Gluten Free Carrot Cake with Bacon Cream Cheese Frosting

Our family motto is "Bacon and Butter Make Everything Better". When both of those ingredients combine in a single dish? Magic!

Gluten Free Carrot Cake with Bacon Cream Cheese Frosting

I'm really picky about my carrot cake. I like it with carrots, but some people add nuts. Others use coconut. And yet others include raisins. I'm a purist. It's a Carrot Cake. Not a Carrot-Nut- Raisin-Coconut Cake. If you insist on the additional elements when you make this cake, go for it! But I'm a simple girl.

When it comes to the frosting though... well, I'm more than happy to experiment. The salty and smokey addition of bacon compliments the sweetness of the cream cheese. You'll love it!

Getting ready to pull it all together...

Sift the dry ingredients (just noticed my reflection in the sifter! Ha!)

Add butter/oil, applesauce (I used strawberry applesauce) and vanilla to the beaten sugar and eggs.

Shredded Carrots. Definitely worth getting the food processor out of the cabinet.

Combine shredded carrots with cake batter.

Gluten Free Carrot Cake with Bacon Cream Cheese Frosting

Gluten Free Carrot Cake with Bacon Cream Cheese Frosting

Gluten Free Carrot Cake:

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
4 eggs

8 ounces (2 sticks) butter, melted or your favorite vegetable/canola oil

1/2 cup apple sauce
2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pound carrots, grated

Directions

Preheat oven to 350° F
This recipe makes: two 9" round cake pans, one 9"x13" pan or muffin/cupcake tins (makes 36). I used two 8"x8" square cake pans. Grease your baking vessel or line your muffin/cupcake tins.

1. Beat sugar and eggs in a large mixing bowl with an electric beater or in a stand mixer. 

2. Add butter (or oil) and vanilla and beat until smooth. 

3. In a large bowl, combine gluten-free flour mix, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Sift to combine. (Using a sifter will allow for a lighter cake texture. If you don't have a sifter, whisk well) 

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and beat until blended.
5. Stir in grated carrots. 

6. Pour the batter into prepared pans.
7. Bake for 40-55 minutes (depending on the size of your baking vessel), until a toothpick comes out clean. Cupcake cooking time is 30-35 minutes.

8. Let completely cool before removing from pan and before icing.

Bacon Cream Cheese Frosting:

Ingredients

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

12 ounces bacon

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

1. Line a baking sheet with foil. Lay out bacon in a single layer.

2. Bake the bacon for 15 minutes, until fragrant and crispy.

3. Remove from oven, cool on a paper towel lined plate.

4. Finely chop all but two slices of the bacon (to incorporate into the frosting).  The other two slices should be coarsely chopped (to top the frosting).

5. Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 4-5 minutes. 

6. Add confectioners sugar, in thirds. Beat at low speed until incorporated. Repeat until all confectioners sugar has been incorporated.

7. Add vanilla and mix to incorporate.

8. Add finely chopped bacon. With a wooden spoon, mix to combine.

Build your cake:
1. Place bottom layer on a cake plate. 

2. Spread 1/3 of the frosting on the top of the cake.

3. Place the second layer on top of the frosted bottom layer.

4. Spread remaining 2/3 of the frosting on the top and sides of the cake.

5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Eat, Drink & Be Yummy!

Bacon & Egg Carbonara

This winter season has been odd at the farmers market. A few weeks ago I bought cabbage, parsnips and turnips. My hands were cold when I was picking out the produce,  so I didn't really get to "feel" them. When I got home, all of the items were soggy and not crisp. Around NY, there isn't as much variety during colder months. 

Bacon & Egg Carbonara

It also depends on the day of the week that you go. So I had a lot working against me when I went last week on a super cold Wednesday morning. Stone Arch Farms had a small display of baked goods and a few dozen gorgeous eggs. The truth is that I bypassed the stand and continued walking through the market. But then I came back.

It's very rare that I can admit to letting the kids get the better of me. But here, I'll share that I'm a victim of succumbing to the kids request. What request? "Let. Us. POP. The. Yolk. PLEEAAAAASSEEEEEEE."  Sheesh. Of all of the things that I deny them, this pleasure I have to let them have. They love popping the yolk and then mixing it in with the hot pasta and cream sauce. Check the picture with the kids bowls... you'll see that the littlest one (on the far right) popped her yolk as I was taking pictures.

Seriously, the ingredients accidentally ended up near each other

Gently render the fat out of the bacon

Remove bacon from skillet

Saute onion and garlic, in the rendered bacon fat, until lightly browned

Add frozen peas, half and half (or CREAM!!!) and parmesan. Warm through

The picture plate and the kids dinner plates (popped yolk on the right)

Bacon & Egg Carbonara

Serves 5

Ingredients

12 ounces bacon, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
1 small onion, diced

5 or 6 cloves of garlic

3/4 cup grated parmesan

3/4 cup heavy cream (I didn't have cream today and used half and half. Go ahead and call the authorities)

10 ounce frozen peas

2 tablespoons parsley, fine chiffonad (plus more to garnish)
10-12 ounces long pasta, cooked as per instructions (reserve 1 cup of hot pasta water)

5 egg yolks

parmesan slivers to garnish
Kosher Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. With skillet hot on Medium/High heat. Saute bacon until fat has rendered and the bacon has just started to crisp. Don't overcook the bacon! Remove from skillet, onto a paper towel lined bowl and reserve.
2. Into the rendered bacon fat, add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions have started to get a golden color.

3. Add peas, parmesan, heavy cream (or half and half if you forgot to buy heavy cream; D'OH!!!) and parsley. Saute to heat the peas through. 

4. Add pasta and coat with the sauce. Add some pasta water if the sauce is too thick.

5. Divide pasta between 5 bowls. 

6. Top with egg yolk and reserved bacon pieces.  Mix to combine.

7. Taste and add Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

8. Garnish with parmesan slivers and parsley.

Eat, Drink & Be Yummy!

Pizza with Clams, Bacon & Arugula

I lost my appetite during a recent bought of illness. Feeding *this* cold was not an option. It takes a lot for m to loose my appetite, so I knew that this was serious. After spending the better part of a week in bed, at 2:45 on that Friday afternoon, I knew that things were about to get better. How? I had my first real food thought in a week and it was strong enough to make me salivate. Yes, just thinking about food made me salivate.  I knew that I was on the mend when I was physically salivating thinking about pizza with clams. 

Pizza with Clams, Bacon & Mozzarella about to go into the oven

Usually, when I get food thoughts like this, it takes me at least a few days to act on them. Find a recipe, buy ingredients, find the time to make it, etc. But in this case, I knew that it was going to be satisfied that night! I didn't have a particular dinner planned and this was going to be perfect! Involve the kids a little bit and everyone would be thrilled. I'd buy all of the ingredients on the way home from picking up #3.

Cast of Characters from top left, Arugula, Whole Wheat Pizza Dough,
Clams, Mozzarella, & Bacon

Let pizza dough rest in a lightly oiled bowl, covered with a
kitchen towel for 20 minutes-2 hours.

Bake bacon until crispy, 450 for about 15 minutes

Rendered bacon fat with crushed garlic.
Brush onto pizza dough, making sure to give each kid a turn.

Kid 1

Kid 2

Kid 3

Two cans of chopped clams, drained (a few TBSP of liquid reserved)

Evenly spread sliced mozzarella, clams and bacon over pizza

Sprinkle cooked pizza with arugula, lemon juice and garlic bacon oil, slice and enjoy!
We cut our pizza with kitchen shears

Pizza with Clams, Bacon & Arugula

Ingredients

1 pound refrigerated pizza dough
All-purpose flour, for kneading

9 slices bacon3 large cloves garlic, crushed
1 pound ball fresh mozzarella, sliced (about 10 slices)
2 6.5-ounce cans chopped clams, juice drained and few TBSP reserved
2 cups baby arugula
Juice of 1 lemon

Kosher salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. 

1. Place pizza dough into a bowl that has been lightly slicked with olive oil. Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand for at least 20 minutes, up to 1.5 hours.

2. Place bacon on a foil lined baking sheet. Place rack in the middle of the oven and bake bacon for 15-20 minutes.

3. Remove bacon onto paper towel lined plate and let cool. When cooled, crumble the bacon.

4. Pour rendered bacon fat into bowl and add crushed garlic.

5. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. Place baking rack in bottom 1/3 of the oven.

6. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll and stretch into a large rectangle: the size of a large baking sheet.

7. Brush the entire crust with the garlic bacon oil (including the perimeter crust!!). This should use about 1/2 of your bacon oil. Reserve remainder.

8. Evenly place sliced mozzarella, clams and bacon over the dough.

9. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of clam juice over dough. Sprinkle with Kosher salt.

10. Bake  for 15 minutes, until the crust is light brown.

11. When the pizza comes out of the oven, top it with arugula (the arugula that touches the pizza will wilt a little, so put enough arugula to have both wilted and crunchy!) and drizzle with lemon juice and some of the reserved garlic bacon oil.  

Eat, Drink Be Yummy!

Chocolate Bark with Bacon, Apricots and Peanuts

Simple blog post. So simple that it can be boiled down to bullet points identifying why this is a perfect dessert:

✓No Baking Required
✓Multiple food groups represented: Dairy, Meat, Legumes, Fruit
✓No Exact Proportions Necessary
✓Decadent
✓Chocolate
✓Bacon
✓Kid Friendly
✓Salty & Sweet
✓Great for Large Crowds/Dinner Parties

I'm not a religious person, but I imagine that this is what heaven tastes like

Chopped peanuts, bacon, apricots and chocolate ready to be combined

Chocolate Bark with Bacon, Apricots and Peanuts

Chocolate Bark with Bacon, Apricots and Peanuts

Ingredients

10 slices of thick sliced bacon

1 bar (18 ounces) TJ's Pound Plus Dark Chocolate

3/4 cup dried apricots, measured after they've been finely diced.

1 cup salted and roasted peanuts

Directions

1. Bake 10 pieces of bacon in oven at 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes, until crisp.

2. Remove bacon onto paper towel lined plate and let cool. (Reserve bacon fat for future use like popcorn popping) 

3. Melt chocolate in double boiler. OR in a Pyrex bowl in the microwave in 30 second incriments, stirring in between each 30 seconds until smooth.

4. Crumble all of the bacon. 

5. Once the chocolate has cooled a bit, stir in half of the bacon, half of the apricots and half of the peanuts. Stir to combine. 

6. Spread chocolate mixture on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or foil. 

7. Sprinkle the top of the chocolate with remainder of bacon, apricots and peanuts. Gently press to make sure each piece adheres to the chocolate.

8. Chill for at least an hour. 

9. Break apart & enjoy!

Eat, Drink & Be Yummy!

Scallop BLT's with Garlic Chive Aioli

I drooled when I saw the picture on Bite Sized.  Yes. I actually drooled at a photograph. 
A Scallop BLT?  Did they discover the perfect food?

The visual simply wasn't enough.  I had to recreate the dish for two reasons.  First, I had to taste this deliciousness and second, I wanted to take my own drool-worthy picture.

Here's my attempt at the later:

The kids knew that it was going to be a special night when they saw the cleaned scallops hanging out on the counter, in between paper towels. Luckily, they were well occupied so I wasn't distracted while searing the scallops.

Sear the scallops in butter and olive oil for about 2 minutes on each side

Cool scallops on paper-towel lined plate, just to remove some of the excess oil.

Slice tomatoes that are similar in size to your scallop.  I used small Roma tomatoes,.

Seared Scallop BLT's with Garlic Chive Aioli

Scallop BLT's with Garlic Chive Aioli

Makes 10 Scallop BLT's

Bacon

Line a baking sheet with foil and place 2 strips of thick cut bacon.  (I line the baking sheet with foil for an easier time pouring off the rendered bacon fat and for easier cleanup.)  Place into a 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes, until crisp.  You can use the opportunity to make more bacon, but you'll only be using 2 strips for this dish.  Remove bacon from oven, cool on a paper-towel lined plate, then cut each strip into 5 pieces, about 1' each.

Scallops

Clean 10 scallops and dry excess moisture from them using paper towels.  

*Best to work in two batches so that the scallops aren't crowded onto the pan.

Heat 2 TBSP of olive oil and 2 TBSP of butter in a skillet.  Salt and pepper the visible side of the scallop. When the pan starts to smoke, place the scallop onto the oil: salted/peppered side down.  Salt and pepper the visible side of the scallop.  Let the scallop cook for 2 minutes, until a nice seared crust forms. Flip over and allow to cook for another 2 minutes.  Remove onto a paper towel lined plate, so that the excess oil will drain off.

Tomatoes & Greens

Find tomatoes that are similar in size to your scallops.  My local market had small Roma tomatoes.  Large cherry tomatoes would also work well.  I liked getting interior slices of tomato so that both sides are flat.  You'll need 10 interior slices, from 3-5 tomatoes.  

10 small leaves of your preferred salad green.  Spinach or arugula work best.

Aioli

I modified the Easy Aioli Recipe from epicurious

Mash 2 cloves of garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt in small bowl until paste forms. Whisk in 1/2 mayonnaise, 2 TBSP olive oil, and 1 TBSP lemon juice. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped chives.  Season to taste with kosher salt and pepper.

Building the BLT

Using a very sharp knife, slice the scallop in half, lengthwise.  Place a piece of spinach or arugula on the bottom scallop "bun".  Follow with tomato, bacon, 1 tsp of aioli and then top with the second half of the scallop.

Enjoy!

Eat, Drink & Be Yummy!