Cream of Wheat

When I am sick and my throat hurts, I like thin Cream of Wheat.

You prepare it according to the package directions, but use milk, and don't use quite as much Cream of Wheat as listed.

I like to eat it with brown sugar. You may want to add sliced bananas or apple sauce, but I don't care for those.

Cream of Wheat: Stovetop Directions
Makes 1 serving

1-1/4 cups milk
3 T Cream of Wheat
(the directions suggest adding salt, but we don't add it)

1) Bring milk just to a boil. Be careful not to burn milk.
2) Gradually add Cream of Wheat, stirring constantly with whisk until well blended.
3) Return to a boil, reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, for 2-1/2 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Cool slightly.

It soothes my throat and it fills me up.

Puffy Omelet

I've been cooking a lot of different egg dishes lately. Something I'd never heard of before were puffy omelets.

I made one for lunch the other day. We all enjoyed it. Puffy omelets are different to other egg dishes, because you separate the egg yolks and white, beat the whites until fluffy, then add in the beaten egg yolks. This makes the omelet airier.

Puffy Omelet
(Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book.)

Ingredients
4 egg whites
2 T water
4 beaten egg yolks
1/4 tsp pepper (optional) [I included this.]
1/8 tsp salt (optional) [I included this.]
1 T margarine or butter [I used butter.]

1) In a bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. Add water and continue beating for about 1-1/2 minutes more until stiff peaks form, tips stand straight. Fold egg yolks, salt and pepper (if desired) into egg whites.

2) In a 10-inch oven-proof skillet, heat margarine or butter until a drop of water sizzles. Pour in egg mixture, mounding it slightly at sides. Cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes, or until puffed, set, and golden brown on the bottom. Bake in a 325F oven for 8-10 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

3) Loosen sides of omelet with a metal spatula. Make a shallow cut, slightly off center, across the omelet. Folder smaller side of omelet over larger side. (If desired, spoon a filling over the larger portion before folding.) Use a wide metal spatula to lift the omelet.

Makes 2 servings.

Nutrional Facts per serving: 203 calories per serving. 16 grams total fat. 426 mg cholesterol. 324 mg sodium. 1gram carbohydrates. Less than 1 gram fiber. 13 grams protein.
Daily Values: 71% vitamin A. 0% vitam C. 4% calcium. 8% iron.

Baked Eggs or Shirred Eggs

I decided to try to cook eggs and attempted to make an omelet. It turned into cheese on top of scrambled eggs, but it was all right!

Next I tried baked eggs. No one had ever heard of them. So, I tried them and they liked them.

According to Wikipedia, the name "shirred eggs" comes from the dishes the eggs were cooked in, "shirs." Shirred eggs' whites are firm, but soft, while the yolks are runny.

I found the recipe in Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book.

Baked Eggs (Recipe adapted from BHG New Cook Book.)
Margarine or butter (I use butter)
2 eggs
Snipped fresh chives or other herb (I use chives)
2 tablespoons shredded cheese, optional

1. Generously grease two ramekins with margarine or butter. Carefully break one egg into each, sprinkle with chives or desired herb, salt and pepper to taste. Set ramekins in a 9x9x2-inch baking pan; place on oven rack. Pour hot water around ramekins in pan in inch deep.

2. Bake in a 325F degree oven, for about 25 minutes, until the eggs are firm and whites are opaque. If desired, after 20 minutes of baking, sprinkle cheese atop eggs. Bake for 5 minutes more, until the eggs are baked and the cheese is melted.

Makes 2 servings.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 80 calories, 5 grams total fat (1.5 saturated fat), 213 mg cholesterol, 93 mg sodium, 0.5 grams carbohydrate, 0 grams fiber, 6.5 grams protein.
Daily Values: 10% vitamin A, 0.5% vitamin C, 2% calcium, 4.5% iron.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Most kids like chocolate chip cookies, but they weren't a favorite of my dad's. Then we made them using this recipe from Alpha-Bakery Children's Cook Book. He loved them!

When we compared them with the recipe on a bag of chocolate chips, we discovered the difference: our new recipe had no vanilla. This makes them even better!

So, here's the recipe from Alpha-Bakery Children's Cook Book, which also has many other yummy recipes.

Cc is for Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup of margarine or butter, softened (we use butter)
1 egg
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup of chopped nuts, optional (we don't add these)
1 pkg (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 375F.

2. Mix both sugars, butter, and egg in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.

3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 3 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake until light brown, 8 to 10 minutes (centers will be soft). Let cookies cool slightly, then remove from cookie sheet with a spatula. Makes about 48 cookies.

They don't last long in our house, because we eat them so quickly. Enjoy!

Yellow Rice

Yellow rice is very yummy. I like it with tacos.

Saffron makes the rice yellow. Saffron comes from the saffron crocus. Each flower has three stigmas, which we know as the spice, saffron. Like nutmeg, it is poisonous in large amounts. The cultivation of saffron goes back 3,000 years. Experts believe it was first documented in the 7th century BC, by Ashurbinpal, in an Assyrian botanical text.

We use Mahatma Saffron Yellow Rice. It's easy to make. Yellow rice is flavorful and mouth-watering.

I also like, because I'm practicing being rich, and saffron is the most expensive spice by weight.

Fish Pie

Fish pie is very tasty. It has vegetables, fish, pearl onions, and a cream sauce.

We've used cod once and tilapia another time.

I like it because it's very savory. I even have seconds!

My mom made up this recipe, so none of the measurements are exact. She says to just go with what feels and looks right to you.

Fish Pie
Serves 4

Ingredients
2 9-inch crusts (for top and bottom of pie)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
2 or 3 handfuls fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen pearl onions
Dash red pepper flakes (optional)
1 lb. cod or other white fish
1/2 lb. shrimp meat (optional)
1 cup chicken stock
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup cream

1) Preheat oven to 350F. Place a large shallow cookie sheet on the middle rack, to heat up while you make the filling.

2) Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add chopped onion, celery, and carrots. Saute for 10 minutes. Add spinach, frozen peas, frozen pearl onions, and red pepper flakes. Cook 5 more minutes. Add fish, chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Stir and cover with lid. Cook until the fish is cooked. Add cream and continue heating a few minutes.

3) Put one layer of pie dough in an ungreased 9- to 10-inch glass pie dish. Pour fish mixture into the pie dish. Cover with the other pie crust, seal the edges, cut vents, and carefully place the completed pie on the heated cookie sheet.

4) Bake for about 30 minutes, making sure not to burn the crust edges (cover with foil, if needed). When the crust is golden, remove the pie from the oven. Careful, the pie will be hot!

5) Serve hot or warm.

Dark Chocolate

I like dark chocolate better than milk chocolate. Dark chocolate makes me less thirsty when I eat it.

Dark chocolate is a better choice than milk chocolate. It may lower your blood pressure. When eaten without milk, it is a potent antioxidant. Antoxidants get rid of free radicals, which helps prevent heart disease and other ailments. (http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20030827/dark-chocolate-is-healthy-chocolate)

Extra dark is too bitter for me, and probably better for cooking chocolate. Regular dark chocolate contains 45-70% cacao (cocoa) in the U.S.

I even asked for dark chocolate for Easter!