Eggs are a critical leavening agent for cream puffs, making the batter rise and expand. Piercing the cooked puffs allows steam to escape so the texture is almost hollow. A stand mixer is crucial; the batter is too thick to beat with a hand mixer. Freeze completely cooled cream puffs for up to one month. Cream puffs are also good with savory fillings, such as chicken or shrimp salad.
Eggs are a natural partner with corned beef hash. You can prepare them over-easy, scrambled, soft-cooked or poached, as shown here. For simple directions on how to poach eggs, click on the link at left.
A tomato-inspired vegetable mixture is spooned over chicken and couscous in this main-dish recipe. To add even more interest, substitute a flavored couscous mix.
Chardonnay is a varietal that's difficult to pair with foods. But the creamy, buttery sweetness of butternut squash makes a good complement to wine. The same is true of tarragon, which in small amounts is a delicious backdrop for most chardonnays. Utterly satisfying, this pairing is comfort food and comfort wine at its best.
Marinated chicken, spinach, feta, and sun-dried tomatoes are tossed with dressing and served on grilled or toasted slices of focaccia bread. This is a great appetizer any time of year!
With rotisserie, whole roasted chickens so readily available from carryout shops to grocery stores, otherwise labor intensive dishes can now be prepared on the fly for any weeknight supper. Use what's needed for your recipe, and get creative with the endless possible uses for the leftovers.
