Using the Egg Whites

The verdict is in, and we like the pudding without the egg yolks best.  It tastes better, and I'm more than happy to skip that extra step of adding egg yolks.  So, I won't always have egg whites to use.  But for this time, I went looking for something to do with them and found this whole list of Recipes to Use Left-over Egg Whites.  I ended up freezing the egg whites instead of using them - which I didn't know I could do.  But, when I have time, I think I'm going to make these Coconut and Chocolate Macaroons.

Coconut and Chocolate Macaroons
30 Cookies

From Ready for Dessert (Ten Speed)

4 large egg whites
1¼ cups sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey
2½ cups unsweetened coconut (see note)
¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

In a large skillet, mix together the egg whites, sugar, salt, honey, coconut and flour.

Heat over low-to-moderate heat on the stovetop, stirring constantly, scraping the bottom as you stir.

When the mixture just begins to scorch at the bottom, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl to cool to room temperature.
(At this point, the mixture can be chilled for up to one week, or frozen for up to two months.)

When ready to bake, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Form the dough into 1 1/2-inch mounds with your fingers evenly spaced on the baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until deep golden brown. Cool completely.

To dip the macaroons in chocolate, melt the chocolate in a clean, dry bowl set over a pan of simmering water (or in a microwave.) Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Dip the bottoms of each cookie in the chocolate and set the cookies on the baking sheet. Refrigerate 5-10 minutes, until the chocolate is set.

Note: Unsweetened coconut is available in most natural-food shops or you can purchase it online.

They sound really good!

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Chocolate Pudding

My husband loves chocolate pudding.  Before we got married and even for a while after we were married, he was happy with the instant kind - add some milk, shake it up, and you've got pudding in a few minutes.  In recent years he's decide that he must have the cookin' kind.  He especially likes the 'scum' that forms on top.  I usually buy the large boxes of Jell-O  chocolate pudding at Walmart for $1, but the last several times I've been there, the spot on the shelf has been empty, and last night they had removed the price tag and spread the small boxes into that spot as well.  Maybe they're not going to carry it any more?  I can't bring myself to buy the small box for 84¢ when I know I could get the large one for $1.

So today I decided to follow the pudding recipe in my cookbook.  It was fairly simple - sugar, cornstarch, cocoa and milk - cook and stir until thickened pretty much like the Jell-O.  But then it has you add egg yolks and cook and stir again, and then add butter and vanilla.  It got me to wondering why I really needed the egg yolks and that extra cooking, so I went looking on the Internet for chocolate pudding recipes without eggs and found this one:

Chocolate Cornstarch Pudding

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 3/4 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons margarine or butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
 
In a saucepan, stir together sugar, cocoa, cornstarch and salt. Place over medium heat, and stir in milk. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Remove from heat, and stir in margarine and vanilla. Let cool briefly, and serve warm, or chill in refrigerator until serving.

Source: allrecipes

Jeffrey said the pudding I made tasted good, but I'm thinking that I will try this recipe tomorrow.  Then we can compare the two and see which one is better - and then decide if the extra work is really necessary.

And now I have to find a recipe for the egg whites...

Update:  We tried both recipes side by side and decided we liked the way this one tastes better.  So, it's easier and it's better.  This is now my go-to chocolate pudding recipe.  I have it written on a Post-it note inside my kitchen cabinet - the cabinet that contains the cocoa, cornstarch, salt and vanilla.  And no more egg whites to worry about.

Check Out Foodierama

I got an email today about a new foodie website called Foodierama.  Here's what Dave, one of the co-founders, had to say:

Foodierama is a homepage for foodies based on the idea of serendipity. It's designed as a portal front page containing teasers to the latest posts of a list of hundreds of the best food blogs.  Whenever users enter the page they discover something new and exciting: a new blog, a new recipe or cooking technique etc. In addition, users get a panoramic view of what's going on in the food blog-sphere all on one graphic page.

I was definitely intrigued so I had to check it out. It looks like a really interesting website with links to all kinds of great recipes and food information on blogs all around the blogosphere.  I didn't spend much time there, but I already discovered a whole blog dedicated to sourdough - Discovering Sourdough - and I look forward to exploring that one.  Also, did you know you can make pizza in the crockpot?  I found this recipe for Slow Cooker Puffy Pizza Casserole and I think I'm going to have to try it.

What will you find on Foodierama?

Sun-Maid Raisin Bran Muffins

Raisin Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 cups toasted bran flake cereal
• 1 cup toasted wheat germ
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 21⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup water
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1⁄2 cup vegetable oil
• 1⁄2 cup honey
• 1⁄4 cup molasses
• 2 cups Sun-Maid Natural Raisins

Directions:

1. COMBINE whole wheat flour, bran flakes, wheat germ, brown sugar, baking soda and salt in a large bowl, mix well.
2. COMBINE buttermilk, water, eggs, oil, honey and molasses in a bowl; blend well. Add to flour mixture; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in raisins.
3. POUR into glass or plastic container. Cover and store in refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours and a maximum of 4 weeks.
4. HEAT oven to 400°F. Grease or line muffin cups with paper baking cups. Spoon 1⁄4 cup batter into cups.
5. BAKE for 20 to 25 minutes.

Variations:

• Oat and Bran Raisin Muffins: Substitute 1 cup oats or 1 cup nugget-type cereal for
  wheat germ. Prepare as above.
  Orange Raisin Bran Muffins: Substitute 1 cup orange juice for 1 cup water. Add 2 teaspoons grated orange zest to batter.

I made the first variation, substituting rolled oats for the wheat germ.  I also halved the recipe, because this makes a lot and I'm the only one who eats them.  They were really good, though next time I plan to cut the sugar down a little or leave out the molasses, because they were a little too sweet for my taste.  At first I was a little worried because the batter is really thin when you first mix it up, but after refrigerating, it gets really thick.  It's nice to have the batter in the fridge so you can just pull it out and bake muffins when you want some, though I like these best at room temperature and not hot out of he oven.

You can get this recipe and more at Sunmaid.com.  Browse through 100 Years of Recipes and download recipe booklets from the last century.  They also have printed recipe booklets you can order.  There are some really good looking recipes.

If only the people in my house liked raisins.