CHOCOLATE CHIP AND PEANUT BLONDIES and CARROT CUPCAKES

I love spending time out on the farm where my daughter takes horse riding lessons, beautiful and picturesque, it takes me back a little to childhood. My Uncle trained horses, and my brothers, cousins and I would spend a lot of time on his farm, and were even allowed to ride some of the older, quieter animals - although I never rode with as much grace and discipline as my daughter and her fellow class mates do, I always adored it.
A week of summer camp out on the farm concluded with a potluck, my daughter wanted me to bake carrot cupcakes, and I thought a little chocolate would round out the dessert offerings. Although I can barely sit on a horse, I do adore navigating a recipe.

CHOCOLATE CHIP AND PEANUT BLONDIES

1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups golden brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350F. Butter and flour an 8 by 8 inch baking pan.
Whisk flour, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl to blend. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan, over low heat. Remove from heat, add sugar and whisk until smooth. Cool mixture two minutes, whisk in eggs and vanilla. Using a spatula, stir in flour mixture then peanuts and chocolate chips. Spread batter in prepared pan, sprinkle with extra peanuts and chocolate chips.
Bake blondies until golden, tester inserted into center comes out clean, and edges just begin to pull away from sides of pan, about 30 minutes, cool completely in pan on rack.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit, July 2009
www.bonappetit.com/recipes‎

CARROT CUPCAKES

1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
cream cheese frosting (recipe follows)

Heat oven to 350F, and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the cinnamon, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs with the oil. Gradually beat in the sugar at medium-high speed and beat until thick, about 3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla. Fold in the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula, then fold in the carrots.
Spoon the batter into the muffin cups and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcakes comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Fill a pastry bag fitted with a tip with the cream cheese frosting. Pipe the frosting onto the carrot cupcakes and serve.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups confectioners sugar

In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the vanilla and confectioners sugar, then beat at high speed until the frosting is light and fluffy.
Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from Food and Wine, January 2011
www.foodandwine.com/‎

PEANUT HUMMUS

I originally made this dip for an "unusual pairings" party, my husband and I hosted. Not being familiar with boiled peanuts, I used the roasted kind, easily found in every supermarket in this area. My first attempt didn't turn out very well - it resembled a satay sauce, rather than hummus!
My dear friend let me know that in fact boiled peanuts were very different to roasted and they were to be found in abundance down South. On a recent family trip through Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida, we came across many stands at the side of the road that were selling boiled peanuts - and I was excited to try them, and to attempt this recipe again. The texture was very like a large, soft bean, perfect for a hummus-like dip.

PEANUT HUMMUS

1 cup shelled boiled peanuts
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
pinch of ground red pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Process first 7 ingredients in a food processor until coarsely chopped, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. Add olive oil, processing until smooth - adding more lemon juice and/or olive oil as needed.
Serve with pita chips, sliced carrots, cucumbers, and red pepper strips, as desired.
Enjoy!