Creamy Carrot Soup

You look in your fridge and you see that you haven't used your carrots. What am I going to make? - Yet another smoothie or something else.

How about something else :) With Spring finally here and Bunnies all around, well the Easter Bunny and Easter not too far away that is - and with my girls loving to munch on raw carrots - why not make, a simple and quick soup.

If you're wondering if your little ones will eat this well heres what my girls did. Carys ate 4 bowls of the soup & Seren in her innocence said, "Mammy bunnies eat carrots, not carrot soup!" and ate 2 spoons full - well at least she tried it right :)

 Creamy Carrot Soup.

 12 good sized carrots

1 Large Onion

1 Stick of Butter

1 stem of fresh Rosemary

3/4 of  the carton of Half & Half 

(Or if you want it creamier, use Heavy Cream)

1 large Carton Chicken Broth

Salt and Pepper

Dash or two of Curry Powder

Clean & Peel the Carrots, then chop & dice carrots 

& Onion.

Using a large stock pot, melt the stick of butter

 &

 add carrots, Onion, Rosemary, Salt and Pepper.

Allow the melted butter to coat the veggies

Then add the chicken broth

Make sure the broth covers all of the veggies.

Bring to the boil.

Once the soup has come to a boil, remove the Rosemary & discard.

Turn heat down to a simmer & cook until the carrots are soft.

Next, add some dashes of Curry Powder

Then blend using a immersion hand blender

 Or

 Remove from heat & use a regular blender, until till smooth and you have

 NO LUMPS. 

Add the Half & Half

(Or heavy cream if you're using that)

Give it a quick Blend.

Give it a taste test and add more S&P if needed.

Serve with some freshly made Homemade Bread & an Arugula & Spinach Salad.

Creamy Carrot Soup

DELISH.

 

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Blackberry & Banana Cake

I picked up some large and juicy and delicious blackberries the other day. They sat on my counter begging to be used in something yummy, not that there already weren't yummy by themselves- because they were.

But, as you should know by now, I love to bake (my waistline groans in protest) LOL but I have to say, with me working out like a crazy mama and doing good with keeping my calories way- way under.

 So, those blackberries and some quite ripe banana's were going to be added into a cake. 

I used this recipe HERE although I omitted using the Cassis.

Here's what you will need:

Ingredients

Blackberry Filling

1 1/4  cups fresh blackberries (if frozen, thaw and drain well)

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Cake

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

3 medium bananas (mashed)

1 cup sour cream

Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Grease bottom and side of 10-inch tube cake pan with shortening and lightly flour.

In a small bowl, mix all the blackberry filling ingredients and set aside. 

Blend the Sugar and butter till smooth.

Then add 1 egg at a time and beat well.

Add the Spices and beat.

Until your mixture is soft, fluffy and creamy.

Add your mashed Bananas & mix. 

This next step you're going to add 1/3 flour, then 1/3 sour cream

 Until you finish with the flour lastly. Beat well.

I didn't have a bundt pan so I used a larger spring loaded pan.

I used half of the mixture in bottom.

Then add the Blackberry/ nut mixture over the mixture.

Then spoon over the remainder of the mixture. Pop in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until when a pick is inserted, comes out clean.

Leave to cool completely.

Once your cake has cooled you can make the glaze.

Go slow with the water till, you get the right consistency.

It will stick on the fork and still drizzle down

Drizzle all over the cake. Then, as i'm sure your tummy is grumbling with how yummy is looks and smells, cut yourself a slice and enjoy!

Blackberry & Banana Cake.

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