Honey Walnut Shrimp

Ingredients
1 cup water
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup walnuts
4 egg whites
2/3 cup cornstarch (or glutinous rice flour)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon canned sweetened condensed milk
1 cup vegetable oil for frying

Directions
Stir together the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and add the walnuts. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and place walnuts on a cookie sheet to dry. (I like the nuts crisp, so after draining, I return to the pan for a couple minutes).

Whip egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy. Stir in the cornstarch until it has a pasty consistency. Heat the oil in a heavy deep skillet over medium-high heat. Dip shrimp into the egg batter, and then fry in the hot oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

In a medium serving bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, honey and sweetened condensed milk. Add shrimp and toss to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle the candied walnuts on top and serve.

Kristin's Roll Recipe

2 packages dry yeast (2 Tbs)

1/2 cup warm water

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 cup butter

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup plus 3 Tbs sugar

3 eggs beaten

5 1/2 to 5 3/4 cups flour

1/4 cup butter

pour warm water over yeast in mixing bowl. Let stand. Scald (heat until just before it starts to bubble) milk in saucepan and remove from heat. Add butter, sugar, and salt and stir until butter melts and sugar dissolves. Pour into mixing bowl with yeast, add beaten eggs and mix well. Add flour and combine (dough will be sticky). Refrigerate dough in large Tupperware bowl overnight. (I never do this)

melt 1/4 cup of butter. Greast 3 cookie sheets. Divide dough in half. Roll half of the dough out on a floured surface into a large circle. Spread half of the melted butter on top with a pastry brush and cut into 18 slices with a pizza cutter. Roll each slice up croissant style and place on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining half of dough. Let rise for 3 hours. Bake for 7-9 minutes at 400 degrees or until golden brown.

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream Pie

from Our Best Bites, originally from Cooking Light http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/06/blueberry-cheesecake-ice-cream/

3 c. fresh blueberries (or frozen works too)
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. water
2 c. sugar
6 oz. light cream cheese, softened*
4 egg yolks
3 c. 2% milk*
1 c. half and half*
Optional: 1 prepared graham cracker crust--or I froze the ice cream in the shell to make a pie

*If you don't care about the calories (and you really shouldn't when making home made ice cream!) use full-fat cream cheese and substitute heavy cream for the half and half and whole milk for the 2%. It makes it soooooo good.

In a small saucepan, combine blueberries, powdered sugar, and water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes and then remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
In a large saucepan, combine milk and half and half (or cream and whole milk if you're taking that route). Bring to a boil and then remove from heat.

While milk is heating, combine cream cheese, egg yolks, and sugar in a bowl and mix well.After you have removed milk mixture from heat, very slowly pour half of the milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while the beater is running. This is called tempering the eggs, meaning that you're slowly acclimating them to heat so you can cook them without them curdling. Mix the egg mixture well and then add the tempered egg mixture back into the hot milk mixture. Over medium-low heat and stirring very often, cook to 160 degrees (use a candy thermometer; 160 degrees is considered safe for most animal products, eggs included). Remove from heat.

Place pan in ice--I actually just put the pan in my sink and then dumped a whole bunch of ice all around it; hey, it's one less dish for me to clean!
Allow to cool to a touchable temperature and then add those gorgeous blueberries and all of the liquid with them. Combine completely and put in the fridge for several hours until well chilled. Because this ice cream is a little more labor intensive that most, I make it up to this step one or even 2 days ahead of time. That way when you're ready to freeze it, it's well chilled and will be ready faster!

Freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. After churning it will be like soft-serve. Place in an air-tight container in the freezer to let it set up.

If you're adding the graham cracker crust: While the ice cream maker is working its magic, go ahead and break up the graham cracker crust. Leave some bigger chunks--the ice cream maker will break them down.

When the ice cream is very thick, add the pieces of graham cracker crust and then stop the motor as soon as the crust pieces have been mixed in. Transfer to a freezer-safe container (I just use a plastic food storage container) and freeze for at least three hours. The real beauty is that for about a week, the longer this sits in your freezer, the better it tastes. So you can make this well in advance if you're having a party.

Another reason why you want to freeze this for as long as possible is because this is pretty soft and seems to have a lower melting temperature than most commercial ice creams.

Homemade Ricotta

1 gallon whole milk

2 cups heavy cream

1 tsp. salt (heaping)

6 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

large sieve covered with fine mesh cheesecloth

SLOWLY bring milk, cream and salt to a rolling boil in a 6 quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching (should take around 20-30 minutes--not too fast!) When the mixture reaches about 180F, add lemon juice, stir and then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the mixture curdles. Remove the pan from heat and pour the contents gently into the sieve that has been completely covered with cheesecloth. Pull up on the sides of the cheescloth to drain off any extra liquid but resist pressing on the curds. Drain for at least 5 minutes. Move to an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-5 days.

Stacy's chicken

8 chicken drumsticks (I used thighs)

1/2 cup white wine (I use chicken broth usually)

8 slices bacon

5 sage leaves

2 cloves garlic

4 tbsp mustard

2 sprigs rosemary leaf

2 tbsp olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350. Wash and pat dry chicken. Remove outer skin (if drumsticks), then carve small slits in each piece of chicken. Massage each chicken with mustard, making sure it gets rubbed into slits. Wrap with bacon and arrange in a pan covered with olive oil. Add sliced garlic, sage leaves, rosemary sprigs, salt and pepper to taste and 1/2 cup of broth (or wine). Bake uncovered for 45-55 minutes. May need to turn the chicken once while cooking. Serve with baked potatoes. Only 1.5 carbs per serving!

Thank you!

To all my girls,

Thank you for planning a recipe club all around me! I felt so selfish having everyone bring frozen dinners for me and my family. Especially when I know there are so many of you that are struggling right now, and could definitely use a homemade dinner too. I am so touched by your love and kindness...the meals, the phone calls, the visits, the emails. I truly have the best friends in the world.

Love you,

Jami

p.s. I posted all of the recipes that were given to me...Stacy and Amy I didn't have yours, so put it up when you get a chance...and somebody better post those dessert recipes, they were SO GOOD!!! 

Taco Soup

1 lb. hamburger
1 tbs. dried onions (can use fresh)
2 tbs. taco seasoning
1 tsp. season all salt
1 15oz. can of black beans (drained)
1 15 oz. can of Great Northern Beans (drained)
1 15 oz. can of pinto or kidney beans (drained)
1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 15.25 oz can of whole kernel corn

Brown hamburger with onions and season salt. Add the tomatoes, black beans, northern beans, taco seasoning and corn. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with cheese, sour cream and tortilla chips.

Kim Walker