If you are imagining sweet, custard filled cream puffs, you're going to have to look somewhere else. These Shrimp-Filled Cream Puffs fit in the appetizer category and are most definitely not a sweet dessert.
Shrimp-Filled Cream Puffs are a family favorite, especially at this time of year. The recipe comes from my late grandmother, who faithfully made the delectable hors d'ourves every Christmas, and I am continuing the tradition with my own family.
Cream Puffs
1/2 Cup Water
2 Tablespoons Oil
1/2 Cup Flour
2 Eggs
Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium pan, bring water and oil to boil. Lower heat and add flour all at once, beating by hand until mixture forms a ball.
Remove from heat and add eggs, one at a time. Beat with a hand mixer until dough has a satin sheen.
Drop by teaspoon onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 30 minutes. Increase heat to 425 degrees and bake 5-10 minutes longer.
When cool, hollow cream puffs for filling. Cut each puff in half and take out the gooey dough in the middle as shown below...
Cream Shrimp Filling
1 (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, Softened
1/2 Cup Miracle Whip (* DO NOT USE MAYONNAISE!)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 Tablespoon Finely Grated Onion (juice)
1 Tablespoon Reserved Shrimp Juice
1 (4 1/2 oz. can) Broken or Tiny Shrimp
Drain liquid from shrimp, reserving 1 Tablespoon.
Mix first 5 ingredients until smooth. Stir in broken shrimp...
Fill individual cream puffs and refrigerate.
* Mayonnaise will not taste right in this recipe! You can use another brand of salad dressing if you do not have Miracle Whip on hand, but the latter will definitely taste better.
**One batch of Cream Shrimp Filling will yield enough for a double batch of cream puffs.
I wrote the following post last December. After looking at lights with Cody and Don again this year, I decided it's worth re-posting because some things never change. :)
Cody likes to "look" at Christmas lights, so Don and I decided to grab some holiday CD's and take him out this evening.
When I was a child, I use to enjoy looking at Christmas lights, but my parents knew how to go about it. They would bypass commercial areas and drive up and down residential streets, slowing to a crawl when coming to a home that had lights.
My husband, on the other hand, does not do that. Don's idea of taking in Christmas lights is to drive down the main roads, which are usually non-residential, to a particular destination. Then, when we arrive in the neighborhood he has in mind, he drives 30 miles an hour (I'm not kidding. I looked at the speedometer). Now, I realize 30 miles an hour is slow IF YOU'RE ON A HIGHWAY OR FREEWAY, but not when you are in a residential area tryingto catch a glimpse of homes that have been decorated for the holidays.
Year after year after year, I have tried to help Don understand the process of looking at Christmas lights and year after year after year, he forgets and does the same thing. I don't get it.
This is what I see from the passenger seat when Don is driving...
...unless I blink and then I miss the display in its entirety.
Photograph by David Wagner @ publicdomainpictures.net
