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Carrot Cake Mini Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes 4 and a half dozen mini-muffins,
or 2 dozen regular sized muffins
These delicious bite-sized muffins are moister than most with a secret ingredient (pineapple) and beautiful with traditional cream cheese frosting piped on top. They are a perfect sweet treat for a spring brunch, shower or graduation event.
2 cups white flour (or white whole wheat flour)
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup canola oil (if you have walnut oil, it adds a nice flavor)
4 eggs
¼ cup milk
1 cup chopped pineapple
2 cups grated carrot
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt in a bowl until well-mixed. In a separate bowl, mix eggs and oil. Transfer egg mixture to flour mixture, and stir well. Mix in pineapple and carrots.
Grease mini-muffin tins with butter, and fill ¾ full of batter, using a tablespoon. Bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center. Let cool for 10 minutes, and pipe of spread frosting on each muffin. (To pipe, place frosting in a freezer bag, cut off a corner and squeeze the frosting onto the muffin).
Cream Cheese Frosting
1 8-ounce package light cream cheese, softened
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cup confectioner's sugar
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat ingredients until smooth, about 5 minutes. |
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Warm Artichoke Spinach Dip
We love this simple, classic party dip at all kinds of events from an elegant dinner party to a backyard barbeque. Fresh baby spinach adds a flavorful touch and a dimension of color. Feel free to add a bit of hot sauce to give it a kick. Serve warm with pita wedges, crackers or a crusty sliced baguette alongside.
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
2 cups artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup packed fresh baby spinach (washed)
½ cup onions, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a small skillet, sauté the onions and garlic in one tablespoon olive oil for a few minutes. Season with salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, combine artichokes, mayonnaise, cheese, onions, garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and mix well. Transfer to a small baking dish and bake for 25 minutes or until top begins to brown. |
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Dear Friends,
We think it's time to rethink the dinner party. And the graduation bash, the baby shower, and the mother's day brunch. The reason so many people want to entertain but don't do it (or get really stressed about it) is that they put all the work on one person-themselves. But if you cook with friends ahead of time for events, you'll share the work, and the fun. Happy Spring Entertaining (With Friends)! Alison and Shannon  |
Co-Cook and Co-host
We all know that when we co-host an event, everything is easier! You split up duties from invitations, to booking the place, to choosing the decorations. It only follows naturally that cooking the food together will lighten the load.
This option works best when you and a friend or two have a party you all want to throw. Maybe it's a co-worker's baby shower, a cocktail party for your group of friends or a neighborhood barbeque. And there's nothing sweeter than a few friends, sisters (or brothers, or cousins) getting together to create a mother's day dinner or brunch. |
Cook Ahead, Party Separately
Your boss is coming for dinner, or you're having a wedding shower for a friend. You can still accomplish a lot and have a fun day cooking with a friend who's not on the guest list. First, find someone who's also in need of some cooking help. You might both have sons or daughters about to graduate, or just different events coming up in your lives that call for a party. Decide on a few items to make ahead of time (ones that freeze well will be super time-savers), choose a date and time, a kitchen, and make a shopping list. |
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There's a reason potlucks are so popular-they make events easier on everybody. So embrace them! But next time you're invited to a potluck, grab a friend who is also going, and cook together. Maybe you'll make a double batch of your chosen dish, or you'll create two beautiful salads, or pasta dishes, or pies. Either way you will have more fun than cooking for the potluck on your own. If you have the ingredients and a bit more time, make two more of your dish, and take it home to your family, put it in the freezer, or give it to a friend in need. |
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The Modern Cocktail Party
We think cocktail parties should be as much fun to plan and prepare for as they are to go to. That's why we self-cater our cocktail parties with friends. You'll save money, know exactly what is in the dishes you're serving, and, hopefully, have a good time.
A few of our favorite things to do together:
--Create a house drink. Instead of having a full bar, serve wine, beer, and one special cocktail of the evening. It's festive and puts people in the mood for a party. Peach Prosecco, Sangria, Mojitos, or Pimm's Cup are all great spring and summer cocktails.
--Arrange flowers together. Place flower arrangements in low vases around the party area. If they're too high, people have trouble seeing each other.
--Create cheese platters, including several soft and hard cheeses with homemade (or really good store-bought) crackers, olives, beautiful bite-sized fruits, and spiced nuts in your appetizer array.
--Create an iTunes "Party Mix" to set the scene.
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| Our Top Ten Spring Cocktail Party Favorites
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- Mini-Crabcakes with Cajun Mayonnaise
- Warm Artichoke Spinach Dip (see recipe to the left)
- Homemade Salsa and Pita Chips
- Grilled Shrimp with Sage and Prosciutto
- Chicken Dumplings with Soy Dipping Sauce
- Individual Berry Tarts
- Carrot Cake Mini-Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting (see recipe to the left)
- Endive with Herbed Cheese and fresh chopped herbs
- White Bean Dip with crudités
- Asian Summer Rolls
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CWFC Time Saving Tool: The Kuhn Rikon Rainbow Balloon Whisk | |
We love this colorful balloon whisk for making cakes, pancake batter, salad dressings and more. It brightens the kitchen and looks great in an on the counter utensil holder.
Our Tayga aprons are on sale! To order one of these adorable, hip aprons, go to Tayga Aprons. Type in 20Tayga as a promotion code, and you will receive 20 percent off the apron from now until May 7. |
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Mother's Day CWFC Giveaway from Pampered Chef supporting "Help Whip Cancer" |
Please support one of our favorite companies, Pampered Chef, in an important cause as they fight breast cancer this month in their "Help Whip Cancer" campaign. Pampered Chef is donating $1 to the American Cancer Society for every pink-themed product it sells in May. More information on their campaign can be found at www.pamperedchef.com.
You can also participate by sending in a short story about a cooking experience with your mother or daughter to info@cookingwithfriendsclub.com by May 7. We'll choose one that will be featured on our site and Pampered Chef will give the winner two reusable "Help Whip Cancer" grocery totes and a set of pink and white "twixits" bag clips.
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Alison Bermack and Shannon Henry Kleiber
Visit our web site at www.cookingwithfriendsclub.com.
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