cutie-patootie carrot cupcakes

I keep getting lucky on my pairings for Taste & Create. This time, Version 8.0, I was partnered with Jescel at Spice of Life, a delightful blog chock-full of yummy recipes. It didn’t take me long to settle on a recipe, however--I saw the words "carrot cake" and knew that’s what I had to make (and devour).



Carrot cake is one of my favorite desserts, right up there with apple pie a la mode, strawberry shortcake, and anything combining mint and chocolate. I have at least 20 renditions of carrot cake in my abyss of saved recipes--I'm always on the hunt for the best recipe ever. Some have coconut, some have pineapple, some have cranberries, some have nuts. Most have cream cheese icing, which I’ve always considered a necessary component of the cake. In fact, it's probably the main reason I'm such a fan of carrot cake.


Jescel’s recipe for Carrot Cake in a Cup was straightforward and looked like a winner. That being said, I made two major changes and a small tweak. (Is that allowed? I'm such a rebel.) One change reveals my sloth-like tendencies and the other reflects my aversion to messes.

Change #1: Instead of grating carrots, I opted to use some carrot baby food. You tend to have a plethora of such things lying around when you work for a baby food company. That, coupled with the fact that I’m a lazy bum, was why I made this alteration.

Change #2: Following the success of the black-bottom cupcakes I made last week, I decided to skip the icing (gasp! shudder! sob!) and try the same method out on these. I was able to sacrifice the icing because I knew these babies would be traveling to work with me and thought they'd be easier to transport and eat this way. Hey, I'm just thinking about the well-being of my co-workers, that's all. :)

Small tweak: I was nut-less. There wasn't a walnut, pecan, cashew, or pistachio to be found in my apartment, so sadly, I was forced to leave them out. So much for a nice crunch.


Results: Using baby food instead of grated carrots obviously made the cake much more moist, bordering on too moist. If I take the lazy route again (and let's be honest, I probably will), I’ll reduce the amount of baby food and use two 4-oz jars instead of three. They still tasted delicious (and I do mean delicious), but they were just a little too sticky. I sort of missed the flecks of grated carrot throughout the cake and was a little put off by the neon orange-ness created by the pureed carrots. Eh, that's a small price to pay for the time and knuckle-skin that I saved. :)

The plop of cream cheese on top was a stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. It’s a wonderful alternative to cream cheese icing (although clearly not as scrumptious--let's not kid ourselves here). Orange-bottom cupcakes, anyone?

(massacre)(shortly before it went in my belly)

Thanks, Jescel, for feeding my need for carrot cake!

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easter without carrot cake...

...would be like a Monday without coffee. A room without windows. Rice Krispies without marshmallows. Sleeping without a pillow. It's just not right!

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the perfect food?

Sometimes it's totally worth going the extra mile and making something from scratch.


To me, carrot cake is one of those things--the mixes just can't touch a cake made from freshly-grated carrots, slathered with the perfect creamy frosting, and garnished with properly-toasted coconut.

The Mamburger and I made this cake over the holiday weekend. She grated the carrots and I (happily) did the rest. That Mamster of mine, she knows how much I love to bake and is perfectly content to let me rip around the kitchen.


Although recipes for carrot cake abound, I think this one may be the best I've eaten. It has pineapple and coconut, and it would've had walnuts if the ones on hand hadn't been shockingly rancid, despite being stored in the freezer. The frosting is cream cheese, of course, and to give the crunch that the walnuts would've provided, I sprinkled smothered the finished product with toasted coconut.

As we feasted on the delicious, moist, and flavorful cake, someone suggested that a person could live off of carrot cake. Think about it--you have each of the food groups represented:
-vegetables and fruits = carrots, pineapple, and coconut
-grains = wheat flour
-protein = walnuts (in an ideal cake)
-dairy = cream cheese and buttah
-fats and sugars= I don't think I need to expand on those.


Who knew? Carrot cake is the perfect food. That knowledge makes the second and third slabs a little less guilt-inducing...

Complete-Meal Carrot Cake
(adapted from this recipe)

1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut

Frosting:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk
dash vanilla
1 1/2 cups coconut, toasted

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and oil. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Beat in the vanilla and pineapple.
In a smaller bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add to the wet ingredients and beat just until moistened and smooth. Stir in the carrots and coconut. Divide evenly among the pans and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting and decorating with the toasted coconut.

To make the frosting, cream the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth. Add the powdered sugar a bit at a time and beat until creamy. Add the milk to obtain the proper consistency.

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internally iced

Cream Cheese Swirl Carrot Cake. When I worked at a bakery (which, in hindsight, was completely awesome), the only thing I disliked more than making pie crusts was making frosting.

And I made A LOT of frosting.

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cake mix kick

One of my biggest kitchen-related dilemmas is trying to decide whether using a cake mix is a bad thing (preservatives! slothitude!) or a good thing (quick! easy! cheap!). Yes, I clearly lead a tortured existence.

Droopy and weepy, but oh-so-scrumptious.

After my success with the almond joy cake (made with boxed cake mix and pudding mix) and having perused the latest book from the Cake Mix Doctor, I was inspired to break out the mix once again. The cake that caught my eye in the aforementioned cookbook by Anne Byrn was a layered spice cake with a filling consisting of tart 'n tangy apple butter goo and coated with a rich caramel frosting. Just try and tell me that doesn't sound amazing.

I made a few alterations here and there. First and foremost, carrot cake mix was what I found in the cabinet, so carrot cake mix was what I used. Secondly, in continuing with my maple kick, I added a bit of maple flavoring to both the cake and the frosting.  Oh, the smells coming out of my kitchen--they were enough to buckle your knees.

In case you missed it, today is Mother's Day. I have a mother; you might recall some of my pet names for her--Mammy, Mamster, Mamburger, and the like. She's a pretty great lady, and since she's keen on caramel frosting, I applied it to the cake even though I had a hunch it'd give me trouble. Not surprisingly, it was a pain in the patootie, dripping down the sides of the cake before it set, but it worked out all right. Yeah, it looks a bit sad and saggy, but it's worth the hassle since it tastes like heaven in goopy form. Plus, it's for my Mama-lama-ding-dong.

Happy Mother's Day, ladies!

Maple Carrot Cake with Apple Butter Filling and Caramel Frosting (in other words, Bliss)
adapted from The Cake Mix Doctor Returns by Anne Byrn

Cake:
1 box carrot cake mix
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 teaspoon maple flavoring

Filling:
1 egg
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 cups apple butter
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Frosting:
8 tablespoons butter
1 cup brown sugar, tightly packed
1/4 cup milk
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring
1/2 teaspoon salt

Make the cake:
Preheat oven to 350F and thoroughly spray three 9-inch round cake pans.
Combine cake ingredients in a large bowl and beat until well-incorporated. Divide among the three prepared pans and bake for 16-18 minutes, or until the toothpick test is passed. Let the layers cool for 10 minutes in the pans and then carefully remove them onto cooling racks until they become completely cooled.

Make the filling:
Beat the egg in a small bowl until it becomes lemon-colored. Add the buttermilk and blend well. In a separate bowl, heat the apple butter in the microwave or over medium heat until it becomes bubbly. Temper in the egg mixture and then heat the filling another 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens. Add in the butter and stir until it melts. Stir in the walnuts and let cool.

Assemble cake:
Transfer one layer to a plate or cake stand and spread half of the filling on top. Repeat with second layer and the rest of the filling. Top with the third layer and set cake aside.

Make frosting:
Heat the butter and brown sugar over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil, about 2 minutes. Add the milk, stir, and bring the mixture back to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat. Let the mixture cool a bit and whisk in the powdered sugar until thickened and smooth, lightened in color, and beginning to lose its sheen. Stir in the flavoring at the last minute and stir to combine.  Pour the frosting onto the top of the cake quickly before it hardens, smoothing as you go. It's tricky to get the sides just right, but do what you can! Let the frosting harden before attempting to slice the beast.

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upstaged

What would Easter be without carrot cake?


A bit of a disappointment, that's what.

No bones about it, I love carrot cake. In the past, the cream cheese frosting typically applied has been the major draw for me, but I've recently come to appreciate the cake itself for its intricate and amazing flavors and textures. I've tried many versions, some basic and others complicated, and the recipe I had come to love the most was a happy medium involving carrots (duh), pineapple, coconut, and walnuts.

Yep, I wrote that last sentence in the past tense. It seems I have a new favorite, and I have Jaime of Good Eats and Sweet Treats to thank for it. I'd had her recipe for carrot cake bookmarked since she posted it over a year ago, but I procrastinated making it because cream of coconut isn't something I keep stocked in my pantry. When Jaime challenged me to compare my go-to recipe with hers, I had no choice but to give it a try.


Feeling inspired and on a mission, I purchased some cream of coconut and set to work. Now, I'm sorry, Jaime, but I didn't follow your recipe exactly. I used my recipe but with the addition of the cream of coconut in lieu of some of the oil. Baby steps, right? I also changed up the frosting, eschewing the cream cheese (contain the violent outbursts, please) for a buttercream-of-coconut-type concoction.

Can you say 'winner by a landslide'? How about 'no competition'? The cream of coconut did something magical to the cake, making it all the more moist and decadent. What's more, my frosting was amazing, if I do say so myself--light yet creamy and with just the perfect amount of coconut flavor.

Yes, somewhere along the way, this cake stopped being about the carrots and became focused on the coconut. I have no regrets.

Carrot Coconut Cake
(thanks be to Jaime)

Cake:
1 3/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cream of coconut
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, undrained
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup flaked coconut
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Frosting:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup cream of coconut
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coconut extract
4 cups powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 5x9-inch loaf pans. (Yeah, I made two loaves, but feel free to do the traditional layer cake if that's what you're craving!)
In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, oil, and cream of coconut. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Beat in the extracts and pineapple.
In a smaller bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add to the wet ingredients and beat just until moistened and smooth. Stir in the carrots, coconut, and walnuts. Divide evenly among the pans and bake for about 40-50 minutes (less for round pans), or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter, cream of coconut, salt, and coconut extract until well-blended. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until smooth.

Hoppy Easter!

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the british are coming!

I'm not ashamed to admit that there's a lot I love about the United Kingdom. So many of my favorite shows are set there (in one era or another)(and for the record, Sherlock tops my list right now, without question or competition), and I enjoy the accents and overall demeanor of its people.

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martha, martha, martha!

New products and a new partnership!

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enthusiastic eaters #DogsLoveNutrishDISH

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DogsLoveNutrishDISH #CollectiveBias

We've developed a bit of an odd ritual when supper time comes around.

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practically perfect palate pleaser?

Many, many moons ago, the Daring Bakers made Dorie Greenspan’s Perfect Party Cake. A few months later, the Tuesdays with Dorie group also chose it as a challenge. If nothing else, I’ve revealed my utter disregard for bandwagon-jumping by waiting so long to follow suit.


But follow suit I did. I made the cake. I slathered sweet, cinnamon-laden cranberry relish between the layers. Most importantly, I filled and topped the beast with velvety cream cheese frosting.

My verdict? Frankly, I was let down. I wouldn’t be surprised if I goofed up along the way or missed an important component (to which I’m still oblivious), but for me, the cake was neither impressive nor memorable. Using relish as a filling, however, was something akin to a stroke of genius (that’s as close as I come), and the frosting (always and forever my favorite) was delicious.


At least I can say I did it. I jumped aboard the Perfect Party Cake train, and now I’m jumping right back off.

Perhaps for Thanksgiving this year I’ll try shmearing cranberry relish between the layers of a carrot cake. A carrot cake topped with cream cheese frosting, of course. And, if I'm feeling spunky, plastered with toasted coconut.


It's as if the cake sensed my displeasure and therefore refused to photograph nicely.
How rude.

**Incidentally, today is my little brother's birthday. He would hate this cake, as he is irrationally anti-coconut. Celebrate wisely, Professor, and by that I mean use caution when rounding bases and go easy on the sauerkraut.

[Potentially] Perfect Party Cake
From Dorie Greenspan’s Baking: From My Home to Yours

Cake:
2 1/4 cups cake flour (I used 2 cups of all-purpose flour and 1/4 cup cornstarch--could this have been my gaffe?)
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
4 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest (I omitted this)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon pure lemon extract (I used vanilla)(lemon's not my favorite flavor)

Frosting:
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk
dash vanilla

1 cup seedless cranberry relish, stirred vigorously or warmed gently until spreadable
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with a round of buttered parchment or wax paper.

Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together the milk and egg whites in a medium bowl. Put the sugar and lemon zest (if using) in a mixer bowl or another large bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and beat at medium speed for a full 3 minutes, until the butter and sugar are very light. Beat in the extract, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Beat in half of the milk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the milk and eggs, beating until the batter is homogeneous, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Finally, give the batter a good 2-minute beating to ensure that it is thoroughly-mixed and well-aerated. Divide the batter between the three pans and smooth the tops with a spatula.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen and springy to the tough--a thin knife inserted into the centers should come out clean. Transfer the cakes to cooling racks and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (The cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.)

To make the frosting, cream the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla until smooth. Add the powdered sugar a bit at a time and beat until creamy. Add the milk to obtain the proper consistency.

Put one cake layer on a cardboard cake round or a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Spread it with one half of the relish. Cover the relish evenly with about one quarter of the frosting. Top with another layer, spread with remaining relish and another quarter of the frosting. Place the last layer on top and use the remaining frosting to coat the sides and top. Press the coconut into the frosting, patting it gently all over the sides and top.

The cake is ready to serve as soon as it is assembled, but it’s best to let it set for a couple of hours in a cool room. Serve it at room temperature.

They say that the cake is best the day it is made, but I found that refrigerating it made it a better product.

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surprising attractions

I am drawn to Curtis Stone.

If you're wondering why this is surprising, given his wealth, culinary abilities, tremendous height, and sensational accent, well, you have a good point. The simple truth is that I'm usually not attracted to Ken-doll types; nay, I tend to go for more of a scruffy, dark-haired look. That's why I was surprised to realize that the reason I keep tuning in to watch 'America's Next Great Restaurant' is one Curtis Stone. His comments are apt and well-said, he's fair, and my stars, he makes Bobby Flay look like a little leprechaun!

Whew. Now that that little tidbit about me is out of the way, we can get to the grub. This is a really unexpected delight for someone who, like me, feels that carrots only belong in cake. The chewy raisins, sweet pineapple, and crunchy nuts go a long way in making those shreds of carrot more palatable. Bonus: The creamy dressing is guilt-free and oh-so-tasty.

Surprisingly Scrumptious Carrot Salad
1/2 cup yogurt
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups carrots, shredded
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Combine yogurt, honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon to make dressing. Add the rest of the ingredients. Chill at least 15 minutes before serving.

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slurpy surprise

Sesame soba noodles with chicken. I didn't expect to like soba noodles. My one and only experience with buckwheat (pancakes) was a disaster (hockey pucks).

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what the what?

It's no secret that I enjoy a good carrot cake. Yes, it takes a little bit of elbow grease to grate the lovely cone-shaped veggies, but what a reward for your efforts!


Imagine my surprise upon slicing into my latest production and finding that the vibrant color of those bestowers of beta-carotene had gone from orange to green!

I had no idea what could've caused such a transition (especially since this is my go-to carrot cake recipe and such a peculiarity hasn't happened before), so I did a little research on the interwebnets.

Apparently, carrots are pretty sensitive little roots and this color change happens quite frequently. The culprit is the baking soda--either the batter contains too much or it doesn't get mixed in evenly. Those pigmentation compounds don't get along too well with the mean ol' alkaline baking soda. Note to self: Incorporate baking soda more thoroughly next time.


Fortunately, this phenomenon doesn't stop the cake from being edible. Or delicious. Heck, it just adds more color to an already easy-on-the-eyes cake!

Now, about those carrots. I was recently quite fortunate to receive an amazing collection of seeds from Hometown Seeds. The package was dubbed survival seeds, meant to be stored in case a crisis were to occur. Here's what you get if you order the kit:

* An in-depth instruction booklet.
* Enough GMO-free, non-hybrid seeds to plant 3/4 of an acre!
* Double water tight packaging.
* 5-year minimum shelf life, up to 10 years if frozen.

The package contains seeds for everything from peas and corn to lettuce and pole beans--quite a tremendous medley! My family just so happens to be garden-crazy, and they were thrilled to learn that the seeds were open-pollinated. We've already ordered some squash seeds (they have oodles of varieties) from this wonderful company. Take a look, order some seeds, and get some dirt under your nails!

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looks aren't everything

Hummus is not picture-friendly. Black bean hummus is, apparently, downright ugly.

Yikes.

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chili out!

I love soup.

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birthdays and broiled bliss

I don't know about you, but I like baking my own birthday cake. I can make exactly what I want exactly how I want it.


This birthday was no exception.

It seems like I crave a different cake every year. Last year, it was all about carrot cake with cream cheese frosting. This year, I went in a completely different direction--oatmeal cake with broiled coconut topping.

It might not sound spectacular, but it is. Oh, how it is. The cake is moist and rife with cinnamon, while the topping consists of crunchy toasted coconut and rich caramel goo.


Can we please talk about the pool of bubbly caramel goodness at the bottom there?
Good googa mooga.
I hope I got that piece.

Yeah, I was satisfied--it was a good birthday. I'm sorry there's no money shot of a piece, but every time I cut a slab for myself, I simply couldn't pause for even a second before digging in.

Oatmeal Cake with Broiled Coconut Topping
Cake:
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 1/4 cups boiling water
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Coconut Topping:
1/2 cup milk
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup butter
1 cup flaked coconut

For the cake, preheat oven to 325F and grease a 9x13" cake pan.
Combine oats and boiling water, stirring to blend well. Let stand 20 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Add the eggs, vanilla, and cooled oatmeal mixture, beating until well blended.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add to the creamed mixture, beating until smooth.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 30-35 minutes.

While the cake is baking, prepare the topping. Combine the milk, butter, and brown sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in the coconut. When the cake comes out of the oven, poke several holes in it with the tines of a fork and immediately spread the topping over the hot cake. Turn the broiler on and return the cake to oven for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the coconut is nicely toasted. Although it's probably best to let the cake cool before cutting into it, no harm is done in digging some out immediately, topping it with a large portion of butter pecan ice cream, and shoveling it into one's mouth. No harm at all.

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no oven, no problem

Carrot and squash soup with coriander. Our oven is broken!

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coriander, turmeric, cumin, fennel

Curry. How do I put this delicately?


It turns my stomach. It makes my nose wrinkle in disgust. I'm just not crazy about it.

I can honestly say that I wasn't giving the flavor of curry a fair chance until this latest round of Taste & Create (XVI). (I'm stubborn like that.) I was fortunate enough to be paired with the hostess herself, Nicole of For the Love of Food. Folks, this gal has been blogging since 2003, so you can only imagine how many stellar posts and recipes are contained within her blog.

I went all the way back to 2007 and found an interesting post about Curry Apple & Carrot Soup. I was intrigued because Nicole confessed to not particularly caring for curry until she tried this soup. So, if anything was going to bring curry around for me, this would probably be it.


I gave it a shot. I made it a bit thicker than she did and added some red pepper flakes just for fun. It's creamy, kinda sweet, and the curry flavor that I was so afraid of wasn't overwhelming at all. Although I'm certainly not gonna become curry's #1 fan any time soon, I'm glad I gave it a shot and found that it's really not as bad as I thought.

What else did I find? Fluffy buttermilk biscuits, homemade ketchup, and a hearty black-eyed pea stew. And that's just naming a few. Simply put, Nicole, you do good work.

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pretty in pink

Go ahead and say it, because I know you're thinking it--I'm like a broken record here. Broken record here. Broken record here. Broken rec--


Okay, seriously. First I made those bewitching black bottom cupcakes.


Then, I used the same technique for some cutie-patootie carrot cupcakes.


Now, I'm at it again with some pretty in pink strawberry cupcakes. When will the insanity end? NEVER! (Insert cackle here.)

Now, I hate to disappoint anyone, but I used a cake mix. Hey--nobody's perfect. (I did add some pureed strawberries to the batter before baking it, just to appease myself.) I wanted precious and dainty pink cupcakes, dang it, and that's a color hard to come by in nature (I left my beet root powder and red cabbage extract in my other pants).

Which cupcake is your favorite?

I had a bit of leftover cake, so I decided to bite the chocolate-dipping bullet and make some cake truffles.


Take your pick of reference sites.


(Come on--just try to tell me the one on the right doesn't look like a little piggy--it's even got an ear! And a snout--I love it!)

As expected, they're delicious. Next time I believe I'll go lighter on the frosting. I'd like them a little more cakey and a little less soft and sticky. Not that I minded licking my fingers, mind you (after I was completely finished, of course--nobody wants cook-slobber in their truffles). The chocolate dipping wasn't too disastrous, either. I added some shortening to the white chocolate before melting it and worked as fast as my little paws would go.

These are both great little treats, even if they're artificially-colored.

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god save the (chicken a la) queen

Are you familiar with chicken a la king? As far as I can tell, it's pretty much chicken pot pie without the pie crust, served over some other form of carbohydrates, be it a biscuit, rice, or plain ol' white bread.*

*At my restaurant, we have it as a brunch item served over a waffle and with bacon crumbled on top--it's amazing!

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