Carrots and Zucchini Salad

March 29, 2012 by Monica in Cookbooks, Gutsy Cooks Club, Quick Meal, Sides, Vegetable, Vegetarian

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.

Caramel Cake and bonus Caramel Sauce

March 27, 2012 by Monica in Baking, Cake, Cookbooks, Desserts, Entertaining, Sweets

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.

ABC: Glazed Cinnamon Rolls

February 02, 2012 by Monica in ABC, Baking, Baking Club, Cookbooks, Desserts, Sweets

I started writing this post last Sunday.

This final post is not what the original post was. The original post was much longer, full of explanations and key points and well, you know how I can ramble on and on.

Just so you know, I’m like that in real life too.

But, I was feeling it. I was in the writing “zone” - the one where it’s flowing and flowing and you are typing happily away.

Then about the third paragraph down, I stopped, because I got side tracked by a 180 pound dog tearing into the house full of soap and water.

Apparently Rufus, had gotten away from Tom during his bath time. And that dog made sure that we knew how much he hates bath time.