Grandma's Carrot Cake

I love Easter. Jesus came to earth, died on the cross and rose again, saving us from our sins and providing us with a way to live eternally with Him. That's why I love Easter.

But there's something else.

Tim's a youth pastor, right? That means that Easter is his 2nd busiest day of the year next to Christmas Eve. Since it's difficult for us to travel anywhere on these days, it means that I have control. Yes, I am a control freak by nature, and I've learned not to apologize for it. I'm naturally more like Monica in Friends — I want to be the host. This is one of very few days of the year where family comes to us, and I get to have complete control over the menu.

Let's put it this way: God didn't put me in politics for a reason. Too much power goes to my head.

So I'm going to post what my spread will be this Easter. First and foremost, let's start with dessert. That's the way to do it, right? While there are thousands of options out there, I'm going to stick with a classic: my grandma's carrot cake.

Now let me explain something. My grandma is anything but normal. And neither is this cake. See, Grandma has the world fooled. She grew up in a very conservative environment (nothing wrong with that), so you might naturally assume that she's a quiet, timid woman. That's hardly the truth. She's got a wild streak that I feel fortunate to have witnessed on many occasions. One time she paid me $20 to keep my mouth shut about some of her antics. So I won't talk about it. But I'm just sayin', my nickname for her is "sexy." That should give you a clue or two.


Cake Ingredients:

• 3 cups sifted flour (sifted twice)
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups grated or shredded carrots
• 4 eggs well beaten
• 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1 eight oz. block of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 box of powdered sugar

Directions:

First, crack the eggs and pour the oil into a large bowl (preferably a stand mixer). Mix well.

Slowly add sugar, combining.

Add vanilla. Mix well.

Add flour in small increments, mixing continually.

Add baking powder.

Then the baking soda.

And finally, the salt.

Throw in the cinnamon. Mix well.

Grab a handful of nuts. Some people use only pecans, but I chose to use mixed nuts.

Using a food processor or something similar, chop up the nuts.

Combine nuts into dough mixture.

These are the carrots I used. Pre-shredded.

Toss the carrot shreds in to the food processor.

Chop 'em up and throw 'em into the dough mixture. Combine.

Next we're going to flour the cake pans. I used 2 8" round cake pans. Cover the inside of each pan with butter.

Dust with some extra flour, dumping out the excess.

Pour the dough into the pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F for about one hour, or until cooked thoroughly. You can test this by putting a toothpick in the middle of the cake, and if it comes out clean, the cake is done.

Allow to cool for about 20 minutes, then remove from pan.

Very gently, using a bread knife, cut the top off the cakes so that they are even.

Let's start on the frosting.

Beat together butter, cream cheese and vanilla.

Add powdered sugar and mix until well-combined.

Okay, let's start with the frosting. Place one of the halves on a cake stand.

Dump on some of the frosting.

Spread out evenly.

Top with second half of cake.

Scoop another large bit of frosting on top of the cake.

Spread out as evenly as possible, as thin as possible.

Spread out a second layer of frosting.

Using a damp paper towel, wipe down any crumbs or frosting smudges.

You can decorate this however you'd like. I like the whole carrot look.

Carrot cake=Easter classic.


Love and Grandma recipes,

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Sourdough breakfast casserole

I have to admit that while I'm definitely a meat and potatoes kinda' girl, I really love carbs. I don't understand why naturally thin people don't eat bread and cheese all day long. I would. Unfortunately, I didn't win the genetic lottery and gained 3 lbs just from writing that last sentence. My favorite kind of bread is, without a doubt, sourdough. I love that it's nice and chewy and is a little tangy. I was definitely spoiled by the sourdough you get in Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. They just don't make it like that in the south, but the incorporation of sourdough into a breakfast casserole is what I would consider to be a teeny tiny miracle. Tim — who is normally extremely picky about leftovers — ate this without one word for the past three mornings. Okay, I changed my mind — that is a miracle.

Ingredients:

• 6-8 slices sourdough bread
• 3 potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
• 8 oz. block of cream cheese
• 10 eggs
• 1/4 stick butter
• 1 cup of milk
• 3/4 tsp dried mustard
• 8 slices of bacon
• Salt
• Pepper

Directions:

• Butter a 13x9 baking pan
• Didn't know butter was a verb? It is in this blog.
• Tear the sourdough bread into medium to large-sized chunks
• Throw 'em in the pan
• Top with half the cheddar cheese
• Cut the cream cheese up into small pieces (the smaller the better, because it will melt easier) and place evenly on top of the cheddar cheese.
• Peel the potatoes and using a grater, grate them like you would hashbrowns
• Toss the grated potatoes on top of the cream cheese
• Cook the bacon, crumble it and throw it on top of the grated potatoes
• I don't know about you, but I didn't have the time or inclination to cook the bacon on the stove. I buy the pre-made stuff and just warm it up in the microwave. It's less mess and fewer dishes, so don't judge.
• Crack all the eggs and pour them into a large bowl
• Whisk until smooth
• Add the milk and whisk until combined
• Add the dried mustard and whisk some more
• Add as much salt and pepper as you'd like
• Pour the egg mixture evenly over everything in the 13x9 baking dish
• Top with remaining cheddar cheese
• Cover with tinfoil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour. 
• This can take more or less time depending on your oven and the pan. Just keep an eye on it. You want to be patient with this, because no one likes soggy eggs.
• Once it's cooked thoroughly, take off the tinfoil and bake for another 15-20 minutes to get the top nice and crusty.

Every evening, I'm motivated to get up early and cook my man a hearty breakfast. Realistically, though, it never happens. Ever. Never a chance. But this was amazing because I made it the night before, and my early-rising hubby just had to spoon some on a plate and pop it in the microwave the next morning. I'm telling you guys, this is something special.

Love and miracles,
Rachael