This is a very eazy adaptation of a cup cake that will taste as thought you made it from scratch from a Carrot Cake Box mix, that will taste home made, moist and picture perfect. Follow the directions on the box, but substitute 1/2 cup of brandy for the water you are asked to use. Add 3/4 cup of golden raisins, 1 cup of grated carrots, 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans and 1 apple grated. Follow instructions on box and mix ingredients together. I use tulip cup cake liners. They are tall and look professional. Fill liners with about 1/2 cup of batter. This recipe makes 12 beautiful cup cakes. Bake at 350 degrees using your convection oven  for 25 minutes. These cup cakes are so moist! To make the icing, just buy ready made  cream cheese icing and mix 8 oz of cream cheese into your icing, mix. Chill and pipe icing on to cup cake!!!  Yummy and very easy, plus you get your veggies in a very sweet way!

My Mom made this dish without the red wine! She was an amazing cook! I have taken her recipe and embellished it so that you can make this superb French Stew!! You can buy a 3 1/2 pound chuck roast. Either brown it whole or you can cut the meet up in 2 inch pieces. Dust meat with flour, salt and pepper. Use your heavy duty dutch oven. Brown meat in 1/8 of a cup of olive oil. Sear all sides. The main ingredients of this dish:  beef, 10 oz of sautéd  mushrooms, 3/4 pounds of pearl onions (either fresh or frozen), 3 cloves of  garlic, herbs (thyme, bay leaves & sage tied together with string),  2 cans of golden mushroom soup and 16 oz of burgundy or really any red table wine, 1 T-Salt- 2 T of pepper.  Add all ingredients to pot, cover and cook at 350 degrees for about 2 1/2 hours, maybe 3. Your senses will tell you when it’s ready. (You might add a little beef broth to the sauce if it needs to be thinned down). The aroma is unbelievable!!   I usually like to make mashed potatoes with this dish. The sauce is yummy! This is a great meal when you have company, and makes you look like a real gourmet!  Enjoy….Nancy  Oops..remove herb bundle prior to serving!