GOOD FOOD.....GOOD CAKE....GOOD FRIENDS.....

I Love cake!! there I admit it...I especially like carrot cake with that wonderful cream cheese icing...I think it may just be the combo of butter and cream cheese but either way I can eat the icing with a spoon....I love to bake, but cakes is not my forte'....they always seem too heavy and I'm just never happy with the outcome. So when I do bake a cake I go the Sandra Lee route...Today we celebrated Mrs. Duval's birthday....I brought the food, Miss Necie did the driving. Mr. D had just gotten out of the hospital after having surgery and we were happy that he was feeling well enough to join us....Infact he hedged a bit when he was offered a slice of cake saying he would have a taste then save the rest for later...I think I saw him minutes later licking the plate....... We feasted on Ina's chicken salad on croissants, bow tie pesto pasta salad with red peppers, plum tomatoes and black olives and for desert the above carrot cake.....I had never made the chicken salad or the pesto pasta salad before so I was a bit worried that they wouldn't be up to snuff....But every last bit was eaten and I think they both tasted pretty good. The pasta salad very very tasty and next time I make it I will take a picture and post the recipe...It's very easy to make....Now about the cake.

Thank you Mr. Duncan Hines...

I always use Duncan Hines cake mixes they are the best. always moist always delicious. I was very happy to see the new carrot cake on the market. It's a bit more then the regular cakes but certainly worth it. It comes with freeze dried carrots and raisins that you soak it hot water before mixing it in with the batter. I used the cupcake recipe on the side of the box and added a small can of crushed pineapple, the recipe is slightly different then the one for the cake. The pineapple made it extra moist. I never use can frosting I think it's awful so I made my own ....I used 2 8oz. packages of cream cheese, 2 sticks of butter, 2 boxes of powdered sugar a hint of vanilla and a touch of pineapple juice. I beat the heck out of it in the Kitchen Aid and it was yummy....I added the walnuts and a little orange peel for color....You would swear it was all homemade....I recommend it highly....

Here's another favorite thing of mine....I love brown paper shopping bags. I always have some on hand and here's one way you can decorate it for a birthday....I just cut the letters out of an old Better Homes and Garden and glued them on....a little matching tissue and some colorful curly ribbon....which I buy for cheap at IKEA, and you have a great looking gift bag. I also use the bags when Boo is going off to the kennel.....I fill the bag with his toys, his box of biscuits and whatever else he'll need while he's away from home....On the bag itself I write all the info that the kennel needs.....the dates he'll be staying with them, any phone numbers for contact, his feeding schedule, when he gets his meds and the vet's phone number....