My Mother's Cream Puffs Submitted by Giamia

Cream Puffs

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of butter
1 cup of boiling water
1 cup of sifted all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
4 eggs

1. melt butter in boiling water.
2. add flour and salt all at one time, stir vigorously. Cook, stirring contantly until the mixture forms a ball that doesnt separate.
3. remove from heat and cool slightly.
4. add eggs one at a time, beating hard after each addition until misture is smooth.
5. fill up a pastry bag, and use the star tip.
6. form a cream puff 21/2 inches in diameter and 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet pan.
7. bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes then lower it to 325 and bake an additional 25 minutes.
8. when they're puffed up and golden brown remove them to a wire rack and let them cool completely.
9. Split them open and fill with custard and whipped cream.
10. Melt chocolate morsels and drizzle over the tops.
    
    

The Custard recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons of cornstarch
1/3 cup of sugar
1/8 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cold milk
1 1/2 cups milk, scalded
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon of imitation rum extract
2 egg yolks beaten w/2 tablespoons of milk

1. mix cornstarch, sugar, salt and cold milk.
2. Gradually add in hot milk.
3. cook in double boiler until thick, stirring constantly.
4. Cover, and cook 10-12 minutes
5. stir in some of the hot mixture over the beaten egg yolks tempering them, then add to the custard. stir well, add in vanilla and rum extracts, and Cool.

When the custard is cool you can start filling the cream puffs by adding some custard to the bottom half of the puff and top that with whipped cream. fill each one and arrange on a platter then take your melted chocolate morsels and drizzel the chocolate over the tops and refridgerate till ready to serve.

Submitted by Giamia

Top Ten To Effective Food Combining

Correct food combinations are important for proper digestion, utilization, and assimilation of the nutrients in our diet. The principles of food combining are dictated by digestive chemistry.
Protein foods require a highly acidic environment for digestion while carbohydrates (starches, fruit and sugars) and fats require a more alkaline medium. Anytime 2 or more foods are eaten at the same time, and those foods require opposite conditions for digestion, the digestive process is compromised.
The most important rule, is this: Don't mix starch foods with protein foods at the same meal.
Here are the principles of food combining one needs to adhere to:


Eat starches and acids at separate meals :

Acids neutralize the alkaline medium required for starch digestion and the result is indigestion and fermentation.

Eat carbohydrate foods and protein foods at separate meals :

Protein foods require an acid medium for digestion.

Eat only one kind of protein food at a meal :

Although every food contains some protein, those regarded as protein concentrated foods demands the longest digestive time. They are held in stomach for some hours until the gastric juices has performed its task. This may vary from 2 hrs to 6 hrs, depending upon the complexity of the protein in the food. If the protein food is mixed with starch-concentrated or sugar-concentrated foods, it usually results in fermentation. This may lead to indigestion & gas in stomach.

proteins and acid foods at separate meals :

The acids of acid foods inhibit the secretion of the digestive acids required for protein digestion. Undigested proteins putrefy in bacterial decomposition and produces some potent poisons.

Eat proteins and fats at separate meals :

Some foods, especially nuts, are over 50% fat and require hours for digestion. Fat in foods inhibits the secretion of gastric juices through the small wall. Thus when fat-concentrated foods are taken with protein foods, gastric catabolism will decrease by the degree of lipid concentration in the stomach. Fat will remain undigested in the stomach until gastric juices complete their work on the complex protein molecules. Although all primary protein foods contain high concentration of fat, such lipid will be held in suspension, awaiting catabolism in the intestine, without impeding gastric action.Free fats like oil, butter & milk tends to coat the gastric mucosa, thereby inhibiting its effort to secrete gastric juice.Fat surrounding the fried foods is also regarded as free fat & it interferes with gastric catabolism.

Eat proteins and sugars (fruits) at separate meals :

When ingested, all food are either acid or alkaline producers. Food comparatively rich in acid forming foods are generally high protein animal products. Whereas, fruits & vegetables are composed of alkaline forming elements. Consumption of proteins with fruits can interrupt the digestive processes of either or both types of food sugar and proteins consumed together can prove a dangerous combination.

Eat starchy foods and sugars (fruits) at separate meals :

Fruits undergo no digestion in the stomach and are held up if eaten with foods which require digestion in the stomach. Any quick digesting foods - such as fruit - must wait until the slowest digesting foods leave the stomach before they can leave - a process which can take up to 6 or 8 hours. The starch splitting enzyme Ptyalin in the saliva plays an important role as the food is chewed.It converts complex starch molecules into simpler sugars. Ptyalin requires neutral or slightly alkaline medium for proper functioning & this is the normal condition of the saliva in the mouth. However when acid foods are taken, the action of ptyalin is halted. It is therefore necessary, to avoid acid fruits in the same meal as sweet fruits or starches. Thus tomatoes should not be eaten with starches especially potato or bread.

Eat melons alone :

Melons combine with almost no other food.

Forget the desserts :

Eaten on top of meals they lie heavy on the stomach, requiring no digestion there, and ferment. Bacteria turn them into alcohols, acetic acids and vinegars.

Smaller the number of courses, the better it will be :

A meal consisting of proteins, carbohydrates & fats may remain in the stomach for 6-7hrs before the stomach is emptied. If the carbohydrates are eaten without proteins, they remain in the stomach for relatively short period. A fruit meal remains in the stomach for even shorter time. It is advisable to eat these different foods at different meals- a fruit meal, a starch meal & a protein meal. The ideal practice is a fruit meal for breakfast, a starch meal with salad & non starchy vegetables for lunch & a protein meal with a salad & non starchy vegetables for dinner.

In a nutshell, starches, fats, green vegetables & sugars may be eaten together as they require either an alkaline or neutral medium for their digestion. Similarly, proteins, green vegetables & acid fruits may be taken together as they require an acid or neutral medium for their digestion. But starches & proteins, fats & proteins & starches & acid fruits should not be eaten together, if the best results are required from the ingestion of the food eaten.

To Read more about this topic and others like it Surf to: http://www.womenfitness.net/food_combining.htm

http://www.womenfitness.net/whatsnew.htm

Pan Fried Crab Cakes Submitted by Giamia

Pan Fried Crab Cakes

Ingredients

1 lb Jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over to remove cartilage or shell

4 scallions, green part only, minced (about a half cup)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh herb, such as cilantro, dill, basil, or parsley. Your choice not all of them.

1 1/2 teaspoons old bay seasoning

2 tablespoons or up to 1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup of mayonnaise

Salt and ground white pepper

1 large egg

1/4 cup of flour

4 tablespoons of Vegetable oil

1. Gently mix crabmeat, scallions, herb, old bay, bread crumbs, and mayonnaise in medium bowl, being careful not to break up crab lumps. Season with salt and white pepper to taste. Carefully fold in egg with rubber spatula until misture just clings together.

2. Divide crab misture into four portions and shape each into a fat round cake, about 3 inches across and 1.5 inches high. Arrange on baking sheet lined with waxed paper, cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes, this is an important step in the cakes holding together while cooking. ( you can hold the cakes over; for 24 hours in the refridgerator)

3. Put flour on plate or in pie tin. Lightly dredge crab cakes. Heat oil in large, preferably nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Gently lay chilled crab cakes in to the skillet; pan fry until outsides are crisp and browned, 4 -5 minutes per side. Serve hot with or without sauce.

Creamy Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons minced chipotles (smoked jalapenos)

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro leaves

1 teaspoon juice from one small lime

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until flavors blend, (approx 30 minutes) Serve with crab cakes or other fried fish.

Cooper River Shrimp Creole Submitted by Giamia

I found this recipe in a magazine I bought in the grocery store the name of the book is America's Best Community cookbook, I haven't mentioned that I collect cookbooks because I love to cook. There is something so special for me its therapeutic, nothing is better then the smile and great feeling when someone is just loving what you made. When I make this my kids faces light up they cant wait till we eat and its so easy and relatively quick too. I hope you try it and when you please comment back and tell me how your family liked it.

Cooper River Shrimp Creole
Ingredients
2 lbs medium cleaned and deviened shrimp
2 large onions
2 medium sized green bell peppers, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 cup of golden raisins
1 cup of chili sauce - Heinz
1 cup of dry white wine
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of curry powder
2 cans of crushed tomatoes, undrained
3 bay leaves
hot cooked rice

Prepare shrimp by washing and shelling and deveining; set aside

Saute onion, bell pepper, and celery in hot oil in a dutch oven over medium high heat until tender. Add raisins and next 7 ingredients. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for

30 minutes, stirring occassionally.

After the 30 minutes add shrimp and cook for an addtitional 5 minutes, or until shrimp turn pink. Discard bay leaves, and serve over hot rice.

Carrot Casserole Submitted by Giamia

This is another family recipe, the ingredients might make you question how this can ever be good but, let me tell you.. it will shock and amaze you. The first time I had this was at my ex mother in laws house years ago, she made it the first time for thanksgiving dinner. It went over so well, it quickly became a thanksgiving favorite. When I thought about making this blog and since thanksgiving is only a week or two away I automatically thought I have got to make this so, I called her and she mailed me the recipe so I'm sharing it with you. As long as you like carrots, and horseradish doesn't bother you, I believe this will become a favorite at your house too.

Carrot Casserole

Ingredients
6 large carrots julienne-them
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
5 tablespoons of melted butter
1/2 cup of Japanese Panko crumbs
3 tablespoons of horseradish
buttered glass baking dish

Cook the Julienned carrots till they're al dente with enough water to cover over half the carrots. Remove carrots and save 1/4 cup of the water on the side. Mix the horseradish with the water and mayonnaise. Put the carrots into a 9x12 buttered baking dish, pour the water and mayo mixture over the carrots, then mix in the melted butter and, then cover the carrot mixture with the panko crumbs over the entire top. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Honey Walnut Shrimp Submitted by Giamia

"Hong Kong Style Chinese recipe! Crispy battered shrimp tossed in creamy sauce topped with sugar coated walnuts"

Honey Walnut Shrimp

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup water
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup walnuts
4 egg whites
2/3 cup mochiko (glutinous rice
flour)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 pound large shrimp, peeled
and deveined
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon canned
sweetened condensed milk
1 cup vegetable oil for frying

DIRECTIONS:
1.
Stir together the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and add the walnuts. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and place walnuts on a cookie sheet to dry.
2.
Whip egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy. Stir in the mochiko until it has a pasty consistency. Heat the oil in a heavy deep skillet over medium-high heat. Dip shrimp into the mochiko batter, and then fry in the hot oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
3.
In a medium serving bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, honey and sweetened condensed milk. Add shrimp and toss to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle the candied walnuts on top and serve.

Grandma's Mousse Pumpkin Pie Submitted by Giamia

This recipe is a family passed down recipe, this is the best pumpkin pie Ive ever had the pleasure to eat, its light and mild sorta fluffy, Im sure anyone willing to do a Lil extra work with agree with me it was worth the effort.

Grandma's Pumpkin Pie
2pks (1oz) Unflavored gelatin
1/2 cups cold water
3 cups - pumpkin - 1 large can
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons Cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cloves
1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg
Pinch of salt
1 can Evaporated Milk
6 eggs - separated
beat egg whites until they're light & stiff
2 Graham Cracker crusts (store bought) or made with graham cracker crumbs just follow the directions on the box as you would for cheesecake, Just press into a pie dish instead of a spring form pan.
In large pot add. . egg yolks, milk, sugar and, spices. Cook to make a custard (medium flame)
meanwhile, in cold water melt gelatin and add to the custard while its still cooking then add pumpkin, and mix well. Keep stirring constantly and be careful it can bubble up at this point and splash. Cook another 10 mins then take off the heat and let it cool down to make this process faster fill your sink up with some ice cold water and lower the pot in the sink and keep stirring while its cooling when the pumpkin mixture is cool fold the egg whites into it. Once its all incorporated, pour into pie shells and cover and refridgerate
Just before serving pipe on some fresh whipped cream or, use the canned
enjoy!