Carrot Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Icing

I've made these twice and gotten rave reviews and recipe requests - I can't give a first-hand review since I've never eaten one! Not a big carrot fan :)

1 ounces white chocolate
1/2 package cream cheese, softened (you'll use 4 oz)
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon orange extract
2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoons heavy cream

2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/8 cups white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.
In small saucepan, melt white chocolate over low heat. Stir until smooth, and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in white chocolate, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and orange extract. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until the mixture is fluffy. Mix in heavy cream.

Beat together the eggs, white sugar, and brown sugar in a bowl, and mix in the oil and vanilla. Fold in carrots and pineapple. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Mix flour mixture into the carrot mixture until evenly moist. Fold in 1/2 cup walnuts. Transfer to the prepared muffin cups.

Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool completely on wire racks before topping with the icing and sprinkling with remaining walnuts.

FYI - both times I've made this I've forgotten to add the heavy cream to the icing, and it tastes great, but it's probably better with!

Szechwan Shrimp

It's been a while! I haven't been cooking many new things, but here's a new fave, healthy and SO easy:

1/2 c water
1/4 c ketchup
2 tablespoon soy sauce
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup sliced green onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb uncooked shrimp, tails removed

In a bowl, stir together water, ketchup, soy sauce, cornstarch, honey, crushed red pepper, and ground ginger. Set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Stir in green onions and garlic; cook 30 seconds. Stir in shrimp, and toss to coat with oil. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes, then add in sauce. Cook and stir until sauce is bubbly and thickened and shrimp are cooked through.

Asian Noodle Salad

Ingredients:

Salad:

1 packages linguine or spaghetti noodles, cooked, rinsed, and cooled (I use whole wheat and it makes for a heartier meal)

1/2 to 1 head sliced Napa cabbage
1/2 to 1 head sliced purple cabbage
1/2 to 1 bag baby spinach
1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
1 orange bell pepper, sliced thin
1 small bag bean sprouts (optional, but since pregnancy I've been afraid of them, so I don't add)
3 sliced scallions (I use green onions)
3 peeled, sliced cucumbers (optional)
LOTS of chopped cilantro—up to one bunch

DRESSING:

Juice of 1 lime (I usually don't add but original recipe states)
8 tablespoons olive oil (can go easy on olive oil)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
6 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons fresh ginger, chopped
2 cloves chopped garlic
1-2 hot peppers or jalapenos, chopped
More chopped cilantro—LOTS

Preparation:

Mix together salad ingredients. Whisk together dressing ingredients and pour over salad. Mix with tongs or hands and serve on platter.
*Dressing keeps up to three days before serving, WITHOUT cilantro.

Healthy Banana Bread

This is a healthier banana bread recipe than most, and it tastes pretty good too.

Ingredients:

3 very ripe bananas
3 tablespoons expeller-pressed canola oil
½ cup honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups whole-wheat pastry flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
¾ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Recipe:

* Heat oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil a loaf pan
* Mash bananas and mix with honey, canola oil and vanilla extract
* Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add nuts.
* Blend the two mixtures and spoon into a lightly oiled loaf pan. Bake for 40 minutes or until center is set.

Chew Cake

I admit, I have not had the chance to make any of the recipes yet, but I hope to do so once I get a little time! Sadia, thank you so much for having this blog (and sorry I've been totally MIA). I wanted to share a recipe for a cake I often make. I'm warning you that it totally sounds and is unhealthy, but I'll make it when I'm having a party and know lots of folks will be coming. I think it can't hurt too much to spread it over many people at a party. That way you'll know everyone will have a little and it'll be gone in no time (so you don't have the urge to eat it all yourself ;)

* Mix 1 box cake mix (any kind), 1 stick butter, 3.5 ounce can coconut, 2 cups pecans chopped (8 oz), and 1 egg
* Grease pan & lay the mixture into the pan
* Top: Mix 8 oz creamed cheese, 1 box powdered sugar, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pour this mixture into the pan on top of the other mixture.
* Bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until top golden brown

At the end you'll notice that when you stick a toothpick in cake to see if done, that method may not work because the cake stays gooey on the bottom layer and hardens up on it's own time. I usually let bake for 50 minutes and by that time the top is definitely a golden brown.

Enjoy :)

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast meat (I only had about 1/2 pound, thigh)
  
• 1 cup chicken broth ( I used veg)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed (we used fresh eggplant, squash and carrots)
  
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (i only had dried herbs)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 (9 inch) pastry for a 9 inch single crust pie (I used a single pastry sheet as a cover)
  
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

Method:

1. I boiled the chicken thighs in celery/carrot/salt water and brought to boil. Then left at med-high, cannot fully cook it.
   
2. After 8-10 min, when you it is no longer pink, dip a cup into the broth to retrieve enough for the next step. I did not use more than 1 cup.
3. Remove the chicken and cut into small pieces/cubes.
   
4. In a saucepan, melt butter or margarine over medium heat. Add the onion and celery. Saute, stirring, for 3 minutes. Stir in flour until well blended. Gradually stir in broth mixture. Simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and boils. Add the chicken, vegetables, parsley and thyme. Pour mixture into a 1 1/2 quart deep casserole dish.
5. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
6. Roll out pastry 1 inch larger than the diameter of the casserole dish on a lightly floured surface. Cut slits in the pastry for venting air. Place pastry on top of casserole. Roll edges and cut away extra pastry; flute edges by pinching together. Place on top of pastry. Brush pastry with beaten egg and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

So delicious!! Hubby said it was the best he had ever had, and we finished the whole thing in 2 days. It's a great dish to bring to a potluck, easy and filling.

Community Supported Agriculture

Just had to share some pix, very belated, of the CSA bags we have been getting. They are so fun and inspiring, and I can't believe how much money we are saving! Every spread only costs us $15!! I have made some interested things with them, mostly a vegetable roast, or stir fry, but the combinations are tasty.