The Carrot Cake

Talking to the youngest son last night, I discovered that his favorite cake is the carrot cake.  When I mentioned that both of our boys considered the carrot cake their favorite, my mother said, “Bleah!”  I KNOW she made banana nut bread when we were kids, but the favorite goodie around the parents’ house these days is oatmeal cookies.  The doctor told Dad that he needed to eat oatmeal—and he didn’t say how.  Mom says that they go through a batch of oatmeal cookies about every two or three days.  Dad should invest in oats!

 

This is the first year since diabetes entered our lives around here that we even had any real sugar in the house.  Our daughter bought us a sugar-free cook book, and once in a while I will try one of those recipes just to keep my hand in shape as a baker.  The only recipe I never change is the family favorite for all our holiday meals:  butter rolls.  Both girls know how to make those now, so the tradition will live on.

 

One of our friends up north has all these wonderful Swedish dishes that make one’s mouth water—but make me tired just thinking about all the steps involved in creating the perfect sauce for the vegetables and meats.  Grating up a few carrots for a carrot cake and throwing a bunch of ribs in the oven to bake pretty much exhausts my good intentions for cooking.  Coleslaw for the DIL, Brussels sprouts for the oldest son, and macaroni and cheese for the grandkids is actually a semi-elaborate meal around here.

 

Tomorrow will see pancakes and some coffee for breakfast.  After their parents leave, the kids will probably ask for McSomething for lunch and dinner.  But they both know that popsicles are for AFTER meals.  Kids are a great excuse to make fun foods—hot dogs and roasted marshmallows, peanut butter jelly sandwiches, and apple slices.  I might even splurge for some celery and make ants on a log for them.  Grinning wickedly….

 

Foods make family traditions in almost any country.  I suspect that our friend in Colombia, South America has his wife Gloria’s favorite foods as part of their traditions.  Down there it would not be difficult to find a young kid [goat] to roast for a family meal.  We couldn’t even find a sheep rancher in our county for a young lamb, however.  And United Market Street prices their lamb just a wee bit out of our range.  Ah, well, spring comes but once a year.  Maybe this year we will start a new family tradition with our foods:  carrot cake, liver and onions, Brussels sprouts, and pop sickles.  I can see our children making the appointment with the psychiatrist now!