Glazed Carrots

This was a super-easy side dish to whip up right before the guests arrive. It was sweet and slightly tangy and a great vegetable side!

Glazed Carrots
Makes 12 servings
Adapted from BHG

Ingredients
3 lbs baby carrots
6 C water
4 tbsp butter
1/4 C honey
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Directions
-In a large skillet, bring water to a boil. Add carrots. Return to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 8-10 minutes or until carrots are just tender. Drain carrots; pat dry.
-In same skillet, combine butter, honey, lemon zest, brown sugar, crushed red pepper, and salt. Cook and stir constantly over medium heat until butter is melted and mixture bubbles.
-Carefully add carrots; toss gently for 2-3 minutes or until carrots are thoroughly coated with glaze and heated through completely.
-To serve, transfer carrots to a shallow bowl or serving platter. Drizzle with remaining glaze from pan. Sprinkle with additional red pepper flakes and lemon zest.

PW's Carrot Cake

Oh my goodness gracious. I am so glad I stumbled across this recipe on Ree's blog! It was moist and delicious and the frosting was just sinful. It was a huge hit at our Easter dinner and several people asked for the recipe before leaving! But bake at your own risk: this icing is deadly. I decided to go for a bunt cake because I just did not have the time nor the patience to frost a layer cake and come up with a cute way to decorate it; I would not do it any other way now!
Sigrid's Carrot Cake
from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
For the cake:
2 C sugar
1 C vegetable oil
4 whole eggs
2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 C shredded carrots (peeled)

For the icing:
(if making a layer cake, double the frosting recipe, but I had MORE than enough for a bundt cake)
1 stick regular butter, softened
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 pound powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 C pecans, finely chopped

Directions:
-Mix together sugar, oil and eggs in a large bowl. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add to first mixture and combine. Stir in carrots.
-Pour into a greased/floured pan of your choice. Bake at 350 degrees until finished (25-50 minutes, depending on what pan you use. For a bundt, I baked mine for 50. A sheet cake will need WAY less).
-Cool cake completely before frosting.
-While cake is cooling, combine cream cheese and butter. Add sugar and vanilla and beat until combine. Frost cake. YUM!