This is a recipe I've always used & never had a flop yet. Got it from Craig Claiborne & posted it a while back for someone & they had good luck with it too. CREAM PUFF SHELLS (10 large puffs) 1 cup water 1/4 lb butter Pinch of salt 1 cup flour 4 eggs Preheat oven to 450°. Combine the water, butter & salt & bring to a boil. Remove from the heat & add the flour all at once. Stir vigorously until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan & forms a ball around the spoon. If a ball does not form almost immediately, hold the saucepan over low heat & beat briskly a few seconds. Cool slightly. Add the eggs, 1 at a time & beat until the mixture is smooth & glossy after each addition. Drop the mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet, leaving 2" between the puffs to permit spreading. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350° & bake until no bubbles of fat remain on the surface & the sides of the puffs feel rigid, about 30 minutes longer. Cool. Cut a cap off each puff & fill with pastry cream. (I use whipped cream.) Replace the cap.~~ PASTRY CREAM (about 3 cups) 1/3 cup sugar 3 1/2 TBL cornstarch or 6 TBL flour 6 lightly beaten egg yolks 2 cups milk 1 tsp vanilla Mix sugar, cornstarch & yolks in a saucepan. Scald the milk & pour it gradually over the egg yolk mixture, stirring rapidly with a wire whisk. Cook over low heat or in the top of a double boiler, stirring rapidly with the whisk, until the mixture is thickened & smooth. Do not allow to boil. Cool & stir in the vanilla.~~

Can't remember who posted this, but I tried them (I left out the caraway seeds because I don't like them). They are really good. ONION BRIE PALMIERS 2 medium onions, thinly sliced 3 Tblsp. butter or margarine 2 Tblsp. brown sugar 1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar or cider vinegar 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed 4 oz. Brie or Camembert, rind removed, softened 1 to 2 tsp. caraway seeds 1 egg 2 tsp. water In a large skillet, cook the onions, butter, brown sugar, and vinegar over medium-low heat until onions are golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove with a slotted spoon; cool to room temperature. On a lightly floured surface, roll puff pastry into an 11- x 8-inch rectangle. Spread Brie over pastry. Cover with the onions; sprinkle with caraway seeds. Roll up one long side to the middle of the dough; roll up the other side so the two rolls meet in the center. Using a serrated knife, cut into 1/2-inch slices. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheets; flatten to 1/4-inch thickness. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. In a small bowl, beat egg and water; brush over slices. Bake at 375° F. for 12 to 14 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm. Yield: 1-1/2 dozen. Another we really liked: SPINACH AND ARTICHOKES IN PUFF PASTRY 1 (10-ounce) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 tsp. onion powder 1 tsp. garlic powder 1/2 tsp. pepper 1 (17.3-ounce) package frozen puff pastry Drain spinach well, pressing between layers of paper towels. Stir together spinach, artichoke hearts, and next 5 ingredients. Thaw puff pastry at room temperature 30 minutes. Unfold pastry, and place on a lightly floured surface or heavy-duty plastic wrap. Spread one-fourth spinach mixture evenly over pastry sheet, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Roll up pastry, jellyroll fashion, pressing to seal seam; wrap in heavy-duty plastic wrap. Repeat procedure with remaining pastry and spinach mixture. Freeze 30 minutes; cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. (Rolls may be frozen up to 3 months.) Bake at 400° F. for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Yield: 4 dozen. Source: Southern Living, Top-Rated Recipe, November 2000".

I've always done them as a savory appetizer, although I admit to liking them with a sweet cream filling if cold. We typically make them with crab in season. Puffs cooked til very dry, completely cooled, sliced part of the way through but not entirely (jack in the box style), then filled and 'lid down'. And I don't eat many desserts, but wouldn't turn down an occasional éclair with a custard filling and chocolate on top. Years ago I made puff swans Easter. Once. I don't know if I'd do it again but I impressed the heck out of little nieces and nephews that year ;) Recipe was in one of my older holiday idea books but same thing.... Here is a link that might be useful: Puff Swans

I make my sons "Mom's Meals" for part of their Christmas present. Usually I do a batch of enchiladas then put 2 or 3 enchiladas and sauce in each freezer container. You can make chicken enchiladas or ground beef with black beans, finely diced onion, and cheese. Another thing I make is a chicken and stuffing casserole: 1 (3 pound) whole chicken (cooked in water, meat removed) 8 ounces dry bread stuffing mix 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup 1 1/4 cups chicken broth (from boiling the chicken) 1 cup evaporated milk Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Layer the deboned chicken meat in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle stuffing mix over the chicken layer. In a large bowl mix together the soups, broth and evaporated milk. Stir well. Pour this mixture over the stuffing mix, making sure it gets to the bottom of the baking dish (poke around with a fork to let it saturate into the bottom layer). Bake in the preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes, until it starts to bubble in the center. Can be frozen before baking as everything is already cooked. I served this at an office lunch yesterday and it is very tasty - I think it will freeze just fine. Chicken Crunch Casserole 1 cup chopped celery 1 tablespoon butter or margarine 3 cups cubed cooked chicken breasts 1 1/2 cups cooked rice 1 (10 3/4 ounce) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted 3/4 cup mayonnaise (NOT Miracle Whip) 1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained (Cut each water chestnut slice into quarters if you prefer them in smaller pieces) 1/2 cup sliced almonds 2 tablespoons chopped onions salt & pepper TOPPING 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine 1/2 cup crushed corn flakes Directions 1In a skillet, saute' the celery in butter until tender. 2Remove from heat and add the next 8 ingredients. 3Spoon into an ungreased 2 1/2 quart baking dish. 4Combine melted butter& cornflakes. 5Sprinkle on top. 6Bake 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.