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.