New Year's Eve Good Luck Dinner & Celebration

 I cooked ham and beans (cannelli and black-eyed peas) for 3 hours at a slow boil with sage, thyme, and bay leaves.  the beans and ham were soft and flavorful.  I served the lucky meal with a side of fresh baked cornbread and stir fry of collards, kale and onions.  For dessert we had spiced carrot cake with double cream cheese frosting.  To buy the Spiced Carrot cake Mix visit Namaste website.  It is wheat and gluten free too!

 

A close up of the dinner (above)

 

 We enjoyed dessert outside by a fire.  Pictured above is our heart light.

 

 Luc preps the fire

 

 L to R: Luc, Candice (me), Owen Sr. with Stella and Vicky with Marina.

Double Cream Cheese Frosting (for carrot cake):

This frosting is a must with carrot cake, also good on other cakes.  I have experimented with the below listed ingredients to get the perfect combination of flavors.  I like a cream cheese frosting that is slightly more cream cheese taste than sugar.  Frosts three 9-inch cakes lightly or 2 heavily.

2- 8 oz cream cheese, preferably organic, at room temp
5 TBS butter, room temp
2 cups of powdered sugar
1 TBS vanilla

Blend all ingredients in mixer unitl smooth.  Frostins should be stiff enough to frost cake immediately.  Will harden nicely in fridge.