BG Time: Cooking

Whenever my mother-in-law (GG) and I get together we cook. It is something that we both have a passion for. We will sit up until 2:00 a.m. watching cooking shows, picking through how food is prepped, cooked, and presented. This weekend we decided to cook three things; chicken and vegetable soup, carrot cake, and granola bars.

I have been watching The Pioneer Woman on the Food Network. I have come to realize that while I would never live on a farm......I would definitely live in her kitchen! Her food is gooooood and she definitely knows how to season her foods right. She cooks for her family and really enjoys doing it...my kind of woman. She recently had a show called "Horsing Around" where she showcased her carrot cake and granola bars. I could not wait to make them.

Carrot Cake
from The Pioneer Woman

Cake:

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 4 whole eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups grated carrots
• Butter, for greasing

Icing:

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans, chopped finely

Directions

For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Mix together the granulated sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture and combine. Then add the carrots and mix well. Pour the batter into a greased and floured Bundt pan and bake until done, about 50 minutes. Leave to cool completely.
Meanwhile, for the icing: In a larger bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese together. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and blend. Then mix in the pecans. Spread the icing on the cooled carrot cake.
Eat. Faint. Repeat as needed. 

This cake is so moist and delicious. The icing is what makes it. I made it on Saturday and today, Sunday, it is gone! 


The Granola Bars were amazing as well. Here are a few pics that I snapped along the way and the recipe. These are not like the store bought ones which are processed, they have a lot more wholesome goodness to them. I plan to eat one every morning until they are gone. Don't judge. 

Prepping the Oats

Toasting

When it's all mixed together pre bar form

 Granola Bars
From: The Pioneer Woman

• 6 cups rolled oats (not quick oats)
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for greasing
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups rice cereal
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped almonds
• 8 ounces milk chocolate, melted

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a bowl, toss the oats with the canola oil, melted butter and salt. Spread the mixture out on 2 baking sheets and toast in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, shaking the pan twice and making sure they don't burn. Remove from the oven and set aside. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees F.
In a medium saucepan, combine the brown sugar, honey, apple juice and molasses. Heat the mixture slowly, stirring until all combined. Stir in the vanilla and remove from the heat.
Toss together the toasted oats, rice cereal, wheat germ, pecans and almonds. Pour in the sugar mixture, stirring as you pour. Toss to combine; it will be sticky.
Press into 1 baking sheet (thoroughly greased with butter) and bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Cut pieces with a sharp knife and remove from the pan. You can cut them while they're still warm if that's easier.
Dip the cooled granola bars straight into the melted chocolate so that the top is plain and the bottom is chocolate-covered. Set on parchment until set, sticking in the fridge to hasten this along if necessary.