If the Pâte à Choux Fits: Cream Puff

Legend has it that Catherine de Medici brought the recipe for cream puffs from Italy when she moved to France in 1533. As the years progressed, the recipe for puff pastry went through several incarnations until Antoine Carême finally perfected it. Puff pastry dough is called Pâte à Choux, which means cabbage pastry, because it was believed to look like very small head of cabbage. I don’t think it does, but I’m not a French pastry chef.

Pâte à Choux is a versatile dough, which can be used to make churros if you are looking for a Spanish dessert or gougeres, which go well with wine and make a great appetizer for a wine and cheese party.

The trick behind all cream puff recipes is the dough. The dough is actually cooked in the pan before it is baked in the oven. The result is a hollow, puffy pastry that can be filled with cream, ice cream, savory mousse, or whatever you like.

Ingredients
1 cup plus 6 teaspoons of water (9 ounces)
4 ounces of butter, cut into pieces
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
pinch of salt
pinch of sugar
4-5 eggs
egg beaten with a bit of water (for egg wash)

Directions
Put the water, butter, salt, and sugar in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.

Once the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat and add all of the flour at once.

Place the pan back onto a medium heat and, using a wooden spoon, stir the mixture vigorously until it forms a thick batter that pulls away from the side of the pan. This should take about 30 seconds.

Continue to cook the batter for 1-2 minutes more.

Remove the batter from the pan and put it into the bowl of your stand mixer.

Break the eggs into a bowl.

Using the paddle attachment, mix the batter on low speed and add the eggs one at a time. #Let each egg become fully incorporated before adding the next one. The batter should be smooth and firm.

You know you have added enough eggs when a dollop of batter lifted on a spatula curls over itself and forms a hook.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

Fit a pastry bag with a number 5 piping tip and fill the bag with the dough.

Pipe 1 ½-inch mounds of dough onto the cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for 10 minutes more.

Turn the oven off and let the puffs rest for 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Cut the puffs in half across the middle.

Fill with whipped cream.

Dust with powdered sugar.

Homemade Lasagna

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package lasagna noodles
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound lean ground beef
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup minced onion
1/8 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound small curd cottage cheese
3 eggs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add noodles and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and set aside.

Place pork and beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Stir in tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, parsley, garlic, oregano, onion, sugar, basil and salt. Simmer over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In a large bowl, combine cottage cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.

In a 9x13 inch baking dish, place 2 layers of noodles on the bottom of dish; layer 1/2 of the cheese mixture, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 of the sauce; repeat layers.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes; let stand for 10 minutes before cutting; serve.

Moist Banana Bread

Ingredients
3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

Directions
No need for a mixer for this banana bread recipe.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl.

Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla.

Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in.

Add the flour last, mix.

Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan.

Bake for 1 hour.

Cool on a rack.

Remove from pan and slice to serve.

How To Use The Food Pyramid

The Food Guide Pyramid is a practical tool to help you make food choices that are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Using the Pyramid enables you to eat a variety of foods daily so that you can get the nutrients you need.

To make the most of the Pyramid, you need to know what counts as a serving.

Food Group--Serving Size
Bread--1 slice bread, 1\2 bagel or English muffin, 1 ounce ready-to-eat cereal, 1\2 cup cooked cereal, rice or pasta, or 5-6 small crackers
Vegetable--1 cup raw, leafy vegetables, 1\2 cup cooked or chopped raw vegetables or 3\4 cup vegetable juice
Fruit--1 medium piece of fruit, 1\2 cup mixed fruit or 3\4 cup fruit juice
Milk--1 cup milk or yogurt, 11\2 ounces natural cheese or 2 ounces process cheese
Meat--2 - 3 ounces cooked lean meat, poultry or fish (about the size of a deck of cards)
Other foods which count as 1 ounce meat: 1\2 cup cooked dry beans, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons peanut butter or 1\3 cup nuts

10 Ways To Eating Healthy

Here is an article I found worth reading about: ways to eating healthy.

1. Eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods. You need more than 40 different nutrients for good health, and no single food supplies them all. Your daily food selection should include bread and other whole-grain products; fruits; vegetables; dairy products; and meat, poultry, fish and other protein foods. How much you should eat depends on your calorie needs. Use the Food Guide Pyramid and the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels as handy references.

2. Enjoy plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Surveys show most Americans don't eat enough of these foods. Do you eat 6-11 servings from the bread, rice, cereal and pasta group, 3 of which should be whole grains? Do you eat 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables? If you don't enjoy some of these at first, give them another chance. Look through cookbooks for tasty ways to prepare unfamiliar foods.

3. Maintain a healthy weight. The weight that's right for you depends on many factors including your sex, height, age and heredity. Excess body fat increases your chances for high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, some types of cancer and other illnesses. But being too thin can increase your risk for osteoporosis, menstrual irregularities and other health problems. If you're constantly losing and regaining weight, a registered dietitian can help you develop sensible eating habits for successful weight management. Regular exercise is also important to maintaining a healthy weight.

4. Eat moderate portions. If you keep portion sizes reasonable, it's easier to eat the foods you want and stay healthy. Did you know the recommended serving of cooked meat is 3 ounces, similar in size to a deck of playing cards? A medium piece of fruit is 1 serving and a cup of pasta equals 2 servings. A pint of ice cream contains 4 servings. Refer to the Food Guide Pyramid for information on recommended serving sizes.

5. Eat regular meals. Skipping meals can lead to out-of-control hunger, often resulting in overeating. When you're very hungry, it's also tempting to forget about good nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but don't eat so much that your snack becomes an entire meal.

6. Reduce, don't eliminate certain foods. Most people eat for pleasure as well as nutrition. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, the key is moderating how much of these foods you eat and how often you eat them.
Identify major sources of these ingredients in your diet and make changes, if necessary. Adults who eat high-fat meats or whole-milk dairy products at every meal are probably eating too much fat. Use the Nutrition Facts panel on the food label to help balance your choices.

7. Choosing skim or low-fat dairy products and lean cuts of meat such as flank steak and beef round can reduce fat intake significantly.
If you love fried chicken, however, you don't have to give it up. Just eat it less often. When dining out, share it with a friend, ask for a take-home bag or a smaller portion.

8. Balance your food choices over time. Not every food has to be "perfect." When eating a food high in fat, salt or sugar, select other foods that are low in these ingredients. If you miss out on any food group one day, make up for it the next. Your food choices over several days should fit together into a healthy pattern.
Know your diet pitfalls. To improve your eating habits, you first have to know what's wrong with them. Write down everything you eat for three days. Then check your list according to the rest of these tips. Do you add a lot of butter, creamy sauces or salad dressings? Rather than eliminating these foods, just cut back your portions. Are you getting enough fruits and vegetables? If not, you may be missing out on vital nutrients.

9. Make changes gradually. Just as there are no "superfoods" or easy answers to a healthy diet, don't expect to totally revamp your eating habits overnight. Changing too much, too fast can get in the way of success. Begin to remedy excesses or deficiencies with modest changes that can add up to positive, lifelong eating habits. For instance, if you don't like the taste of skim milk, try low-fat. Eventually you may find you like skim, too.

10. Remember, foods are not good or bad. Select foods based on your total eating patterns, not whether any individual food is "good" or "bad." Don't feel guilty if you love foods such as apple pie, potato chips, candy bars or ice cream. Eat them in moderation, and choose other foods to provide the balance and variety that are vital to good health.

Church's Southern Fried Chicken

Ingredients
3 eggs
1/3 C. water
2 C. self-rising flour
1 t. pepper
1 to 2-1/2 pound chicken, cut into pieces
seasoned salt
Crisco shortening for frying

Directions
Beat eggs with water.

To just enough self-rising flour to coat all the chicken, add black pepper.

Dip seasoned chicken in egg; coat well in flour mixture.

Fry in moderately hot shortening (350° F.) until brown and crisp.

Remember that dark meat requires longer cooking time (about 13 to 14 minutes, compared to 8 to 10 minutes for white meat).

Melt Away Strawberry Shortcake

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
7 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter or margarine, in chunks
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 quart sliced strawberries (1/4 in. thick)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
In a bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add butter and cut in with a pastry blender or rub in with your fingers until fine crumbs form. Add 3/4 cup cream and stir with a fork until dough holds together.

On a lightly floured board, knead dough just until smooth, 3 or 4 turns. Coat board with more flour and roll dough into a 4- by 8-inch rectangle. With a floured knife or fluted cutter, cut into 6 equal rectangles. Space rectangles 2 inches apart on a 12- by 15-inch baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon sugar.

Bake in a 375° F. regular or 350° F. convection oven until shortcakes are deep golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool on sheet at least 15 minutes.

As shortcakes bake, in a bowl, gently mix strawberries with 2 tablespoons sugar. In another bowl, with a mixer on medium-high speed, whip remaining 3/4 cup cream, 1 tablespoon sugar, and vanilla until mixture holds soft mounds; cover and chill.

With a serrated knife, split shortcakes in half horizontally. Set bottoms cut side up on plates. Mound strawberries and whipped cream on bottoms. Set tops cut side down on fruit and cream.

NOTES: Prepare shortcakes through step 4 up to 1 day ahead; let cool completely, then store airtight at room temperature.

Makes 6 servings.

Southern Red Velvet Cake

Ingredients
Vegetable oil for the pans
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup buttermilk, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 tablespoons red food coloring (1 ounce)
1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting, recipe follows
Crushed pecans, for garnish

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil and flour 3 (9 by 1 1/2-inch round) cake pans.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In another large bowl, whisk together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla.

Using a standing mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined and a smooth batter is formed.

Divide the cake batter evenly among the prepared cake pans. Place the pans in the oven evenly spaced apart. Bake, rotating the pans halfway through the cooking, until the cake pulls away from the side of the pans, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Remove the cakes from the oven and run a knife around the edges to loosen them from the sides of the pans. One at a time, invert the cakes onto a plate and then re-invert them onto a cooling rack, rounded-sides up. Let cool completely.

Frost the cake. Place 1 layer, rounded-side down, in the middle of a rotating cake stand. Using a palette knife or offset spatula spread some of the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake. (Spread enough frosting to make a 1/4 to 1/2-inch layer.) Carefully set another layer on top, rounded-side down, and repeat. Top with the remaining layer and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. Sprinkle the top with the pecans.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 pound cream cheese, softened
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup), softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand-held electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sugar, and butter on low speed until incorporated. Increase the speed to high, and mix until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. (Occasionally turn the mixer off, and scrape the down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.)

Reduce the speed of the mixer to low. Add the vanilla, raise the speed to high and mix briefly until fluffy (scrape down the bowl occasionally). Store in the refrigerator until somewhat stiff, before using. May be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days.

Yield: enough to frost a 3 layer (9-inch) cake