Fabulous Carrot Cake

This recipe is one my mother used to make this when I was growing up and I had all but conceded that is was long gong. To my surprise, I found it in a purple folder with some other recipes that will shortly be making their way on her. However, it is in a pretty sad state. My grandmother's cursive is all but gone and the card is rather yellowed and stained.  But, lets take a stab at turning the faded scribbles into my grandmother's recipe. 

Fabulous Carrot Cake

1 can 20 oz crushed pineapple in syrup
1 c. butter, softened
1 c.  packed brown sugar
4 eggs
1 lb shredded carrots
1 c. raisins
2 t. vanilla extract  
3 c. flour 
2 t. baking soda
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground ginger
1/2 t salt

*Drain pineapple well, pressing out extra syrup with the back of a spoon. 
*Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
*Beat in eggs until smooth. 
*Stir in pineapple, carrots, raisins and vanilla.
*In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt. 
*Slowly add the flour mixture into the carrot mixture until smooth. 
*Bake in 350° F oven for 50 to 60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean 


Silky Frosting

1 package cream cheese, softened
1/2 c butter, softened
1 T fresh lemon juice
1 t freshly grated lemon peel 
1 1/2  c sifted powered sugar

*Cream  the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.
*Beat in lemon juice and peel. 
*Gradually beat in powdered sugar until completely smooth.

Simple Salmon

This is one of the easiest recipes that I have ever made. I believe I might have stolen, and then edited the recipe from a magazine at one point. Don't ask me which one, because I don't honestly know. The highest compliment I ever got for this was my grandpa asked me to make it for his birthday, twice. And if you knew my grandpa.... haha, that's another story. Below is the recipe, and yes, it might be super confusing to understand. But, if you leave a comment I can answer all y'all's questions... or if your my mother just find me. :)

Simple Salmon:

1 large half of salmon (skin on)
3 large lemons
4-6 sprigs of rosemary, removed from stem and chopped
Salt  (about 1 T)
Pepper (about  2 t)
Olive Oil
Tin Foil

* Get a piece of tin foil that is a big as your salmon, and then some. You will be cooking your salmon inside a little tinfoil tent, so it is better if it's a bit bigger than smaller
* Place salmon skin down on the tinfoil, on top a baking sheet, and lightly drizzle olive oil on top of the fish. You don't want it to drown in oil, just a tiny bit to help adhere the later ingredients.
* Sprinkle the top evenly with salt, pepper and rosemary. The amount of Rosemary is to your taste level, but I tend to lean to a heavy amount.
*Roll the lemons with your hands on the counter, pressing kind of hard. You want to crush it a bit in order to break down the juices, but not so hard that it explodes out of its peel.
*Take your rolled lemons and cut them in half, and line them down the center of your fish, leaving really small gaps. You might be thinking that this is overkill, but trust me, it's not.
*Then tent wraps then ends of the tinfoil up over the fish and seal, but it doesn't have to be super air tight.
*Cook in a 375 degree oven for 35-45 minutes, and you are just waiting till the flesh flakes away, and it changes from a dark color to a much lighter one.

What results is a very moist, very irresistible dish that even non-fish lovers can enjoy. And, well I like to believe anyways, that this a rather healthy dish. Serve with wild rice and some veggies and HOLY CRAPOLA is it marvelous. You can thank me later.

Cheesecake

This is my all time favorite cheesecake, and what all cheesecakes should aspire to be; dense, creamy and not too fussy. This recipe comes from my Grandma Williams, and to my dad's memory she only made it twice in his childhood because it was too rich for her. And that's how you know it's good.


Cheesecake

Crust:

1 sleeves crushed graham
6 T hot butter
1/4 cup sugar

 

Filling:

5 pkgs (8 oz) cream cheese
1 3/4 c. sugar
3 T flour
1 t. vanilla
5 eggs
2 egg yolks
1/4 c heavy cream

* Mix crushed graham crackers, butter and sugar and press into a 10" springform pan.
* Let cream cheese soften in a large bowl
* Blend in sugar, flour and vanilla. Beat with electric mixer untill light and fluffy
*Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
*Stir in heavy cream.
*Pour into the crust, and set to bake in a 475 degree oven; then lower temperature and bake 1 1/2 hours at 250 degrees.
* Turn off oven and keep cake in over for an additional hour.
*Remove from oven, cool on a wire rack and set to cool completely in the fridge.