Tag: party food


Mini Carrot Cake (gluten free…)

July 18th, 2014

carrotcakeplates

BUT STILL DELICIOUS!

Sorry to yell at y’all (6 months in New Orleans!) but I do feel like this is an important disclaimer, because even here in LA (land of gluten free everything) gluten free baked goods aren’t always the most delicious.
Or moist. Gross word, but true.

This little cake, however, is an economy sized vehicle of SUV sized flavor. Wait, that’s a terrible metaphor. This little cake is an economy sized vehicle for mouth-wateringly amazing flavor of Monster Truck magnitude. Okay. I give up. This little cake is just plain delicious- it’s full of flavor (and carrots!) and it’s really easy to make.

carrotcakeplates

It doesn’t require any fancy cake pans or piping bags or dare-I-say baking skills. It’s a winner. And the adorable boyfriend told me it was better than the carrot cake at the bakery across the street. And carrot cake is his favorite, so I actually believe him. High praise. Also, not to harp on the GF thing, but neither of us are gluten free, so if this wasn’t delicious, I’d just throw a shit ton of regular flour in it and be done already.

carrotcakesolo

candiedcarrotcurls

The candied carrot curls are definitely the most difficult part of this recipe. And they’re really more sticky than difficult. But damn, they’re cute, right?! Not to mention they’re basically carrot candy. Health food I tell you.

You can even make them a few days ahead of time if you like, since besides being sticky, they’re a little time consuming. Or you can skip ’em entirely and get right to the cake eating!

slice2

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Mini Carrot Cake (gluten free...)
 
This gluten free carrot cake is cute AND delicious! It looks fancy with all it's layers, and difficult with ALL those directions, but it's really simple to make!
Ingredients
The Cake:
  • 1 cup grated carrots (I used 5 organic, aka puny carrots)
  • 1¼ cups almond flour
  • ½ cup coconut milk
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
The Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons)
  • 1 package cream cheese (8 oz)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
The Candied Carrot Curls
  • 2 carrots
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup sugar
Instructions
  1. Grate the carrots- they should be one level above carrot zest or mush, but still pretty fine. (I used our cheese grater)
  2. Mix all ingredients for cake in a bowl and pour into a buttered 9x13 pan.
  3. Bake cake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
  4. While cake bakes, make the frosting: mix softened butter & cream cheese with sugar & vanilla in a stand mixer or by hand until smooth and creamy.
  5. Let cake cool completely, then use a large empty can (29oz) to cut 4 round cake layers.
  6. Cut a round piece of parchment paper by tracing the can and put this under the first cake layer on a flat plate- the parchment makes it easy to move your cake to a clean plate or stand later once you're done frosting.
  7. Now, frost! Add a dollop of frosting to first cake layer and smooth with a butter knife to edges, then add another cake layer, and continue until you get to the top!
  8. Garnish with candied carrot curls! Or eat it as is!
Candied Carrot Curls (can be make a few days ahead of time)
  1. Peel outer layer off carrots, then use peeler to peel long/wide slices of carrot
  2. Add water and sugar to pot over medium heat and when sugar is dissolved add carrots.
  3. Turn heat to low and simmer carrots for 15 minutes.
  4. Drain carrots and allow to cool for 10 minutes
  5. Lay carrots out on parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 200 degrees for 20 minutes
  6. Remove carrots from oven and wrap around a straw (I used my handy metal one) or spoon handle to get curls. Gently slide off straw and place back on parchment.
  7. Bake curly carrots for another 20 minutes.
  8. Cool completely and use to garnish cake
Notes
I like to pop my cake in the freezer for 10-15 minutes after frosting to firm it up- I just cover it with an upside down tupperware/jar so the frosting doesn't get messed up AND so the cake doesn't absorb any weird freezer odors. After it comes out of the freezer, I use a metal spatula to transfer it to my cake stand, parchment round and all!

Piña Colada Pulled Pork Tacos

July 2nd, 2014

Would you believe that I just started using a slow-cooker (ergo crock-pot) about a year ago? And not for lack of having one. Oh no. I had a perfectly good (brand new in fact) one sitting in my kitchen for years before my great pork conversion of 2013.

I think I thought it turned food to mush. Or required (demanded) cream of mushroom soup to function. I don’t know what I thought, but I eat my words.

In the form of tacos.

Sweet, delicious, juicy, piña-colada pulled pork tacos with just the right pickly crunch of cabbage and creme fraiche. I actually coined the term “pork-face” after seeing the look of ecstasy (really I don’t think it’s too strong a word) on my boyfriend’s face the first time I made these.

I now liberally use it to describe the look of satisfaction that good food spreads across your face like naughty errant condiments.

Happiness on a tortilla my friends. And perfect to share with a crowd on the fourth,
because not all of us have yards.

5.0 from 1 reviews
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Pina Colada Pulled Pork Tacos
 
So easy. So tasty. This recipe will feed you for days (depending on your piggy ways) 🙂
Ingredients
The Pork:
  • 3-5 lbs pork butt/shoulder
  • 1 onion sliced
  • 1 can of coconut milk
  • ½ pineapple, chopped
  • 2 inches fresh ginger, chopped
  • 6 whole cloves garlic
  • 1 teaspoon coriander
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
The Cabbage:
  • ½ green cabbage chopped + piece of beet
  • OR ½ red cabbage chopped
  • ½ onion, chopped in rings
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 10-12 peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
The Garnish:
  • tiny tortillas
  • creme fraiche
  • hot sauce
  • avocado
  • lime
  • cilantro
Instructions
  1. Heat the apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, peppercorns and bay leaves until honey is dissolved, then let mixture come to room temperature.
  2. Pour vinegar mixture over cabbage, beet and ½ onion, stir, cover and refrigerate for 7-8 hours.
  3. Mix the salt, pepper, cumin and coriander together and rub all over pork.
  4. Add pork, onion, ginger, garlic, and coconut milk to slow cooker and cook on low for 7 hours.
  5. Using two forks, shred pork in slow-cooker, and allow to cook for another hour.
  6. Place pork on baking sheet, squeeze pineapple over the meat and toss pineapple chunks with meat, then cook at 400 degrees until pork is caramelized and crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside. 10-15 minutes depending on your oven.
  7. Place pork, cabbage and your choice of garnish on tiny tortillas and eat up!
Notes
If you throw together the pickled cabbage in the AM when you put the pork on to cook, you'll have an amazing meal practically jumping in your mouth when you get home from work!