Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

 My good friend’s mom, who also happened to be our 8^th grade teacher, shared this recipe in the local paper.  It’s been a favorite since. (Recently our landlords when we were living in Germany visited us and reminded me that I had shared this recipe with them.  It became one of their favorites as well.)

2 C sugar     1 tsp cinnamon

4 eggs     ½ tsp allspice

1½ C oil     2 C grated carrots

2 C flour     8 oz can crushed pineapple,

2 tsp baking soda drained

¼ tsp salt     ½ C chopped pecans

Mix sugar, eggs, and oil.  Sift dry ingredients together.  Add to batter, mix well.  Add carrots, pineapple, and nuts. 

Pour batter into 3 9” round pans or 9 x 13” pan.  

Bake at 325^o for 35-45 minutes.  Cool, then frost. 

Frosting for 3 layer cake: (make ½ for 9 x 13” size)

1 lb box confectioners sugar

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cube butter, softened

2 tsp vanilla

Cream butter and cream cheese.  Mix in confectioner’s sugar.  Add vanilla.  Keep cake refrigerated.

Swedish Baked Feta & Tomatoes

This went viral on the internet several years ago.  It makes a tasty dish and is fairly quick.  Who doesn't love pasta and cheese!  Other non-carb options below.

1/2-1 lb pasta
1 block (8 oz) feta cheese
1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
12-16 oz grape or cherry tomatoes, (cut in 1/2, if large)
4 garlic cloves. slivered 

1 T capers

1/2 t dried oregano

black or Aleppo pepper

fresh basil leaves, sliced thinly

Pour some olive into the bottom of the baking dish. Place the whole feta block in the center.  Place the tomatoes, garlic, and capers around the cheese.  Pour more olive oil on top. Sprinkle the oregano and pepper on top.

Bake in 400 F for 15 minutes on the middle rack. Then turn on the broiler, move to a higher rack, and let cheese and tomatoes brown a bit.  It could 3-5 minutes. Watch carefully so it doesn’t burn.

Cook the pasta al dente according to cooking instructions. 

Break up the feta a bit and mix it all together until creamy.* Top the pasta with this and add plenty of basil leaves.

*Can also be served with crackers or chips, over roasted veggies, or baked with a couple of cans of drained chickpeas.

Recipe adapted from:  https://liemessa.fi/2020/09/baked-feta-pasta-original-recipe/

Pork Tenderloin with Herbs

2 pork tenderloins, trimmed of fat (about 2–2 1/2 lbs.)

2 T kosher salt

2 C warm water

1 T apple cider vinegar

1 T brown sugar

1/2 C ice cubes

2 T lemon juice

3 T butter sliced into 6 pats

Spice Mix:

1 T EACH chili powder, garlic powder

1 t EACH salt, onion powder

1/2 t smoked paprika

1/4 t pepper

Herbs to add LATER:

1/2 t EACH dried parsley, dried basil, dried oregano 

Optional to make gravy:

1-2 t cornstarch with 1 T water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lay two long pieces of foil on a baking sheet – these will be used to fold up each tenderloin separately.  Or use a skillet with a lid.

In a 4-C measure, mix salt with warm water until dissolved. Whisk in apple cider vinegar, brown sugar and ice.  Transfer to a gallon-size freezer bag, and add the pieces of pork. Brine for exactly 20 minutes then remove pork from brine. (The pork  can become mealy if left in the brine any longer.)  

Meanwhile, combine all of the Spice Mix ingredients (not the "Add Later Herbs") in a small bowl. 

RINSE pork and pat very dry. (Discard baggie and brine.) Evenly rub pork all over with spice mix. 

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. When oil is very hot and just smoking, add pork tenderloins, you may need to work in batches. Sear each side of pork until golden, then transfer to foil or leave in skillet if using the skillet for baking. 

Evenly sprinkle tops of pork tenderloins with remaining herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, thyme) then rub into pork.

Evenly drizzle each pork tenderloin with one tablespoon of lemon juice (2 tablespoons total), then top each tenderloin with 3 pats of butter. Bring up the sides of the foil to completely enclose each tenderloin. Or place cover on the skillet.

Bake at 400 degrees F until pork registers between 145- and 150-degrees F (63 and 65 degrees C) at the thickest part of the tenderloin, 15-25 minutes depending on thickness. This means the pork will be juicy and slightly pink in the middle. To check the temperature, carefully unwrap the foil, then wrap it back up if it needs to continue baking. 

When pork is done, loosen foil or open lid slightly (so steam can escape) and let stand 5-10 minutes before slicing. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste and serve with accumulated butter sauce in the bottom of the foil.

Optionally, you can make a gravy with the liquid instead.  Pour into a small saucepan and heat.  Mix cornstarch with water and add to the hot liquid.  Stir until thickened.

https://carlsbadcravings.com/best-baked-pork-tenderloin/

Hula’s Dip for Sweet Potato Fries

This is my version of the dip that is served at Hula's with their sweet potato fries.

3 T Mayo

2 T catsup

1/2 t sesame oil

1 t finely grated ginger

Mix together and serve with sweet potato fries.