Hi all --

I made the shrimp fritters in the link below on Thursday, and they were OUT OF THIS WORLD GOOD! The only change I made was to use some potato starch along with the flour for extra crispiness... I fried them in my wok, which worked great -- no mess... Basically I kept moaning and exclaiming after each one of these I ate!

Emily

Here is a link that might be useful: Ginger and Garlic Spiced Shrimp Fritters

Linda, do you freeze your cilantro in water? I always wind up throwing some out if I have to buy it which is most of the time. I've just about quit growing it. Bolts too easily.

TIA,jude

Jude, I pack chopped cilantro in ice cube trays, then fill each cube with water and freze. Obviously it is not the same as fresh, but it tastes fresh!

I have never been able to grow cilantro either, so I buy it fresh in summer. Problem is I generally don't use an entire bunch at once so I began freezing it.

I do the same with fresh basil, using olive oil instead of water.

Linda

Thanks Linda. I wondered if you froze the leaves whole. I freeze pesto in ice cube trays.

Thanks again, jude

Linda, that looks outstanding! Thanks for sharing.

I made some soup yesterday out of the rice teresa_mn sent me. It's delicous!
Thanks to Chase's suggestion, I bought some vermouth to sub for sherry in my recipes.

Wild Rice Soup

6 tablespoons margarine or butter
2-3 tablespoons minced onion
1/2 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups cooked wild rice
1/2 cup finely grated carrots
1 cup minced ham or leftover cooked chicken
3 tablespoons chopped slivered almonds (you can put them in the soup OR toast and top as a garnish)
/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup half and half
2 tablespoons dry sherry

In large saucepan, melt margarine; saute onion until tender. Blend in flour; gradually add broth. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil and stir 1 minute.

Stir in rice, carrots, ham, almonds and salt; simmer about 5 minutes. Blend in half and half and sherry; heat to serving temperature. Garnish with snipped parsley or chives.
Amount: 6 cups.

Thanks for starting the thread Linda, I've been super busy and distracted here and I completely forgot about it!

Tonight was a couple of firsts. My boys decided they wanted to try making cloverleaf rolls, and had a ball doing it. They also decided that 4 leaf clovers were much luckier! LOL!

And since lobster tails were on sale, I decided on Lobster Mac & Cheese. After perusing several recipes, I decided on this one. DH and The Little Gourmand really liked it, I am such a purist I thought it was a waste of lobster meat. It was tasty, but I would have much preferred a lobster roll or just dipping the tail in melted butter. Sorry I didn;t get a photo before I started eating, it was much prettier with a parsley bundle and a cherry tomato rosette in the middle and not missing several bites and sauce everywhere! But, you'll get the idea.....

Lobster Macaroni and Cheese
Serves:
8 servings
Ingredients
• 4 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon for greasing dish
• Kosher salt
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 2 small shallots, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups shredded sharp white Cheddar
• 2 cups shredded Gruyere
• 2 (8-ounce) raw lobster tails, defrosted if frozen, meat removed from shell, chopped
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley leaves
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and adjust racks to the middle. Grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with butter.
In a large pot of boiling salted water over medium heat, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta and reserve.
Add 4 tablespoons butter to a large pot over medium heat. Once the butter shimmers, add the shallots and garlic and saute until translucent. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the tomato paste and flour and stir to toast, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the white wine and reduce, by half, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the cream, whisking well to remove any lumps. Add the paprika, cayenne, and bay leaf. Bring the cream up to a simmer and turn the heat to low. Let reduce until the cream is thick and can coat a spoon, about 5 to 10 minutes. When thickened, remove the bay leaves.
Stir in the grated cheeses, a handful at a time, combining well after each addition. Add the chopped lobster meat to the sauce and stir well. Add the pasta and stir. Add to the greased baking dish and sprinkle with the panko crumbs and parsley. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle individual servings with parsley

Had some ham broth in the freezer that needed using. Snowy day so I went looking for a Navy Bean soup recipe and found this one at Allrecipes. It turned out really good.

Navy Bean Soup

* 1 (16 ounce) package dried navy beans
* 6 cups water
* 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 stalks celery, chopped
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* 1/2 pound chopped ham
* 1 cube chicken bouillon
* 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
* 1 tablespoon dried parsley
* 2 teaspoons garlic powder
* 1 bay leaf
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 3 cups water

Directions

1. Combine beans, water, tomatoes, onion, celery, garlic, ham, bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, garlic, and bay leaf in a stock pot; bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for two hours.
2. Add additional water. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for an additional two hours. Discard bay leaf.

The only changes that I made was using ham broth, omitting the ham because I didn't have any and the bay leaf because I'm out of bay leaves. I didn't add any salt because the broth was salty.

*This req'd. more than 4 hours simmering. More like five hours. Next time, I'll either pressure cook it or soak the beans before.

Served it with cornbread. I had some leftover corn in the refrigerator so I pulsed it in the food processor & added it to the cornbread.

I made this one earlier in the week for DH and I (think the teens would eat it? NOT)

From thekitchn.com

Kale Slaw with Peanut Dressing
serves 6 to 8

2 large bunches curly or lacinato kale, about 2 pounds
2 red bell peppers, cleaned and cut into fine strips
1 large carrot, peeled
3/4 cup roasted, salted peanuts, divided
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon packed light-brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

Fold each leaf of kale in half lengthwise and slice out the center rib. Discard ribs. Roll a stack of the leaves up and slice in half lengthwise, then crosswise into very fine ribbons. You will have 10 to 12 cups of finely chopped kale in the end. Wash and rinse thoroughly in a salad spinner.

Toss the kale with the sliced bell peppers. Slice the carrot very thin, either by creating curls with a peeler, or by running the halved carrot lengthwise down a mandoline. Toss with the kale, red pepper, and 1/2 cup of the peanuts.

In a chopper or small food processor, briefly puree the remaining 1/4 cup peanuts, oil, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper flakes. Pulse it just a few times; the peanuts should be partially pureed, but with some nibs and nubs still left in the dressing. (The texture difference between the whole peanuts, ground peanuts, and pureed peanuts in the sauce is one of the things that makes this slaw so wonderful.)

Toss the dressing with the slaw and let it sit for at least a few minutes before serving.

Adapted from Martha Stewart Living, August 2009

Here is a link that might be useful: Linky

I have been looking for a copycat recipe for Lesley Stowes' Raincoast Crisps for a long time. These are a locally made product in Vancouver; a deliciously chock full of good stuff cracker, but at about 8.00 Cdn a box, they are a once and a while treat. I was ecstatic to find a recipe at Wives with Knives blog, which apparently came from the More than Burnt Toast blog. I made them yesterday, wrapped and stored in the fridge overnight and baked two loaves off this morning. They are incredible and will make amazing gifts. I'm not sure how much further than greater Vancouver this product is sold, but they are a unique and tasty treat and the recipe makes lots. I will be giving a package of these and a wedge of 6-year-old cheddar to several colleagues with whom I exchange small gifts. There is a photo of them at the Wives with Knives blog.
Jane

Cranberry Hazelnut Raincoast Crisps

2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1 cup dried cranberries or raisins
1/2 cup hazelnuts or pecans, lightly chopped
1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitos)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup flax seed
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the buttermilk, brown sugar and honey and stir a few strokes. Add the raisins, nuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, flax seed and rosemary and stir just until blended.

Pour the batter into two 8"x4" loaf pans or 4 small loaf pans (I used 5-3/4"x3") that have been sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and springy to the touch.
The cooler the bread, the easier it is to slice really thin. You can leave it until the next day or pop it into the refrigerator. (I refrigerated the loaves overnight and they sliced perfectly the next day). Slice the loaves as thin as you can (1/16th of an inch or less)and place the slices in a single layer on an ungreased cookie sheet.
In a 300F oven (275 F. convection) bake them for 20 minutes on each side. Watch that they don't get too brown. Remove from the pans and cool on a wire rack.

Makes about 6 dozen crackers.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wives with Knives

Snowed in for the most part this weekend I decided to cook/bake. Made this today along with Alexa's Eggnog Snickerdoodles.

Super easy and I love the tartness of the cranberries with the sweetness of the chocolate. And it's really pretty on a holiday cookie plate!

Cranberry Nut Chocolate Bark
Source: King Arthur Flour
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup toasted diced pecans
2 2/3 cups chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted
2 2/3 cups chopped white chocolate, melted

Directions
1) Toss the cranberries and pecans together. Set them aside.

2. Melt the dark chocolate, and spread it into an 8" x 12" oval on parchment paper.
3. Allow the chocolate to set, but not harden completely.
4. Melt the white chocolate and mix it with about 3/4 cup of the cranberries and pecans.
5. Spread this over the dark chocolate.
6. Sprinkle the rest of the nuts and fruit on top, pressing them in gently.
7. Allow the candy to cool until hardened, then break it into chunks.
   
   Linda

Another recipe that's quick and easy, great for the holidays and tastes great too. It's called Lake Travis Mud - a little spin on Rocky Road

Here is a link that might be useful: Lake Travis Mud

I made little Orange-Pomegranate Tarts I found on a blog called Sprinkled with Flour. Actually, I made one little tart. And then ate the rest of the custard separately. Really good!

Orange-Pomegranate Tarts
Orange Pastry Cream
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar (divided)
finely grated peel from one orange
1/8 teaspoon vanilla (optional - I used fiori di sicilia)
3 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature

In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks together with 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and the flour until well incorporated. Set aside. In a small, heavy-bottomed pan, place the milk, orange zest, and the other 2 tablespoons of sugar, and heat until barely boiling. Remove from heat and pour half of the milk mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking until combined. Pour the egg mixture back into the saucepan and put on medium-low heat, whisking constantly until mixture is thick (about 2-3 minutes). Remove from heat and add the butter, stirring until melted. If desired, press the pastry cream through a sieve over a bowl. Store in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed on the surface for up to 3 days.

Crust

1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter (chilled and diced into small cubes)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup ice-cold water

In a food processor, place the flour, butter, sugar and salt. Pulse 10 times. With food processor running, stream in cold water little at a time until dough comes together. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface, and pull dough together to form a disc. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Roll dough and cut out large enough circles of dough to fit into bottom and sides of 4-inch tart shells. Place into tart pans and prick bottom and sides. Place tart shells on a cookie pan and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack.

Remove the tart shells from the pans, and place on serving plates. Fill the cooled shells with the prepared pastry cream, then sprinkle the pomegranate arils over the top.

Lori

I haven't cooked anything new in quite some time. I've been cleaning out the pantry, fridge, and refrigerator; just because I want to. I did save some white chocolate chips and had some raspberries in the freezer from summer and decided to make the below. They were a flop. My fault I'm sure as so many people did like it. They didn't rise enough (cook enough is my guess) and they weren't sweet enough. But then, I never made it to the topping phase. sigh. If you want to try them (and I may again, soon), I'll bet you get a better result!

Here is a link that might be useful: Raspberry-white chocoloate chip muffins

I needed a quick thrown together POOF/POOP dinner on Saturday night, and this fit the bill. It is EXCELLENT! The only change I made was to use a bit of Amish bacon rather than pancetta because that is what I had in the fridge.

Alexa
*******************************************************

Linguine alla Carbonara
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2004

4 to 6 servings.Ingredients
•1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
•1 tablespoon unsalted butter
•1 yellow onion, minced
•4 ounces pancetta or prosciutto, diced
•1 pound fresh linguine
•3 large egg yolks, at room temperature
•1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
•3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, at room temperature
•Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Heat oil and butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and pancetta and cook until the onions are translucent and the pancetta is beginning to crisp. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the linguine according to package directions until al dente, about 2 to 3 minutes. Drain pasta in a colander (reserve a small amount of the cooking liquid in a small bowl) and return pasta to the pot. Return the pot to the heat and add the reserved pancetta and onion mixture. Stir over high heat until pasta is coated with the pancetta mixture.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and heavy cream and add to the pasta, along with the Parmesan. Remove the pot from the heat and toss the pasta until it is well-coated. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. If needed, add a bit of the reserved pasta cooking liquid to help toss the pasta if it is dry. Serve immediately.

Lots of yummy and comforting looking food has been posted on this thread. I definitely plan to try yours very soon Alexa. I see a lot of symbols which I think I can just ignore though. Mine will probably show a lot of symbols too.

I wanted some soup tonight and I wanted it to be very simple and easy. This one really fit the bill and hit the spot. If you like lime and cilantro you will love this soup! It would be a great addition to someone's soup supper because of the contrast to others that would be probably be made.

Cilantro-Lime soup
Bon Apetit Aug 1995
yield: Serves 4

In the state of Yucat�n in southeastern Mexico, lime soup is served on even the hottest days. The fresh taste of the cilantro and the sourness of the lime combine to give the soup plenty of zing.

� 2 tablespoons olive oil
� 1 onion, chopped
� 2 garlic cloves, minced
� 1 tablespoon chili powder
� 2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
� 5 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
� 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
� 1 cup chopped seeded tomatoes
� 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro sprigs, tied together with kitchen string.

� 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
� 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
� Sour cream
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saut� until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add chili powder; stir 1 minute. Add chicken; stir 2 minutes. Add broth, corn, tomatoes and 1/2 bunch cilantro sprigs to saucepan; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Discard cilantro sprigs. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill. Bring to simmer before continuing.)
Add chopped cilantro and lime juice to soup. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with sour cream.

I made two new recipes. Paula Deen's parmesan puff pastry breadsticks and Joy Behar's lasagna. Both were very very good. I especially liked the puff pastry recipe since it was my first time using frozen puff pastry. Here's the recipe for the breadsticks:

* Exported from MasterCook *

Breadsticks, Parmesan Puff Pastry

Recipe From : Paula Deen
Serving Size : 8
Categories : Breads

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 17.3 oz package frozen puff pastry sheets -- thawed
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup butter -- melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet (I used parchment paper).

On a lightly floured surface, unfold pastry sheets. Cut each sheet into 13 strips, about 3/4 by 10 inches apiece.

In a shallow dish, combine cheese, basil and garlic. Brush pastry sticks with melted butter (both sides). I did four or five at a time and kept the rest covered with a towel. Roll pastry in cheese mixture, lightly coating each side. Gently twist pastry sticks and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 12 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Notes: I got 14 out of each sheet and used more basil and garlic than called for. Nice to serve with cocktails, too.

Winter is here in full force so I'm back to baking lots of breads. I tried a new recipe that I found over at The Fresh Loaf. 'Struan' bread, based on one of Peter Reinhart's recipes. This is a very interesting bread, very moist and with a kinda' weird texture that reminds me a bit of English muffins.

Anyway, I liked it a lot; DH loved it. Only two slices made it to morning & I toasted those for DS. He said the toast was really good.

Changes--Reduced the brown sugar am't from 3T to 2 T. I used cornmeal instead of polenta, 1/2 c. of whole wheat flour in lieu of 1/2 c. of the bread flour. And used wheat germ instead of wheat bran which I didn't have. I did use the brown rice that a lot of reviewers omitted. Also baked it naked, no poppy seeds.

Here is a link that might be useful: Struan Bread

Cilantro, it looks delicious!!!
Question, a dumb one. Is wheat bran real small granules?
I only have bran on hand, that I use for bran muffins. This won't work, I take it?

Jasdip, bran is like thin flakes, I think. Sounds like you have some kind of processed cereal?

But I don't think it matters a whole lot. You could substitute a lot of things like maybe one of those 5 grain cereal mixes (the kind that you cook) from Bob's Red Mill, etc., in the soaker. Or just use more oatmeal & cornmeal. I think the recipe is pretty flexible--have already decided that I'm going to use barley in place of the rice next time.

I hope you enjoy the bread. It really is quite different than any that I've made or eaten before. I mean, it's still bread but it's so moist and the high gluten flour gives it some tooth, too. I'll definitely be making this one again.

Oh, wheat bran is what I have then. Real fine, small flakes.
Thanks Cilantro!

I made the pasta recipe that Becky ca posted in the Favorite Pasta Recipe thread back in early November. Very, very good. I mixed both whole wheat & regular penne. (I'm liking whole wheat pastas more & more.) Other minor changes noted below.

Penne in Cream Sauce with Sausage [becky ca]

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion -- thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves -- minced
1 pound sweet Italian sausage -- casings removed
2/3 cup dry white wine
1 can diced peeled tomatoes with juices -- (14 1/2 ounce)
1 cup whipping cream
6 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
1 pound penne pasta
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Melt butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until golden brown and tender, about 7 minutes. Add sausage and saute until golden brown and cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 7 minutes. Drain any excess drippings from skillet. Add wine to skillet and boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices and simmer 3 minutes. Add cream and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in 4 tablespoons parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. (Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain pasta; transfer to large bowl.

Bring sauce to simmer. Pour sauce over pasta. Add 3/4 cup cheese and toss to coat. Sprinkle with remaining
1/4 cup cheese and 2 tablespoons parsley.

Bon Appétit : February 1997
by Landini Brothers Restaurant
Alexandria, Virginia

First off, I made approx. a recipe & a half of sauce for one pound of Italian Sausage. 1.5 parts of sauce to 1 pound of sausage. (Stretched it because I never know when DSI will show up to eat.)

Used dried parsley, didn't have fresh. Don't cook with wine much (having had meals ruined because of wine in the dish), so I used a light hand on the wine. Prolly about 1/2 cup total. Used Inglenook Chardonnay. I didn't detect the taste of wine in the finished product--whatever it added, it melded perfectly with the other flavors. Next time I'll try the recipe w/ more wine. Also, I used about 3/4 c. of fresh Romano cheese total. Did Not add any S & P because it was just about perfect. (Enough salt from the sausage, tomatoes, cheese & pasta.)

Thanks, Becky!

I made tilapia for dinner the other night and had just planned to sprinkle it with some spices and bake it. But there happened to be a little lift off recipe on the corner of the package so I took a look. Turned out to be delicious!

Lightly coat a baking dish with olive oil and put in preheated 400 degree oven. Once the dish and oil are hot, take it out of the oven and place the fish in it (skin side down if there is skin). Then top each piece of fish with finely chopped pecans. Drizzle the fish with honey until the honey is running off into the dish. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. (I guess the baking time would be longer for thicker fish.)

I'm going to try doing this same recipe with thinly pounded boneless skinless chicken breasts. The nut & honey gave the fish a nice crunch and a hint of sweetness.

I made a new recipe tonite using some of the wild rice Teresa sent me. Boy am I going to miss that stuff when it's gone!
This recipe is definitely a keeper for us!

WILD RICE SALAD

1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup brown rice, or brown basmati rice
1/2 cup wild rice
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup toasted almonds
1/4 chopped fresh parsley

DRESSING:

1/3 cup orange juice
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1/4 tsp salt

In small saucepan, bring 2 1/4 cups water and the salt to a boil. Add basmati and wild rice, reduce heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add water chestnuts, green and red peppers, celery, raisins, almonds and parsley. Toss.

In small bowl whisk dressing ingredients. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Serve at room temperature.

I made Giada;s Shrimp and Sausage Cioppino for dinner and it was okay, but not something I would make again. The shrimp was lost in this, the sausage jsut overpowered everything. Next time it is back to my old standby recipe.....

Alexa

***********************************************

Shrimp and Sausage Cioppino
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Prep Time:
10 min
Inactive Prep Time:
--
Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
--
Serves:
4 servings
Ingredients
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 1 large or 2 small shallots, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
• 1 pound spicy Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
• 2 cups white wine, such as Pinot Grigio
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
•
• Serving suggestion: crusty sourdough bread
Directions
In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the fennel, garlic, shallots, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Add the sausage and break into 1/2-inch pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the tomato paste, chicken broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
Uncover the pan and add the shrimp, beans, basil, and thyme. Simmer, uncovered, until the shrimp are pink and cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Ladle the cioppino into soup bowls and serve with crusty bread.

I made two birthday cakes for Christmas. One was the one Chase posted on the best chocolate frosting thread (for my mom's 30th sobriety birthday) and the other was Barbara Wheeler's Fresh Coconut cake (for my younger sister's "first" 39th (belly button) birthday). I really liked the coconut cake, I'd give it an 8, but to make it a 9-10, next time, I'd poke some holes in it and add Coco Lopez. Or add it to the mix. Or both. It was an afterthought so I didn't do it this time. It's really good, but I could see it be off the charts good with the addition of more coconut.

Barbara Wheeler's Fresh Coconut Cake
4 egg yolks
2 whole eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine - cut up
1 cup hot milk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup chopped black walnuts, toasted walnuts or pecans

FROSTING
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
3 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups shredded fresh coconut

1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.

2 To make the cake; In a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks, whole eggs and sugar with an electric mixer for at least 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Stir the butter or margarine pieces into the hot milk until the butter has melted. Combine the flour with baking powder. Add 1/2 cup of the flour mixture into egg mixture, beating slowly. Add half the hot milk mixture, 1 cup of the flour mixture, then remaining hot milk, beating after each addition. Add the remaining mixture and vanilla. Beat well. Fold in the nuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.

3 Bake the layers in the 350 oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pans. Remove and cool completely on wire racks.

4 To make the frosting: In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar with the water. Bring mixture to boiling and boil 2 minutes or until it is syrupy and the sugar is dissolved. (Undissolved sugar will make the frosting grainy.) Make sure to scrape down the sides of the saucepan and stir in a figure-eight motion.

5 In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites with the cream of tartar with an electric mixer until foamy. Slowly pour the hot sugar syrup into the egg whites, beating constantly at the highest speed for 4 to 6 minutes or until the frosting is stiff enough to spread. Beat in the vanilla. The finished frosting should be smooth and fluffy, yet hold stiff pecks.

6 Place a cake layer on a cake plate; spread with about 1 cup frosting and sprinkle with about 1/3 cup coconut. Repeat with the remaining layers. Frost the sides of the cake and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

RECIPE NOTES: Store the cake in the refrigerator up to 24 hours.Garnish this lovely cake with fresh coconut pieces, kiwi fruit, fresh pineapple and pineapple leaves.

My notes: More frosting than was necessary. Froze well ahead of time, unfrosted. Add coconut in lieu/in addition to milk? Add coconut after poking holes?