Southern Living. I love it. You may want to double everything though. It's designed for only two people. And what Southern woman ever cooks for only two people?!

Ginger Carrots

3 medium carrots, scaped and cut
1 teaspoon margarine
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

The original recipe calls for cutting the carrots into strips. I just slice them so that they're round and about 1/4 inch thick. It's faster for me to do it that way.

Put them with water in a boiler and boil until tender. I only cook them until they're just tender enough for a fork to stick through. I don't like mushy carrots. So don't overcook! Unless you like mushy carrots. If you do, just cook until you're satisfied.

When the carrots are just tender, drain the water out. Then add the margarine, brown sugar and ground ginger. Stir. It only takes a minute or so for the margarine to melt and to coat the carrots. Then they're ready to serve. The original recipe called for low-cal margarine. (It is from a Cooking Light cookbook after all.) I use whatever is available.

This is a nuitritional and tasty way to cook carrots.