Sunday, December 31, 2006

Going out with a bang...

How appropriate that I am blogging from bed, watching old episodes of Seinfeld as the New Year is about to ring in. What did you expect? With four little ones, I hardly am one for the party seen. My day to day living is a party around here. One that lands me in bed tired and looking for sleep before midnight whenever I can get it! =)
So, I totally skipped the decadent chocolate desserts, and instead made an old-fashioned Carrot Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese icing. My favorite. I used to loooove Carrot Cake Haagen Daas icecream...but haven't seen that flavor around in years. There. An interesting Nitty.Gritty. little fact about me. This cake that I poured my heart and soul into today (peeling and grating carrots...is there anything more time-consuming when it comes to baking cake than that?) turned out delicious, despite the fact that I messed with the recipe and made it my own. Like subbing applesauce for oil, and adding cinnamon (can you believe a recipe for carrot cake would omit cinnamon!) and nutmeg and coconut. I love coconut.
Anyway, all the revisions and it still turned out moist and yummy. My kids all ate a big piece. And Chip is sticking to his diet. So proud of him.
I look forward to lots of interesting posts, pictures, comments and debate here on Nitty.Gritty. in the coming New Year. And now for some shameless excuse to get comments (actually I think it's fun to find out about you!)...
Where are you as you ring in the New Year 2007? Or tell me what delicious dessert you ate before 2006 was o'er. I may just need the recipe for next year. =)
Happy New Year's Eve. Stay safe. See you in '07.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Good for Chip. Honestly, I don't know how he does it with all your baking. I wouldn't be able to fit thru the door.;) I am sitting here listening to Prince of Egypt that my dds are watching. As for the desert...some chocolate truffles. Definitely not homeade.LOL! Happy New Year!

mary h.

Anonymous said...

I am in Aarhus, Denmark for the Christmas and New Year holidays visiting my family. We had lots of marzipan and also aebleskiver--which is kind of like a doughnut but is in the shape of a round ball. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and dip in raspberry jam. mmmmm

And, of course, have a little champagne with that!

Happy New Year Jody and family!

Greta (Granville, Ohio)

Anonymous said...

It's Fall in Phoenix as we rang in the New Year.
As we all gathered outside to count down to 2007, we looked up to the most amazing ring around the moon! Absolutely stunning!
Did anyone else see it?!

cara harjes said...

a few weeks my husband and i were talking about my families holiday traditions . . . .the things he understands and the things that elude him. so we decided to start our own new years tradition . . . we made homemade sausage . . . it took HOURS to link it all! but it was a ton of fun and now we have a great meal for folks to come over today and munch on while we watch michigan play some football (my man is from detroit).
and the last "dessert of 2006" . . . a piece of hersey's dark chocolate.

Anonymous said...

happy new year nitty.gritty!
our new year scene was heading to my hubby's parents for our big 'winter bithday celebration' (big, big family)
and enjoying spaghetti and meatballs (hubby's fave- it was his actual birthday so it's his food of choice!) :0)
then home- older kids head off to respective celebrations...rejuvinate-
rest of family then heads to the neighbors for libation, food, fireworks and ringing in the new year!
so happy i found you in 2006 jody!
blessings to you in 2007..
rose

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year!

My two little boys and I played our own version of Twister until we could stay awake no longer -- we "rang in the new year" at about 10 PM! We ate M & M's (well, they did) and English toffee (um, that would be me).

Many blessings to you in 2007.

Anonymous said...

we snoozed on the couch (because the fireworks at the amusement park across the street always wake us up @ midnight), then went to bed.
whoopee!

Anonymous said...

I spent New Years waiting for my hunnie to get home from work...and he ran in the door when it was 1 minute til the New Year, gotta love him! I am loving that your posting these yummies on your blog, I LOVE cooking, its my new favorite hobby. If you havent checked it out...you gotta get the Americas Test Kitchen cook books, and they also have 2 magazines out now, Cooks Illustrated and Cooks Country, both FAB!!!!! Happy New Year Jody!!!

Anonymous said...

We rang in the new year with some friends, playing games and laughing with lots of yummy food and lots of kids. Mostly mine (4). 3 families and 8 kids. Lots of fun. And my favorite, oh so yummy once a year dessert is our Christmas day chocolate cake for dessert. It is affectionatley called "prom cake" and although I've tried to rename it "Christmas cake" it just hasn't stuck. It is so DELISH! But very rich and perfect for once or twice a year. I'll share the recipe with you sometime ;) Wishing you and your family a happy and healty 2007. Heather

Anonymous said...

Happy New Year!

I spent the evening carrying a very special light in honor of your precious Teagen--such a moving night.

Played bunco with some friends too.

Anonymous said...

My hubby and I spent New Year's Eve with my dear friend and her boyfriend at a fundraiser for the Lori Kay Hacking Soares Scholarship Foundation through the University of Utah Business college(sheesh, that was a long sentence). Lori was a friend of ours (I don't know if you remember hearing her story in the news in 2004) and we thought it appropriate to ring in the New Year supporting a good cause all the while honoring Lori on what would have been her 30th birthday. We munched on chocolate birthday cake AND chocolate fondue. The pound cake was amazing! Happy 2007 and I look forward to many more inspiring words here on Nitty.Gritty.

Anonymous said...

Jody, In the midst of 2007 busy ness. Don't forget to pray about writing that book! Jeane W.

Anonymous said...

We had fresh whole dungeness crabs for New Year's - our tradition! So much fun to crack into them and make a big mess. I also made sushi rolls for the first time - very fun. You might want to try this with your kids sometime. You can buy kits that include a bamboo mat, seaweed wrappers, rice, and seasoned vinegar to flavor the rice. You can do simple fillings like cucumber or avocado. Great way to get in some healthy veggies! After all this food, dessert was random bits of Christmas goodies!

Anonymous said...

Carrot cake is my absolute FAVORITE cake!!

Happy New Year Jody!

Anonymous said...

New Year's eve was spent at Outback Steakhouse enjoying our last indulgence before the New Year's diet began. Oh and did I mention it was with kids. Oh yes. Fun was had by all!
Just found your blog. I like it!