Beyond the Box: Baking from Scratch

I'm back to baking treats for people today! But this one is healthy , because it's chock full o' veggies! Okay, so healthy might be a stretch, but there are lots of veggies in this one.  Don't let that scare you,  though, because this Spiced Carrot Cake is moist, sweet, dense, and just a little bit spicy.  Cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg give a little bit of a kick and the tangy cream cheese frosting smoothes it all back down.  And you can decorate it with cute little frosting carrots!

Buckle up, everybody, I'm mixing things up today. I had a dream the other night that I gained so much weight I was hardly recognizable.  It was terrible. I was so mad at myself. So today I baked up something that I won't eat any  of. I could, if I wanted to, but I tried one, and I don't need any more.  They're (drumroll, please)..... homemade dog treats! Make these for your four legged friends and they will love you even more (if that's even possible).

There are so many things I love about summertime.  All the green, the heat, swimming pools, fishing, baseball games, and bountiful, fresh produce!  I love getting fruits and vegetables from farmers' markets, and this year I'm even trying my hand at growing some of my own.  I have tomatoes forming and a bell pepper plant and plans for a zucchini plant (I'd better get on that....).  One thing I haven't been brave enough to try growing myself, but undoubtedly will before too many summers pass by, is strawberries.