Contest!!!

I've decided to host another contest! The theme is food photography!

Rules:

-The picture must be taken by you

-It must be of food, but you can have anything else in the pictures for decoration.

-You don't have to give me the recipe along with the photo... but I would appreciate it!

-You can enter as many pictures as you like!

-HINT: I love bright colours!

Contest Begins: Right now!
Contest Ends: May 3, 2011
Winners announced: May 4, 2011

Thanks in advance for entering!

Carrot Gold Cake

I LOVE carrot cake! And this is the best carrot cake recipe ever! It was made for a choir concert that my sister was in... Sooo good!

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 - 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs, well beaten
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 - 1/2 baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoons ground cimmamon
2 cups finely grated raw carrots
1 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup angel flake coconut
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Beat together sugar and oil. Add in the eggs, beating unti fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Finally, fold in the carrots, pineapple, coconut, and nuts. Pour into 3 greased and floured 8-inch layer pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes. Or bake in a 9 by 13 pan for 40 to 45 minutes. Ice with cream cheese frosting.

Gingerbread Loaf

I love anything gingerbread! So you can imagine how much I loved this loaf! It's got such a delicious, spicy smell! I guarantee you'll love it!

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 and 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1 and 1/4 teaspoons ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. In another bowl, combine the eggs, milk, syrup and oil. Stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened (batter will be thin). Pour into two greased 9-in. x 5-in. loaf pans.

Bake at 325° for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves.

French Toast

Me and my best friend made this for breakfast about a week or so ago. It was VERY, VERY, VERY GOOD!!! I highly recommend it!

Ingredients:

- 5 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups of milk
- cinnamon
- 1 loaf of toast bread

Method

In a medium sized flat bottomed bowl, whisk the egg and milk together.
Add the cimmamon and combine.
Heat a non stick fry pan to medium and melt a teaspoon of butter, spreading around the pan.
Soak each slice of bread and lay into the fry pan .. turn once when bottom has browned. Keep french toast warm in the oven until ready to serve. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to serve.

Chocolate Meringues

From the kitchen of: Rose
These cookies are *scrumptious*! I love how light and fluffy they are! And I like how it has a different texture from most cookies!

Ingredients:

3 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F
Beat in cream of tartar and vanilla when the egg whites become foamy; continue whipping till soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar; (When it says slowly...it means REALLY slowly. Put the sugar in using a tablespoon till it's all gone. This should take 2 minutes to complete), beat until stiff peaks form, and mixture becomes glossy. Add in cocoa and chocolate chips. (Chips aren't necessary)
Drop mixture by teaspoonfuls on to a cookie sheet that has been covered with tin foil. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.(It might be less or more depending on climate and elevation. I cook using high altitude instructions mostly)

Almond Roca

Caution: VERY, VERY GOOD!!!!! I make this every year around Christmas time.

Before you start...

*Spray or grease a large cookie sheet
*Line sheet with graham crackers

Instructions:

Gather...
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
*Melt together brown sugar and butter, bring to a boil for about 2 minutes (until gelatinous in texture).
*Spread over graham wafers
Bake for 10 minutes at 325, be careful not to burn them!

*Once it's done in the oven, sprinkle two cups chocolate chips over it and let it sit for 5 minutes. When the 5 minutes are up, the chocolate chips should be soft and melted. Spoon/spread the chocolate chips around. Sprinkle slivered almonds on top. Freeze. Break up like an ice tray to serve.
Bon Appetit!

Pizza

I am a HUGE pizza fan! And this crust is THE BEST (I really mean that)!

To get a great pizza sauce reipe, go HERE.



Ingredients for pizza crust:

1/2 cup warm water
2 teaspoons sugar
2 packages yeast
1 cup milk, warmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
4 cups flour

Measure warm water into medium mixing bowl, add sugar and dissolve. Sprinkle in yeast and let stand for 10 minutes. Add milk, salt and oil to the yeast mixture. Add flour and mix until flour disappears. Knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl. Grease the top of the dough and put the bowl in a warm place so the dough will rise and double in bulk (about 45 minutes).
This is enough dough for two pizzas.

To make pizza:

To make the pizza just follow the instructions you usually would. Spread the dough over a pizza pan, add pizza sauce, put on your toppings, bake, etc. Whatever you would usually do.

Enjoy!