APRON SWAP

A couple months ago I mentioned doing an apron swap. Because of the hectic schedules of the holidays, most of you couldn't participate.
Since then some of you have mentioned that you'd still like to do one...so we'll give it another try!
Here's the idea.... you'll either make or buy an apron to send to another GG member. Along with the apron you could send a couple of your favorite recipes and anything else you may like. In return you will receive an apron and recipes as well!
Lets try to have the packages mailed out by the first week of March. This gives everyone a month to assemble a package and get it shipped off.
Please let me know by THIS WEEKEND who is interested in doing the swap. I will get you a name and address of someone by next week.
I think this will be so much fun. I love giving and receiving fun things in the mail.

CARROT CAKE MUFFINS

I made a batch of carrot cake muffins to send to our friend Peter Brunton for his birthday this Friday. I made muffins as opposed to a cake since they will be traveling to Orlando in the mail. I think I may try to freeze them this afternoon and then transfer them to a tupperware box to ship them. Hopefully they will be tasty when they arrive.
I started munching on one of them this morning. They are super moist and yummy! The only change I made was I used about 1 1/2 cup of sugar as opposed to 2 cups. And half of that was brown sugar. Not the most healthy recipe but yummy, nonetheless!


The recipe is :

Cake
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups canola oil
4 large eggs
3 cups grated peeled carrots
1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger

For cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Butter and flour paper; tap out excess flour. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl to blend. Whisk sugar and oil in large bowl until well blended. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Add flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in carrots, walnuts and ginger. Divide batter between prepared pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks. Peel off waxed paper; cool cakes completely.

(Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome; chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.)

Makes 12 servings.

Bon Appétit
September 1999

All Day Chicken Stock

Do you ever buy those rotisserie chickens from the store? Or roast your own? We find that we do this quite often. I love to use the chicken for panini sandwiches or we take one on an impromptu picnic with cheese and french bread. At any rate, after we've eaten them I save the bones, etc... and freeze them until a day like yesterday.
Yesterday was a COOOOOLLLLLDDDD and nasty day out. We came home from church and ate a pot of beef stew and just settled in for a cozy day indoors. Perfect time to make some stock! I pulled out the bones I had been saving, along with some celery, carrots, onion, black peppercorns, and bay leaves, and filled it to cover with water. Then I just let it simmer.....all day long..... By the end of the day I had a rich, gorgeous stock that I will now divide into freezer bags in 2 cup batches and freeze for the times that I need chicken stock or broth (which is quite often). It is way cheaper and is so easy. Plus it makes the house smell yummy.