Monday morning thoughts . . . and a Giveaway!

"Half the world is on the wrong scent in the pursuit of happiness. They think it consists in having and getting, and in being served by others. The truth is, it consists in giving, and serving others . . . He that would be happy, let him remember that there is but one way . . . it is more blessed, it is more happy, to give than to receive."
~Henry Drummond

And in that vein, I'd like to have a little giveaway on here this morning. I haven't given something away in a long time. This is one of my pieces of artwork, called "Family, Forever. As you can see here, I have customized it for my son's family, but I can customize it to fit any family. The family name is on the small heart at the tail of the ribbon. The smaller hearts scattered below have the names of all the family . . . mother, father and children, with the children's birthdates included and down in the lower right hand corner is the marriage date.



I am giving away one of these prints, customized to the details of one of my reader's families. Just leave a comment on this post to be in on the giveaway! I will draw one at the end of the week.

We didn't have much of a weekend. It rained and rained and rained. It is still raining. Not heavy rain, but a constant drizzle. The gardens will soak it up for sure, but . . . it can get very tiresome though, to say the least!



Today is the day that Lura is going in for her operation. Please keep her in your special prayers and thoughts. She needs them now, more than ever!

I spoke to my father yesterday and also to my mother. (They live in different places.) I'm afraid I woke my father up. It is hard to know when to call him. Most times I call and he is out, so I thought I would get him before he was off and out the door. Unfortunately I got him before he was off and out of the bed! He did not mind. I used to chat to him very often on MSN, but he rarely goes on these days and so I can see that I will have to call him frequently to make up for our lack of chats. I have always called my mother once a week, because she doesn't have a computer. So now I will be making two calls a week. I don't mind at all. It's the least I can do for all that they have done for me. I wish I lived closer so that I could do more, but we must do the best that we can and noone can ask for more than that.



We were snuggling with our Mitzie last evening watching the television and she was curled up in her favourite place, between us on the sofa, completely oblivious to everything around her, laying flat on her back, legs splayed and head thrown back, snozzing away, totally at ease and happily ensconced in the place she loves best. I love my beautiful little family . . . Todd, Mitzie and myself. We are so comfortable with each other and in complete harmony. It is an easy and happy place to be . . .

It occurred to me that life can and is every bit as good, if not better than the wonderful make believe movies that we love to watch so much. It has all the same joy and sorrow . . . the mystery and suspence, adventure and excitement . . . and the love and emotion, except that it is real and not make believe . . . which reminded me of this quote from Shakespeare . . .

"Life's a play; all the world's a stage; and you're the star!"



Each day can be a little play, complete with beginning, middle and Happy Ending! I have already decided that I want written on my headstone one day . . ."She lived happily ever after." Coz that is what I am doing each day of my life . . . come what may.

Don't forget to leave a comment to be in on the giveaway today, and of course wherever you are today, whatever you are doing . . . live this day to the fullest and . . . smile!

Here's a tasty main meal salad that makes good use of leftover chicken. Perfect for Mondays when you may have the leftovers from Sunday lunch. You don't need to use chicken or turkey though, you can also use ham, and I am sure it would be quite good with pork as well. You can also throw in some chopped cheese if you like, or even leftover cooked vegetables. It's quite adaptable to what you have on hand and quite delicious, if I don't say so myself!



*Chopped Salad*
Serves 4 - 6
Printable Recipe

A hearty main meal salad, perfect for these warm summer days!

1 cup dried pasta (macaroni, medium shells, etc.)
1/2 medium head of iceberg lettuce
6 ounces cooked chicken or turkey, but into bite sized pieces
1/2 of a 12 ounce jar of roasted red peppers, drained and cut into bits
1/2 of a small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced into rings
1/2 cup of French Fried onions (crispy salad onions)
6 ounces bottled poppy seed salad dressing or 3/4 cup of your
own homemade poppy seed salad dressing

Cook the pasta in a pot of lightly salted boiling water according to the package directions. Drain well. Rise with cold water and drain again. Place into a large bowl. Add the remainder of the salad ingredients and toss all together gently to coat. Serve immediately.



Over in The English Kitchen I'm cooking up delicious Crispy Cod with a Gazpacho Salad!

Be it ever so humble . . . and a new Giveaway!

Home . . . home . . . we've all read the old quips about it, probably even used them from time to time . . . you know the ones . . . like

home is a place you hang your hat, or the place you sign up for the family car, or wait for the allowance dole . . . grab a snack.

We all have a tendancy to take our old abode for granted sometimes. It's there, it's familiar . . . it's just home, that's all.

But is that all it really is?



Have you ever been away somewhere and been struck with a devouring longing for that place you call "Home?" It is then that you truly begin to realize that a home is much more than a roof over your head . . . and that it quite honestly takes a whole heap of living to make a house a home for you or for anyone else.

Home is where you can loll about on the floor and read the newspaper or your comics . . . where the smell of fresh bread baking or a tempting stew bubbling on top of the stove tantalizes your tastebuds, promising pleasures to come . . . where your grade school masterpiece still resides and the scratches of your first puppies claws still mark the back door.



It's after-school-snacks of your own choosing and where your horde of childhood books, snapshots, report cards and all those other important momentos of your youth are still stashed . . . it's birthday cakes and family reunions . . . it's the remembrances of leaf raking in the autumn and digging in the garden in the spring.

It's praying together and singing together . . . and sometimes even arguing together . . . but you can do it and not be afraid of judgement, or ridicule, or the fear of people abandoning you . . . because you know that everyone there loves you . . . even when you don't love yourself.



It's agreeing to disagree with your mom on your form of dress . . . and the tender, loving care when you're sick . . . the heap of understanding when you're blue . . . it's the place where you are loved most by those who know you best and where you've been.

Home is the welcome mat you put out for your friends . . . where you can pay back all their kindnesses to you . . . where you can share . . . where you can give . . . where you can care . . .



It's not unlike anyone else's home, and yet . . . it's different than all the others, because your things, your loves, your happy memories reside there. Home is really where you hang your ♥ heart ♥



It's a lot of things . . . that's what a home is . . . and it's pretty special don't you think?



A friend of mine in church told me about this fabulous Muffin Cookbook. I looked it up on the internet and it did indeed sound wonderful and so I just had to have one for myself, only to discover after it arrived . . . doh!! I already had it. I didn't want to go to the trouble of sending it back so I thought to myself, this would make the perfect giveaway gift! So that is what I am doing in honor of passing the 200 mark on my followers list I am giving every follower of mine an opportunity to win this lovely Cookbook, "Mad About Muffins, by Dianna Bonaparte. Not only that, I am also throwing in a small set of kitchen scales as the recipes are all in British Measurements and I know you North Americans sometimes struggle with those! To be in on the fun you only have to sign up as one of my followers and leave a comment telling me you have done so, or that you are already on the list. I'll be picking a winner on March 1st. Good Luck Everyone!



Just to show you how very tasty the recipes are in this book, I baked the White Chocolate and Lavender Muffins from it's pages last night. Oh my, but they are very good! I was a bit afraid that the lavender would be somewhat overpowering, but it isn't. It's quite pleasant and so are the white chocolate chunks!!



*White chocolate and Lavender Muffins*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

Deliciously different! The Lavender gives a subtle pleasant taste to these sweet muffins and goes so very well with the white chocolate.

For the batter
13 ounces flour
6 ounces caster sugar
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried lavender (or 1 TBS fresh lavender florets)
6 3/4 ounces milk
3 1/2 ounces sunflower oil
2 eggs
7 ounces white chocolate, chopped
to top:
1 1/2 ounces demerara sugar or lavender sugar if you have it



Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Grease and flour 12 medium muffin cups or line with paper liners.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and lavender together in a large bowl. Whisk together the milk, oil and eggs in a beaker. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once. Fold in with a large metal spoon, just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in the chocolate chunks to evenly disperse.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, dividing it equally amongst them. Sprinkle the tops with the demerara sugar. (or lavender sugar if using)

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes until well risen and golden brown and the tops spring back when gently touched.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool a bit before eating.



If you like apples and blackberries, you'll love this delicious Apple and Blackberry Cobbler that I have posted today over on The English Kitchen.

And the winner is . . .

Hi all! I used the random number generator on violetsareblue.net/random and came up with the number 7.

Holly, you are my grand slam Birthday Giveaway winner! As soon as you send me your proper address, the chocolates, pencil, cook book and surprise *Lily Flame* candle will be winging it's way across the pond to you! (It's the Wild Jasmine scented one and it smells fabulous!)

Sorry you could not all be winners, but thanks so much to each of you for joining in on the fun! Knowing me, I'll be doing another giveaway again sometime soon!

Thanks also to each of you for your many Happy Birthday wishes! I have had a super day and you've all been a very special part of it! *night *night! I'm finishing off the perfect day with a dose of Corry Street and then bed.

A Birthday Giveaway!

I know it's really hard to believe, but this week coming up, I will be celebrating my 54th Birthday. I know!!! It can't be possible that I am going to be 54, but the sad truth of it slaps me in the face every morning when I look into the mirror!

Anyways, I am a person that just loves an excuse to celebrate and there is nothing I would like more than to have you all celebrate right along with me. So . . . in honor of my 54th Birthday I am hosting a Birthday Giveaway! Yes, on Thursday the 13th of August, one of you, my special friends, will become the lucky winner of the following:



A delicious cookery book, and one of my favourites. Sweet Food, Delicious Sweet Treats that will Cure any craving. A chunky little cookbook that is filled to the brim with an assortment of delicious recipes, perfect recipes for celebrating all that is good in life and more!

But that is not all . . .



A beautiful Swarovski Kristallwelten pencil that I picked up in Austria just for this purpose, to give to one of you. It's got a beautiful crytal tip on the end of it, instead of a rubber. I just know you'll like it.

And that again is not all . . .



It just wouldn't be a celebration without some chocolate being involved, and so I am also giving away an assortment of delicious Mozart Chocolates that I also picked up in Salzburg, specifically for this purpose! There are a lot of different things about Mozart, but nothing tastes better than the delicious Mozartkugel Chocolate Ball. I just know you will love them!




And then I will also throw in a little surprise. I am not sure yet what it will be, but I'll reveal all on August 13th! So, what are you waiting for? To be in on this lovely Birthday Giveaway just leave a comment on this post and don't forget to spread the news!! The more the merrier!

And now for my recipe for today. I had been oggling this sweet potato muffin for quite a few weeks now and finally got around to baking them yesterday. They are not much to look at, but boy oh boy, what they lack in looks, they more than make up for in flavour. These are really scrummy!!



*Sweet Potato Maple Muffins*
Makes 16
Printable Recipe

These mufffins might not be anything special to look at, but when you bit into one you will realize that they are fabulous! Moist, and spicy and full of all that's delicious about a New England morning. I just love them!

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks
1 1/2 cups flour
pinch salt
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp of ground cardamom
6 TBS butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup pure maple syrup



Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. Generously grease two 8 cup muffin tins, or line them with paper liners. Set aside.

Place the sweet potato in a pot with some lightly salted water and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well, and then mash with a potato masher until quite smooth. You should have 1/2 cup of sweet potato.

Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and spices together in a large bowl.

Cream the butter and brown sugar together in a another bowl. Beat in the eggs, then stir in the milk, maple syrup and reserved sweet potato. Mix all together thoroughly.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients. Pour the potato mixture into it. Stir just until the ingredients are combined, don't over mix.

Spoon into the prepared muffin cups, filling them about 2/3 full. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean and they spring back when lightly touched. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Delicious!



I baked a few in my pudding tin so I could have muffin tops, and topped them with some streusel before baking. Scrummy Yummy!



Oh and if you are wondering what else I baked. I did some lucious Lemon Friands! (CLick on the link to get the recipe)

A Front Porch Party, a Giveway winner and yet another Giveaway!

Good Morning and welcome to the Second Annual Celebration of Rhondi's Porch Party. Rhondi of Rose Coloured Glasses is our gracious hostess. Now, I really don't have a front porch here at Oak Cottage, I have an old stone patio and a beautiful garden but I don't have the front porch of my dreams . . . you know the kind . . . long and sweeping across the front of your house, a place to sit in a comfy chair and look out at the world and keep an eye on all that's happening in the neighbourhood, a place to greet neighbours and friends, a place to just sit and contemplate . . .

I have always wanted to live in a house with a wrap around veranda. Back in my home town there are lots of huge old Victorian homes. I used to have to walk past several of them on my way to school and as I did, I used to dream about what it would be like to live in one of them. To be able to sit on their porches and view the world from such a solubrious place . . .



Just imagine . . .



There would be comfy chairs sitting along the front, just right for you and me and mayhap another friend or two . . . sleepy dogs laying by our feet and keeping us company.



A swing in one corner, just right for a young courting couple to sit upon it, on a warm summer's evening, the swing gently moving back and forth . . . he flirts . . . she blushes . . .



Plants are everywhere, bring colour, and scent and humming birds . . . not to mention bumbly bees and butterflies . . .



Over in another corner a hammock swings, just the thing for aching and tired bones on a lazy summer afternoon. You lay in it and drift off, the sound of leaves tinkling in the breeze and the far off cry of a lawn mower . . . music to your ears.



Perhaps the trickle of water moving over pebbles and stones in a nearby a nearby brook . . .



Of an evening you can have friends over for a front porch supper . . . they only need to bring their appetites. I can hear the laughter and the conversation now . . .



The screen door creaks open and then slams and you think to yourself . . . I better get some oil out, that door is squeaking . . . you wave to a neighbour as she passes by. You haven't seen her in a while and so you invite her up for a sit together and a chat . . .



Perhaps an ice cold glass of lemonade, it's a warm day out there . . .

and some blueberry cupcakes. You didn't think I wouldn't bake did you???



*Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

From the minute I saw this recipe in Cooking Light, I knew I had to bake them. They looked so pretty, capped with that lucious looking cream cheese frosting and little blueberry jewels.
They are fabulous and best of all probably only half the calories of a normal cupcake. Rich, moist and chock full of lovely blueberries, these are real winners!

CUPCAKES:
1 1/2 cups plus 2 TBS flour, divided
10 TBS white sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 large egg
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
1/2 cup 2% reduced fat milk
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
3/4 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries
FROSTING:
1/4 cup (2 ounces) low fat cream cheese (Philadelphia)
2 TBS butter, softened
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups icing sugar, sifted
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
fresh blueberries to garnish (optional)



Pre-heat the oven to 180*C/350*F. LIne a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners, Set aside.

Measure out the 1 1/2 cups of flour and 1 TBS of the flour into a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar, baking powder, salt and soda.

Whisk together the butter, egg, buttermilk, milk, and lemon zest in another bowl.

Stir the blueberries together with the remaining 1 TBS of flour in a third bowl.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the floured mixture, stirring only until moist. Gently fold in the blueberries along with the 1 TBS of flour. Divide equally and spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 25 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the centre of one comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes on a rack before removing them completely from the pan to finish cooling on the wire rack.

Once cooled completely make the frosting by placing the cream cheese and the next 4 ingredients into a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer at low speed until blended. Gradually beat in the icing sugar, taking care not to overbeat. You may need to use a bit more icing sugar than the recipe states. I did, but the creamed cheese over here is not as thick as the cream cheese in North America. Stir in the lemon juice. (I left out the lemon juice in the frosting and just used 1/2 tsp of lemon extract instead, because of the cream cheese issue over here.) Spread frosting evenly over top of the cupcakes. Garnish with blueberries if desired. Store in the refrigerator.

Hop on over to Rhondi's Page to see some of the other Front Porch Party Entries. There are sure to be some beautiful porches out there.

In the meantime, I'd like to announce the winner of my last giveaway . . . the cupcake cookery book, cute cupcake liners and an assortment of five of my notecards which feature my own artwork.

Jan of Serendipity, you're my lucky winner! OH how exciting! E-mail me with your details Jan so I can get these goodies out to you. Don't forget to let me know which five cards you would like.

All you others take heart. TO celebrate the launch of my new cookery blog, The English Kitchen, I am hosting another delicious giveaway over there. Hop on over today to see what it's all about and get in on the chance of winning my wonderful prize! You just never know, the lucky winner could be you!!

Marie's Sunday Six and a Little Surprise

Welcome to my Sunday Smile Makers post! With Mother's day being last week, it's been a few weeks since I have done one. I really love doing the smile maker's post because it helps me to focus on some of the many blessings in my life and to share them with you. I had so much to smile about this past week I have had trouble pinning it down to just six, but here I go!




I did take my camera with me, but DOH! I forgot to take it out and take any pictures of the pizza making activity we did yesterday with the young men and young women at my chapel. I love working with the youngsters. They are such a wonderful bunch. When I was first called I was not overly happy about it, as I had really been enjoying being in Relief Society on Sunday mornings, but . . . I have never been one to turn down a calling, ever.

I accepted the challenge, and I prayed that somehow, someway . . . it would work out. God always answers our prayers, and the Lord always qualifies those whom He calls. I have come to love each one of the young women over these past few years, and more importantly, like them! I enjoy the time I get to spend with them, whether it's teaching them a lesson, playing badminton, going bowling, cooking or just plain listening. It is this love for them that has me painting prayer rocks on a rainy afternoon, and hauling my butt into the chapel on a Saturday morning to make pizzas. They are a great group of gals and each one is so unique. I enjoy them, I really do. We had a great time making the pizza's yesterday. It was hard work keeping them from eating the cheese and meat before the pizza's were all made, but we managed to get through it and there are 26 pizzas living in a variety of homes right now, just waiting to be taken to church and handed out to their respective owners. I hope the recipients enjoy eating them as much as we enjoyed making them!



There are baby Canadian Geese at the local pond, or goslings as they are properly known. I have been looking at them and smiling each time we have driven past in the last week or so. Yesterday, with my camera in my purse, I got Todd to stop and we got out to have a closer look. They were very tame. I think they're quite used to being fed. I had thought that I would have a problem getting a picture of them, but as soon as we got out of the car they started running towards us at full speed! I think they must be quite used to people feeding them.




They were so sweet and so cute. Unfortunately I didn't have anything with me that I could feed them, but they were so good and entertained us anyways! I just HAVE to go back now armed with some treats for them.




We were really surprised to find that there were also ducklings at the pond. When we got there, they were frolicking on top of the lily pads that grow there, as their mother squawked at them from the side lines, but they soon were out and paddling in the grass as well. Aren't they sweet? They sure made me smile. Why is baby anything so cute? I reckon God did that on purpose. That way we would always love them no matter what. It is hard not to love something so adorable.




Speaking of adorable. My son sent me another lovely picture of our Gabriel enjoying his sock monkey. I just love my grandsons so much. I really enjoyed making these sock monkey's for them and it is so nice to see them enjoying my efforts so much! When I was a girl, I had a doll quilt that my grandmother had made for my doll's bed, and I know that I truly treasured it. I hope that they will come to treasure these sock monkey's as well. For now it looks like they are a hit anyways, and that does make me very, very happy.



Last night was the Eurovision Song Contest finals. Todd and I sat and watched, and I have to say we found the quality of the songs this year much better than they have been in recent years. I said to Todd, it would be very hard picking a winner. Of course England had pinned their hopes on a beautiful young lady named Jade and the lovely song written just for the contest by Andrew Lloyd Webber. In fact, Andrew was right there on the stage playing the piano during the song and supporting our country. Jade did a beautiful job of singing. We placed a respectable fifth in the contest, which is way better than we have done in recent years, with Norway coming in first. I have to say that I actually really enjoyed listening to all of the songs and thought they were all incredibly good this year. Congratulations to Norway on their win and to Jade and Andrew . . . you did us proud!



It's lilac season and the air is filled with the perfume of a million blossoms! I just adore lilacs . . . the white ones, the purple ones, the pink ones . . . they're all so very beautiful and their scent is just heavenly. When I was married the first time, my husband and I had rented a lovely little apartment that was on the ground floor of an old house at the top of a hill. It was surrounded by a lovely lilac hedge and, that first spring, it was so beautiful to witness them all in bloom and to sit on the front steps of the apartment building and breathe them in. I had bucketloads of them in our little apartment making it smell nice and looking so very pretty. The marriage didn't last long, but my love of lilacs has surely stood the test of time!

And now for my surprise . . . This is my 550th post and I have decided to do a giveaway to celebrate it! I know, perhaps I should have waited for the 600th, but I just couldn't help it, I had to do one now! Anyone who leaves a comment on this post will have their name entered in my 550 Giveaway and be in on the chance to win . . .



A lovely cupcake cookbook written by Susannah Blake. She is the same author that wrote the Tea Party Cookbook I gave away the last time. She really is a lovely baker and I am sure this book will delight whoever receives it. I have it myself and I adore it. Since we have cupcake recipes I thought it would be fun to include some fun cupcake liners, and so I am also throwing in a lovely package of Wilton Cupcake liners with a really fun and colourfully retro polka dot print.


I'll also throw in five of my tea party print Notecards for you to use as special invites to your very own tea party complete with cupcakes!

Just leave a comment at the end of this post and be sure to tell your friends. If you blog about it and tell me you have, I'll enter your name a second time. I will be drawing a winner on June 1st, so you have approximately 2 weeks to enter. What are you waiting for!!!

Yesterday afternoon I really felt like having a cake. I adapted this recipe from one that I found in one of my old Edna Staebler cookbooks, "Cakes and Frostings with Schmecks Appeal." I love Edna's recipes. They're all delicious, simple and uncomplicated. They are just plain good eating. The addition of the orange zest and the cinnamon are my own, as is the cream cheese drizzle icing. They turned what was already a delicious cake into something really special. This is not heavy like your traditional carrot cake, but it is moist and very light. It's a great snacking cake for the whole family!



*Carrot Crumb Cake*
Makes one 9 by 9 inch cake
Printable Recipe

This is a lovely and moist little carrot cake that has the added treasure of a delightful streusal topping baked right on top. Light, delicious and very easy to prepare, this one wins on all counts. The Cream Cheese drizzle icing is it's crowning glory.

1/2 cup softened butter
1 cup white sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 to 1 1/2 cups raw sliced or grated carrots**
2 cups pastry flour
(if you dont' have pastry flour, use two cups of regular flour. Remove 4 TBS of the flour and
replace with 4 TBS cornstarch)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
the grated zest of one orange
1 tsp salt
TOPPING:
1/2 cup soft light brown sugar, packed
4 TBS flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 TBS cold butter

Pre-heat your oven to 180*C/350*F. Butter and lightly flour a 9 inch square baking pan, tapping out any excess flour. Set aside.

Put the butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, buttermilk and raw carrots (cut in slices) into a blender and blitz until the carrots are finely chopped.

Measure the flour, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, orange zest and salt into a large bowl. Whisk them all together to mix well. Pour the blended misture over top and stir all together until well combined. Pour into the baking pan.

To make the topping, whisk together the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Rub in the cold butter until crumbly. Sprinkle this mixture evenly over the batter in the pan.

Bake for 45 minutes, until the cake is nicely risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool while you make the Cream Cheese drizzle.



*Cream Cheese Drizzle Icing*
Makes enough for one cake

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup icing sugar
1 TBS whole milk
1 TBS fresh lemon juice

Blend the cream cheese together with the icing sugar with a rubber spatula until smooth. Beat in the milk and lemon juice until the mixure is creamy and smooth. Drizzle over top of the cooled cake.

**Note - if you don't have a blender you will have to grate the carrots and make the cake in a more traditional way, as follows:
Cream together the butter and sugar, beat in the egg and vanilla, stir in the carrots and then alternately add the buttermilk and the dry ingredients.