Carrot Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling

Carrot Muffins with Cream Cheese Filling

I suppose you could also frost these with cream cheese frosting and turn them into cupcakes because if there’s any cake that’s the same as a muffin, it’s carrot cake.

Preheat oven to 350.

Sift together 1½ c. all-purpose flour, 1½ tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp.baking powder, ½ tsp. salt, 1 tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. nutmeg, and 1 c. sugar.

In a separate bowl, beat 3 eggs and 2/3 cup vegetable oil until lightened. Stir in 1½ c. shredded carrots, ½ c. chopped walnuts, and ½ c. raisins that have been soaked for 10 minutes in hot water (or warmed rum, if you’d like).

** As a side note, the bestbestbest carrot cake I’ve ever had in my life was at Just Desserts in Berkeley. I used to go to the one on College Avenue, order an enormous piece of carrot cake and an espresso and (pretend to) study until they kicked me out. The carrots in Just Desserts’ carrot cake were not normal shreds, like they were done on a box grater, but long and super fine, like carrot threads. Unfortunately, my little Japanese Benriner cannot make the carrots like that.

In another bowl, cream 4 oz. softened cream cheese with 1 egg yolk, ½ c. sugar, and ½ tsp. vanilla.

Fold the dry ingredients into the egg/oil mixture. Stir until just combined. Fill mini-muffin cups about ¾ full. Plop a generous teaspoon of the cream cheese filling on top of the batter in each muffin cup.

Bake about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake part comes out clean.

Pasta Puttanesca

Ingredients

* 2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
* 4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1 tin flat anchovy fillets, drained
* 1 /2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 20 oil-cured black olives, cracked away from pit and coarsely chopped
* 3 tablespoons capers
* 1 (32-ounce) can chunky style crushed tomatoes
* 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
* A few grinds black pepper
* 1/4 cup (a couple of handfuls) flat leaf parsley, chopped
* 1 pound spaghetti, cooked to al dente (with a bite)
* Crusty bread, for mopping
* Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano, for passing, optional

Directions

Serving suggestions: a simple salad of mixed bitter greens dressed with oil and vinegar, salt, and pepper, recipe follows

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add oil, garlic, anchovies, and crushed pepper. Saute mixture until anchovies melt into oil and completely dissolve and garlic is tender, about 3 minutes: your kitchen never smelled so good! Add olives, capers, tomatoes, black pepper, and parsley. Bring sauce to a bubble, reduce heat, and simmer 8 to 10 minutes.

Toss sauce with cooked pasta. Pass bread and cheese at the table and serve with a simple salad of mixed bitter greens dressed with oil and vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Menu Plan 5/17/10

Tacos w/ sazon rice
Chili
Szechwan Shrimp w/ rice
Pesto Pasta w/ Chicken and asparagus
BBQ Chicken and steamed veggies