Carrot-Almond Coffee Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I must have something in common with the cat that curiosity killed. I found this recipe of the Whole Foods site over a year ago, and while it was not the kind of recipe I'm usually drawn to, it chipped at my curiosity until I could no longer resist the temptation to try it. Having done so, I'd classify this as a snack cake that can double as a coffee cake. It is perfect for a breakfast or brunch when you want to serve something out of the ordinary. It is barely sweet and uses enough carrots to qualify as a vegetable side dish. The cake is moist and dense, but its flavor is completely unlike that of a standard carrot cake. The predominant flavors here are the carrots and vanilla. This is not a cake for the masses, but I suspect it will be enjoyed by folks who like cornbread or plain biscuits for breakfast. It certainly is easy to make and I suspect that a few of you will be curious enough to give it a try. It's a nice cake. Here is how it's made.

Carrot and Ginger Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our weather has warmed considerably, but we've had spells of heavy rain in the morning and late afternoon. The weather, coupled with some very busy days, has kept soup on my menus. This lovely carrot-ginger version comes from a Family Circle feature in which actors share what they are currently cooking. The soup is light and flavorful and very easy to make. It is not substantial enough to serve as a stand-alone meal, but with the addition of a salad or sandwich you'll have the makings for a mighty fine supper. I do hope you'll give Ali Larten's recipe a try. There is nothing here not to like. Here is how this simple and economical soup is made.

Braised Carrots with Thyme - A Make-Ahead Vegetable for Company

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I make it a point to test and feature outstanding vegetable recipes whenever I find them. These carrots were a last minute addition to my Christmas menu that I found late on Christmas Eve, when I learned that our head-count for the big meal had changed. I discovered the recipe, which is a creation of the renowned Daniel Boulud, on the Food and Wine site, and to be truthful, I honed in on it because it could be made ahead of time and simply rewarmed for serving. It was ideal for my holiday kitchen and it was so well received that I served it again on New Year's Day. I want to pass it on to you, because it is both easy and inexpensive to make, and while you will appreciate its simplicity, your family will enjoy its flavor. I do hope you will try the recipe or keep it in mind for your next company meal. The carrots add wonderful color to the table and almost everyone enjoys them, so they are sure to be a hit. Here is how they are made.

Arugula and Carrot Salad with Walnuts and Cheese

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'll wager you can guess what my resolution for the New Year is. Yup! I'm joining the ranks of the rabbit people until I've atoned for the dietary excesses of the holiday. It, unfortunately, is going to take a while, so portion and carb control are going to be my mantra for the next couple of months. I promise not to bore you with my progress, or lack thereof, and I won't make the assumption that you, too are watching your weight. Mums the word! My plan is not to mention this again until I get were I want to go and that's a lot of pounds away. There will be before and after pictures when I hit the finish line. Salads like this one will make the journey a bit easier. I love the play of peppery arugula with the sweet carrots in this salad and the walnut vinaigrette used to coat the greens walnut is inspired. The recipe was develop by Martha Rose Shulman for The New York Times and I think you will love it as much as I do. Here is how the salad and its dressing are made. 

Frugal Foodie Friday - Cream of Carrot and Potato Soup

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's hard to find inexpensive starters for holiday meals, so I wanted to feature the recipe for this lovely soup before bargain hunters have their holiday menus set in stone. The recipe is an expanded version of French potato soup to which carrots have been added. The soup is mildly flavored and has gorgeous color that will brighten any table. It will certainly get your meal off to a great start. I like to make the soup the night before I plan to serve it and while I basically follow the recipe below, I do make one change that I want to share with you. I use a food mill rather than an immersion blender to puree the soup. While many prefer a perfectly smooth and velvety soup, I favor the grainier texture that a food mill provides. This is a soup that begs for salt, so be sure to adjust the final addition of salt and pepper to your personal taste. It can be served warm or cold. I do hope you will give this recipe a try. It is easy to make, as well as being easy on the eyes and pocketbook. Here is how it's made.

Cream of Carrot and Potato Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
3 cups sliced leeks or yellow onions (about 1 pound)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 pound potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced
5 cups vegetable stock
1 cup plain carrot juice
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1-1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
Garnish: Parsley or snipped chives

Directions:
Melt butter in a 4-quart stockpot. Add onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Add potatoes and carrots and stir to combine. Add vegetable stock, carrot juice, salt and pepper and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in milk and sugar. Puree using an immersion blender. Add cream and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into cups and garnish as desired. Yield: 8 to 10 (1 cup) servings.

      

                                                    Older Posts

                     One Year Ago Today:                                               Two Years Ago Today:

          Asian-Style Leftover Turkey Soup                      Pumpkin Cheesecake with Marshmallow Cream
                  

               Three Years Ago Today:                                                     Four Years Ago Today: 

                   Tuscan Cheesecake                                                         Chinese Almond Cookies

Potato and Carrot Gratin

We interrupt our regularly scheduled programming...I wanted to bring you up to date with some news that may affect the frequency with which I'll be posting here. I have been scheduled for two corneal transplants, the first of which will occur next week. I've prepared the blog as best I can for contingencies that may follow surgery, and using a combination of old, new, borrowed and blue posts, I should be able to follow a near normal posting schedule. I think! At least that's the plan. The next few months are going to have a circus aspect about them. We are also in the process of selling our home and that leads to craziness and cooking of a different sort. I'll be featuring more recipes for breads and desserts in an attempt to keep the house from smelling like a pizza parlor and, hopefully, we'll be back on a more normal track by January. I hope all of you will continue to stop by.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Our last big get-together before the first of the year is going to be tomorrow evening. I have planned a fairly elegant, but easy-on-the-cook menu, and much of what I'll be serving can be made well-ahead of time. While very rich, this potato and carrot gratin is a wonderful accompaniment to a roast or grilled meat and it can be made the day before it is to be served. There is, of course, a catch. The potatoes and carrots must be thinly sliced and you will need a mandoline or other slicing device to cut them. These are delicious when made with heavy cream, but half-and-half or light cream can be substituted if you are watching calories or counting fat grams. The potatoes can be table ready in about and hour. The recipe was developed by Alexis Touchet for the Huffington Post and I do hope you'll give it a try. You will not be disappointed. Here is how the potatoes are made.

Potato and Carrot Gratin...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Alexis Touchet via Huffington Post

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes
1 pound carrots
1-3/4 cups heavy cream
1-3/4 cups whole milk
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1-3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
2 cups coarsely grated Gruyere (about 6 ounces)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F with rack in middle. Spread butter into a 15- by 10-inch (4-quart) baking dish.
2) Peel potatoes and carrots, then cut both into 1/16-inch thick slices with slicer and transfer to a 6-quart heavy pot.
3) Add cream, milk, garlic, salt and pepper and bring just to a boil over moderate heat, stirring frequently to prevent scorching.
4) Spread mixture evenly in baking dish, then sprinkle with cheese and bake until vegetables are tender and top is golden brown in spots, 25 to 30 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Yields: 8 to 10 servings.

Cook's Note: Gratin can be baked 1 day ahead. Cool completely, then refrigerate, covered. Bring to room temperature before reheating, uncovered, in a 350 F oven, 20 to 30 minutes.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Year Ago Today: Rigatoni with Creamy Tomato Sauce

Two Years Ago Today: Dondurma - Elastic Ice Cream

Three Years Ago Today: Tomato Jam

Four Years Ago Today: Mile-High Apple Pie with Cranberries

Old-Fashioned Carrot Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a lovely old-fashioned tea cake. It has its roots in the kitchens of Eastern Europe, and those of you who grew up in ethnic neighborhoods probably enjoyed a variant of this sweet bread when you were a child. While its rough appearance leaves much to be desired, I wanted to share this simple recipe with those of you who need such loaves for morning meetings or afternoon teas. Its taste will more than make up for its homely appearance, and the ease with which it comes together almost guarantees it a spot in your repertoire. The loaf can be made with a bowl and wooden spoon and the only other equipment you will need is a box grater to shred the carrots. The bread is moist and dense and keeps exceptionally well. If you want to make it a bit more fancy, raisins and shredded coconut can also be added to the batter. I do hope you'll give the bread a try. Here is how it is made.

Old-Fashioned Carrot Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of the Chicago Tribune

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup nuts, chopped
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 cups carrot, grated
3 eggs

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
1) Whisk flour, soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in center of flour mixture.
2) Add nuts, oil, vanilla, sugar, carrots and eggs. Mix well.
3) Scrape into prepared loaf pan. Let stand 30 minutes before baking.
4. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Coll in pan for 15 minutes. Turn bread out of pan and continue cooling om a wire rack. Yield: 8 servings.

If you have enjoyed your visit here, I hope you'll take a minute to...

      

One Years Ago Today: Skillet Pasta with Chicken and Broccoli

Two Years Ago Today: Chunky Apple Cake

Three Years Ago Today: Not Yo' Mama's Lemonade

Four Years Ago Today: Braised Vietnamese Fish

Carrot Salad

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I received an unusual compliment tonight. The Silver Fox is not a fan of carrots and he was not thrilled at the prospect of having a carrot salad with his supper. He is, however, a good sport, so despite his belief that salads should be green, he gamely tried a spoonful of my orange creation. Then, to my great surprise, he had another and yet another before commenting that the salad did not taste like carrots. Now, I know that is hardly a rave review, but he actually liked the carrot salad that didn't taste like carrots. I've been looking for new side dishes to serve with picnic and barbecue fare, and when I saw this recipe in Family Circle magazine, I knew I had to give it a try. I have a lot of recipes that I categorize as fast and easy. I can, however, go a step further with this one, and add effortless to the list of adjectives I use to describe it. The salad takes about 10 minutes to prepare, and while it has to chill and marinate before serving, there are few dishes that can be brought to the table with such ease. If you are looking for mayonnaise-free salads to serve your family, I suggest you give this one a try. I suspect you'll like it a lot. Here is how the salad is made.

Carrot Salad...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Family Circle magazine

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 bag (10 ounces) shredded carrots
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 small red onion, chopped
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:
1) Combine olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, mustard, salt and sugar in small bowl.
2) Combine carrots, cranberries, onion and almonds in large bowl. Add dressing. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight. Yield: 6 servings.


If you like this post, please share it with your friends:

    

One Year Ago Today: Old-Fashioned Blackberry Pudding














Two Years Ago Today: Sugar Snap Pea and Barley Salad














Three Years Ago Today: Asparagus and Mushroom Strata














Four Years Ago Today: Buttermilk Cluster Rolls with Blue Poppy Seeds

Carrot Muffins

My Thought for the Day can be found, here. If you like it, give us a thumbs up and share it with your friends.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...If you enjoy Morning Glory muffins I hope you will give this recipe a try. Long term readers of One Perfect Bite know that the highest accolade I give a recipe involves my socks rather than stars or other rating equivalents. I had one bite of these muffins, happened to glance down, and, sure enough, my socks were going up and down. These Texas-sized gems are really, really good. They are moist and lightly spiced and I hope that you will give them a try when you get some time to experiment. I found the recipe on La Belle Cuisine and made it exactly as it appeared there. Having tasted them, the only change I would make next time I make them, would be to cut back on the amount of orange zest called for in the recipe. I think a teaspoon would be fine. I used the large holes of a box grater to prepare the carrots, because I like a bit of texture in my muffins and I think the food processor grates them too finely. I do have one caution for those of you who plan to try this recipe. The instructions direct you to fill the muffin cups to the brim. If you do that I guarantee you will have spillover and the muffins will be difficult to remove from the pan. Filling the cups 7/8 full is a much better idea and it will give you one small additional muffin. These are delicious. Here is how they are made.

Carrot Muffins...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of La Belle Cuisine

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups light brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups grated carrots
1 tablespoon minced orange zest
An 8-ounce can crushed pineapple with juice
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions:
(All ingredients should be at room temperature.)
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Generously spray 6 giant-sized muffin cups with nonstick spray. Set aside.
2) In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
3) In a medium bowl combine oil, egg, buttermilk, vanilla, carrots, orange zest and pineapple. Stir to combine.
4) Add liquid mixture to flour mixture and combine briefly with wire whisk. Stir in chopped nuts. Fill muffin cups to top. Bake for 5 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. and bake for about 20 minutes longer, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Turn the muffins out onto a wire rack. When completely cool, store in an airtight container. Yield: 6 large or 18 standard muffins.










One Year Ago Today: Strawberry and Rhubarb Pie














Two Years Ago Today: Tortino di Fagiolini















Three Years Ago Today: Penne with Asparagus and Lemon Sauce
















Four Years Ago Today: Potato Gratin a la Flamande

Glazed Carrot Coins with White Wine and Muscats

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We had a rare, mid-week, steak supper last evening and to say it was well-received would be an understatement.The Silver Fox, who as you know is a committed carnivore, was in flatiron paradise and that gave me the opportunity to try several new side-dishes without there being too much complaint. The recipe I'm featuring today was among them and it really is a keeper. I found it while browsing through The Novice Chef,  a blog that is as delicious as the food it features.  The recipe is simple to prepare and it would make a wonderful addition to your holiday or hostess menus. There are no tricks to its preparation, though I did substitute a good French vermouth for the white wine, and used leeks instead on onions. Both changes were mandated by what I had on hand, not because I thought the recipe needed revision. The carrots would be wonderful made with a not too sweet Riesling or a Pinot Gris. I, unfortunately,  had neither in the house so I went with Julia Child's  tried and tested vermouth substitution.  Works every time!  I do hope you'll give these carrots a try. Here's how they're made.

Glazed Carrot Coins with White Wine and Muscats...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of the Novice Chef

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup white onion, chopped
2-1/2 (about 1 lb) cups sliced (and peeled) carrots
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 teaspoon herbs de provence
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1)  Place olive oil in a large deep skillet set over medium heat. When it shimmers add onions and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent.  Add  wine, bring mixture to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until  liquid has reduced by half. Add the raisins and simmer for about 5-10 more minutes until another 1/4th of  liquid has reduced (leaving some liquid as it makes a lovely sauce).
2) Stir in herbs de provence,  brown sugar, and salt and pepper and allow to cook for another minute or so. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.







One Year Ago Today: Peanut Butter Bars
















Two Years Ago Today: Scandinavian Shrimp Salad















Three Years Ago Today: Herb Garlic Rolls

Cat-Skinner's Carrot Cake

L'shanah tovah - Happy New Year to all who are celebrating.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There is no need to call the ASPCA. In logger jargon, a cat-skinner is the operator of a bulldozer that is used to move felled trees from the forest floor to trucks where they are loaded and taken to a mill. It is hard, hot and dangerous work, the kind that builds an appetite and assures there will be takers for delightfully dense and pudding-like cakes such as this. In 2010, the organizers of the first-ever Great Oregon Coast Potluck-Off, challenged the community to come up with dishes that would redefine what a pot-luck dinner could be. This unique carrot cake was the winner. It was made by a team from the First Christian Church of Newport and judges were impressed by its slightly tropical flavor and the liquid frosting that formed a glaze as it was absorbed into the still warm cake. The cake is delicious and quite easy to make. While it is sweet, it is not cloying and when served warm with a dollop of cream, it really is delightful. What the cake lacks in refinement, it makes up for in flavor, and if you enjoy a good bread pudding, I think you'll like this cake. Here's how it is made.

Cat-Skinner's Carrot Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of the First Christian Church of Newport and Grant Butler of The Oregonian

Ingredients:
Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups shredded or finely chopped carrots
1 8-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
Frosting
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter and flour a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
2) To make cake: Sift flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, beat eggs with a hand mixer or whisk until they are smooth. Add buttermilk, oil, vanilla and sugar and mix until sugar has dissolved and ingredients are fully incorporated. Add dry ingredients and continue beating until smooth, about 1 minute. Stir in carrots, pineapple, coconut and walnuts. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes.
3) To make frosting: Combine sugar, buttermilk, baking soda, corn syrup and butter in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour hot frosting evenly over warm cake, allowing frosting to soak in. Yield: 16 servings.

One Year Ago Today:  Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukin's Carrot Cake

Two Years Ago Today: Sizzling Southwestern Flank Steak with Creamy Salsa Verde

Three Years Ago Today: Kartoffel Suppe - Bavarian Potato Soup

Roasted Carrot Soup and Homemade Vegetable Stock

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite... I've had really good luck with the soups I've tried this year. This weekend I found another that is a winner, both literally and figuratively. This wonderful soup won the carrot recipe contest at FOOD52, and one spoonful of this unlikely candidate will tell you why it received the honor. The carrots that form the base of of this soup are broiled rather than roasted. They are given a nuanced flavor boost with the addition small quantities of ginger, garlic and thyme, and the end result is a thick, creamy soup that contains no dairy of any kind. While the soup is a vegan delight, I've also seen  carnivores wolf it down. The recipe is easy to follow and the only pitfall is the potential to burn the carrots while they are under the broiler. Watch them carefully. Use a good vegetable stock when you make the soup. It needn't be homemade, but it should be flavorful and not too salty. Vegetable stock is simple to make and I've included a recipe for those of you who would like to make your own. I know those of you who try this soup will rave about it. I served it to guests this weekend and it was really well received. I'll be making it over and over again. Here's the recipe.

Roasted Carrot Soup...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of food52.com

Ingredients:
6 to 8 large carrots (about 1 3/4 pounds)
1/4 cup olive oil, divided use
Salt
6 cups vegetable stock (good quality, not too high in sodium)
1 piece ginger, an inch long, peeled
1 sprig thyme, plus more for garnish
1/2 large sweet onion
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Peel and cut the carrots into 1/2-inch rounds. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss carrots with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Set an oven rack 6 to 8 inches from heat source and turn on the broiler. Broil carrots until they brown and soften, turning them over with a spatula every 5 minutes or so; this should take 15 to 20 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, bring stock to a boil, add ginger and sprig of thyme and simmer gently for 15 minutes.
3) Put onion in a medium stock pot with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Brown onion over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add garlic, cooking until fragrant, and then add carrots.
4) Remove ginger and thyme from stock and pour stock into pot containing onions and carrots. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the carrots are soft enough to puree.
5) Use an immersion or a standard blender to puree mixture until smooth. If it seems too thick, add more stock or water and reheat gently. Add salt and pepper to taste. To serve, garnish with chopped fresh thyme. Yield: 4 servings.



Vegetable Stock...from the kitchen of One Perfect Biteinspired by Mark Bittman

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, quartered
1 potato, sliced
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic
5 to 10 white mushrooms, halved or sliced
10 to 20 parsley stems or stems with leaves
2 tablespoons soy sauce
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Heat oil in a deep skillet or broad saucepan or casserole set over medium heat. When hot, add carrots, onion, potato, celery, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook without stirring for about 5 minutes, then stir once or twice and cook until the vegetables begin to brown. (If you have more time, brown them well, stirring only infrequently.)
2) Add parsley, 6 cups water, soy sauce, and some pepper. Bring to a boil, adjusting heat so the mixture simmers steadily but gently. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until vegetables are very tender. (Longer is better if you have the time.)
3) Strain, then taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more soy sauce or a bit of salt, before using or storing. Yield: 6cups.

One Year Ago Today: Maple Sour Cream Coffee Cake with Walnut Streusel and Maple Glaze

Two Years Ago Today: Kedgeree

Three Years Ago Today: Swiss Onion Tart