Carrots and Zucchini Salad

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We all need our veggies, especially someone like me that unfortunately does not eat enough of them.

Do have a favorite veggie? I think I pretty much like all with the exception of brussel sprouts - we just cannot seem to get onboard with each other.

If there is a favorite I will have to say carrots. I like them raw, cooked, in salads, cakes, dipped in anything. The same goes for zucchini, which I love grilled with a splash of olive oil and some chopped herbs.

A couple of weeks back I gave Heidi Swanson Sunburst Carrot Salad recipe a try out in my kitchen.  It was part of our Gutsy Cook menu options and I had all the ingredients at hand. 

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Caramel Cake and bonus Caramel Sauce

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You would think that after almost a year of baking with Heavenly Cake bakers I would be prepared for any issues that baking and frosting a cake can throw at me.  I was wrong; because the baking gods continue to keep me humble by once in a while just hurling a tiny-itsy bitty curve ball that will explode into a curse fest in my kitchen.

It all started when I took a peek at last month’s issue of Saveur magazine and saw they were featuring southern cakes.
Oh my heart did a happy dance when I opened my mailbox and totally skipped everything to read the article and see the pretty cake pictures.  I’m a huge fan of homemade cakes;the ones that are passed down from generation to generation. Yes, I do appreciate the fancy cakes. But, the homemade ones hold my heart.

So when I hosted a “Chica Brunch” at my house a couple of weeks ago, and one of the guests was celebrating her birthday,  I decided to surprise her with a small cake.  Since I knew she had the same love affair with caramel as me, there really was no choice but to make the cake in the article.

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GCC - Kuih Keria - Sweet Potato Donuts

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Here is another item scratched off my kitchen bucket list– Donuts.

I’m not a huge fan of donuts. In fact, if I’m honest with myself (and you guys), I give a donut a 4.5 in my scale of favorite things to eat.  And that is saying a lot, because donuts are basically fried dough, and seriously who does not like FRIED dough?

Anyone? Anyone? I thought so.

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