Carrot Cake

Mona’s Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
1 ½ Cups Vegetable oil
3 large eggs
2 Tablespoons vanilla
3 Cups Shredded Carrots
1 Cup golden raisins (optional)
1 Cup chopped nuts of choice (optional)
2 Cups flour
2 Cups sugar
2 tsp baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Frosting
8 oz softened cream cheese
1 stick softened butter
1 lb powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray 2   9 inch cake pans with cooking spray.  In a stand or electric mixer beat oil, eggs and vanilla until well combined.  Add in carrots, raisins and nuts until combined.
2.  Place flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into a large bowl.  Slowly add to wet ingredients.  Beat on medium speed for 1 ½ minutes.  Pour evenly into cake pans that have been generously greased with cooking spray and bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean from center.  Remove and let cool completely.  When cool, remove cakes.
3.  To prepare frosting place cream cheese and butter into a stand or electric mixer.  Beat until creamy and smooth.  Slowly add powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.  Frost cooled cakes.
8 servings

I made this cake for Brandon's birthday, it was the best carrot cake I have ever had. I got the recipe from Picky-palate.com.  The only thing I would do different next time would be to squeeze the water out of the carrots after I shredded them because the cake was a little sticky.

The Inn at Temple Square Dinner Rolls

2 1/2 T. dry yeast
2 C. warm water (110 degrees F)
1/3 C. sugar
1/4 C. butter softened
1 T. salt
1/2 C. dry milk powder
1 egg
6 1/2 C flour

In a large bowl, combine yeast and water. Let stand 5 minutes. Add sugar, butter, salt, dry milk, 2 cups flour and egg.  Beat together until very smooth.  Add 2 more cups of flour, one at a time, until smooth.  Add about one more cup of flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until it is well mixed.  Turn dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until it is smooth and satiny.  Gather dough into a ball and place into a greased bowl.  Let rise in a warm place until double in bulk. Use last of the flour as needed on the board for rolling and shaping the dough. (Don't use it all unless you need it.) Cut or mold into desired shape.  Place on greased baking sheets or pans.  Brush surface of rolls with  melted butter.  Let rise in a warm place until ready for oven. (about 1 1/2 hours) Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 min or until browned to your satisfaction.  Makes about 2 dozen rolls.

I have never messed these up, so that tells you how easy they are. I usually shape mine in balls and put them in a 9X13 pan, but I have also rolled them like crescent rolls too. They are so good straight from the oven with some butter and honey. Yum.  

Poppyseed Chicken

1 1/2 c sour cream


2 cans cream of chicken soup

3 chicken breasts, cooked & shredded

2 cups uncooked rice
2 tbsp poppyseeds
1/2 pkg ritz crackers, crumbled

Cook rice, boil chicken 20-23 min and shred. Put sour cream and soup in bowl, mix. Add shredded chicken, put in glass baking dish, cook 350* 20 minutes, take out of oven, top with poppyseeds evenly, then crumble ritz crackers, bake 10 minutes more. Serve over rice. ** I used two chicken breasts and halved everything except of the rice and it was perfect:)