Cream Puffs

I have made these several times over the years and filled them with many different things. Traditionally it would be a sweet filling of cream but you can use vanilla, lemon or chocolate pudding with that. Add raspberries or strawberries. Blueberry or cherry pie filling to top. You can also top shell with melted chocolate. You can make mini cream puffs for a smaller sweet treat. 

You could also put a savory Chicken a la King filling in it as well.

So many possibilities for these yummy treats.  

I thick I got this recipe in my grade 8 cooking class so I've had it for a while :)  

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

1 cup hot water

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sifted flour

4 eggs, unbeaten

1. Start heating oven to 400 F. In medium saucepan heat butter with boiling water, over high heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted. Then turn heat low, add salt and flour, both at once, and stir vigorously, over low heat, until mixture leaves sides of pan in a smooth compact ball. 

2. Immediately remove from heat, then quickly add eggs, one at a time, beating with spoon until smooth after each addition. After last egg has been added, beat until mixture has satin-like sheen. 

3. Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls, 3" apart on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, shaping each into a mount that points in the centre. You can also put in a pastry bag and pipe onto the cookie sheet using a large circle tip. 

4. Bake 50 mins-without peeking (or about 25 mins for mini puffs). Cream puffs should be puffed high and golden. Remove and cool on wire rack. Fill with cream or as desired and sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

This was yummy comfort food. A lower fat and calorie version but definitely did not lack in taste. So great for left overs the next day too!

This recipe comes from skinnytaste.com

Makes 6, 1-1/2 cup servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup flour (2 tbsp cornstarch to make gluten-free)

2 cups water

4 cups fat free milk (or 1%)

1 large celery stalk, chopped

1/2 medium chopped onion

8 oz sliced baby portabella mushrooms

2 chicken bouillons

fresh ground pepper

pinch of thyme

10 oz frozen classic mixed veggies (peas, carrots, green beans, corn)

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed small

16 oz cooked chicken breast, diced small

salt

Directions

Create a slurry: combined 1/2 cup of the cold water with flour in a medium bowl and whisk until well blended. Set aside. 

Pour remaining water and milk into a large pot and slowly bring to a boil. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, chicken bouillon, thyme, fresh pepper, frozen veggies and return to a boil. Partially cover and simmer on low until vegetables are soft, about 20 mins. Remove lid, add potatoes and cook until soft, about 5 mins. Add chicken, and slowly whisk in slurry, stirring well as you add. Cook another 2-3 mins, until soup thickens, adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve. 

Country Beef Stew

I made this stew for a staff Christmas party. You can get the original recipe HERE from South Your Mouth. I made a mistake cooking this as I couldn't get all the ingredients I wanted in my crock pot so I had to leave out the potatoes but then I ended I putting it all in a roaster and putting it in my oven on low...Well the meat cooked too much and started shredding (but still good) and the potatoes were barely done (but still tasted good). But I was trying to do a bigger batch...next time it will all cook the same and be so fantastic. I did change a couple of things with it but I think the flavor was so great and had some compliments on it. It's a great stew to have with homemade buns on a cold day. 

I have written it for the stove top method but can be done in crock pot.

Ingredients

1.5-2 pounds chuck roast, cubed or stew meat

1-1/5 pounds beef short ribs (optional but adds great flavor)

4 Tbsps olive oil, divided

Salt, pepper & garlic powder

2-3 cups diced carrots

2-3 cups diced celery

1 large onion, diced

5-6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp thyme

1/4 cup flour (or 2 tbsp of cornstarch)

2 envelopes beefy onion soup mix (or beef broth crystals and onion flakes)

4 1/2 cups water

1 cup beef broth

3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

4-5 med potatoes, peeled and cubed

Directions

Heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven or large pot. Season meat and ribs liberally with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Add beef pieces and ribs in batches to hot oil and brown on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl; set aside. Do in batches and just sear the meat, you are not cooking it. 

Add remaining oil to pot then saute carrots, celery and onion for 4-6 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add garlic and thyme and continue cooking 2 mins. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add flour to vegetables and stir well. Cook and stir for 2-3 mins more. 

Combine water with beefy onion soup, mix well then add to veggies and stir. Once broth is smooth and well combined, add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Add meat, ribs and any pan juices back to the pot. Add bay leaf and potatoes then stir well. 

Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally. Do not let the pot come to a boil-just slowly simmer. Season with additional salt, pepper and garlic powder if needed. 

When ready to serve remove rib bones and bay leaf from pot. 

Note: 

If doing this the crock pot way after searing the meat just add meat and all the other ingredients to the crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 4-6. 

Thai Shrimp Noodle Soup

I had bought some rice ramen at Costco and was looking for a recipe to use it in and came across this one. I used less water (6 cups) and beef bouillon powder instead of the pre-packaged ramen noodles as indicated in recipe.  I altered it a bit but it was so tasty. You can leave out the shrimp as well if you want. 

Original recipe comes from Oxmoor House. Serves 6

Ingredients

8 cups water 

3 green onions, minced

2 carrots, thinly sliced

2 Tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce

1 Tbsp Thai hot chili sauce

2 gloves garlic, finely minced (or 1 heaping tbsp minced)

2 Tbsp peeled and very thinly slivered fresh ginger

(I just used the kind you squeeze out of a tube)

1 tsp chopped fresh basil

4 packages oriental/beef/chicken flavor ramen noodles, slightly broken. 

8 oz medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach

1 cup sliced mushrooms

Juice and grated zest for 1 lime (I didn't add this)

Directions

Bring water to a boil in a soup pot. Add green onions, carrots, fish sauce, chili suace, garlic, ginger, and basil to pot. Add 2 ramen noodles seasoning packets (if you add al 4 packets, the soup will probably be too salty). Boil 5 mins. 

Add Shrimp, spinach, mushrooms and ramen noodles. Cook 5 more minutes. Add lime juice and zest. Stir well and serve.