Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This carrot cake is frequently requested for birthdays within the Winslow family. It is dangerously delicious and meets all expectations one would have for a carrot cake. (Except my dad who thinks it needs raisins, but I’ll let you decide. And if you agree with him- throw some in.) To let the secret out….it’s straight out of The Silver Palate Cookbook- which I’m guessing is a classic since our copy is falling apart. It is fairly simple to make but get’s a little tedious when greasing the pan. So if you want to avoid greasing cake pans, go the cupcake route!

Carrot Cake:
• 3 cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 3 cups Granulated Sugar
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 tbsp. Baking Soda
• 1 tbsp. Cinnamon
• 1½ cups Corn Oil
• 4 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tbsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1½ cups Shelled Walnuts, chopped
• 1½ cups Shredded Coconut
• 1 1/3 cups Puréed Cooked Carrots
• ¾ cup Crushed Pineapple, drained

For the frosting, I didn’t stay true to the Silver Palate recipe. I always like a frosting that is creamy and thick. Also, I think the main feature should be the cream cheese, not sugar. You want the taste of cream cheese to come through. The Silver Palate recipe has more sugar than fat (cream cheese and butter) so the frosting is more runny than I prefer and the cream cheese flavor gets lost. I found that the recipe I have by Thomas Keller really complements the cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
• 3 cups Cream Cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, cut into chunks, at room temperature
• 1½ cups Powdered sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. If making a cake, grease two 9-inch layer cake pans lined with wax paper. According to my mom- who has made this cake a ton, this means grease the pans, then line them with wax paper, then grease the wax paper. When I made the cupcakes, I sprayed the pan with Pam spray then put the cupcake liners in. (I made 24 cupcakes, and 24 mini cupcakes.) The Pam spray will help if any of the cupcakes rise and cook to the pan.

Start by cooking the carrots. Then sift dry ingredients into a bowl.



Add oil, eggs and vanilla. Beat well.



Fold in the walnuts, the coconut, the carrots, and the pineapple.





Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Set on the middle rack of the oven. If making a cake- bake for 30-35 minutes, if making the cupcakes- bake for about 20 minutes, until the edges have pulled away from sides and a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool completely on a rack, it suggests 3 hours. I waited close to 1 hour with the cupcakes.

In the meantime make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the cream cheese at medium speed until smooth. Add the butter and mix until smooth.


Beat in the powdered sugar then add the vanilla. I like to add the juice of ½ a lemon but that is optional. Scrape down the sides and beat for 30 seconds on high speed.

Fill cake and frost sides with cream cheese frosting. Or, frost the cupcakes. I garnished my cupcakes with whole walnuts, finely chopped walnuts, and shredded carrots sautéed in maple syrup.


If you ever want or need to make carrot cake, this is the recipe to use! It is a favorite in my family and could be in yours as well!

Grilled Chicken Salad with Parmesan Breadcrumbs

There was an interesting article in the most recent Food Network magazine that took favorite dishes and turned them into salads. This salad was created to taste like Parmesan Chicken. The recipe states that it serves 4, but I doubled it and had enough for four adults with a little left over (I guess my family eats a lot). Salads are usually a healthier option and can be doubled or tripled easily to feed a small crowd, as long as you have a large salad bowl!

Ingredients
• 1 plum tomato, halved
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, plus 2 tablespoons oil from the jar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bunch fresh basil, torn
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 1 pound)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 8 cups Italian-blend salad greens or baby arugula
• 8 ounces bocconcini (small mozzarella balls), quartered

Directions
Preheat a grill to high. Puree the plum tomato, sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, oregano, a few basil leaves and 2 tablespoons parmesan in a blender, drizzling in the sun-dried tomato oil until smooth. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water, if needed; season with salt and pepper. This pureed tomato mixture will act as the salad dressing so if you add extra salad greens, it is important to double this mixture as well.



Halve the chicken breasts horizontally to make four 1/4-inch-thick cutlets. Brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until marked on the bottom, about 4 minutes, then turn and grill until cooked through, about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board.


Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon parmesan and the parsley and cook until toasted, about 1 more minute.


Toss the salad greens and remaining basil in a large bowl.


Cut the chicken into pieces and add to the greens along with the mozzarella. Toss with the dressing, and then sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture.



This salad is perfect for a nice summer evening. It is a great take on Parmesan Chicken, so if you are a big fan, I suggest you try this salad.