Egg Salad Puffs

When I saw the crab puffs recipe in the Taste of Home cookbook, I thought about the possibilities of having other fillings in these little puffs. How about egg salad. Brek's favorite.

I made these little puffs or profiteroles before. They were filled with ice cream and drizzled in melted chocolate. Brek found it to be hard to eat and also said that the puff shell tasted plain. To make the puffs tasty for this recipe, I added a little bit of garlic powder. The puffs were hallow on the inside with slight crunch on the outer layers. They were perfect bite size too. Maybe two bites for my kids.

I think these puffs are a perfect canvas for a bread alternative. Try cutting turkey deli meat into the same size as the puffs, using small cookie cutters. Once I cut the turkey deli meat using a little turkey cookie cutter. Add cheese, pickle, mayo, mustard, and there you have it... mini mighty tasty sandwiches. Super cute! And Camden thought so too because he ate them all up.


Egg Salad Puffs
inspired by Taste of Home's crab puffs
serve 2

1/2 cup (4 oz) water
1/8 cup (1 oz) coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup (2 oz) all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 large eggs

1. Preheat the oven at 350F. Line the baking tray with non stick matt or parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a small pot, bring the water, oil, and salt to a boil.
3. Whisk together the flour and garlic powder.
4. Add the flour mixture to the boiling water.
5. Lower the heat to LOW setting.
6. Using a spatula, stir the flour until the dough is formed.
7. Add the eggs and whisk until the dough is smooth and glossy.
8. Turn off the stove and remove the pot to the side.
9. Place the dough into the pastry bag.
10. Cut the tip of the pastry bag.
11. Pipe the dough to form a circular mound on to a prepared baking pan.
12. With a wet finger, tap the tip of the mound into the dough.
13. Bake in a preheated oven until golden brown, about 35 minutes.
14. Take out the puffs and split them open to let the steam out .
15. Once the puffs are cool, add the egg salad filling. Enjoy!

Egg Salad

2 hard boiled large eggs, peeled and roughly chopped
1 Tablespoon mayo
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/8 teaspoon paprika
salt to taste

1. Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix until just combine.

NOTE: The egg salad can be made ahead. These little puffs don't need that much egg salad filling. Enjoy the rest of the egg salads as a dip with pita chips, bagel chips, or potato chips. So addicting!

TIP: Feel free to come up with your own version of the egg salad. Maybe add finely chopped parley (my favorite), chopped sweet bell pepper, or even mashed avocado.

Allergy Info: These egg salad puffs are free from or can be make without dairy, corn, legume (soy), nuts (not coconut), and fish.

Chocolate Frosting (dairy free)

How do I make a dairy free chocolate frosting? This has been one of my biggest challenge in my world of baking. I tried and tested so many recipes, using coconut oil. Fail!!! The frostings just didn't have the smooth texture I wanted to achieve.

While grocery shopping, I spotted the palm shortening many times. Never thought the need of using it. But I decided to bring a tub home for recipe testing.

The first time I spooned out the shortening, I was super happy with the smooth texture. One morning, Brek asked me if we could have chocolate cake for afternoon snack. While I was baking us the cake, I thought of testing out a frosting for the cake. This time I replaced the coconut oil with the palm shortening.

WOW!!! I believe I found my go-to chocolate frosting. Not too sweet. Very creamy. And I dare say... "chocolate frosting shots". Yeah, baby!!! It's that good!!!

Chocolate Frosting
makes about 1 cup (enough to frost 6 cupcakes)

1/2 cup (3 oz) chocolate chips
1/2 cup (4 oz) shortening, divided
4 Tablespoons (1 oz) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Place the chocolate chips in a large microwavable bowl.
2. Microwave them on High for 30 seconds then whisk.
3. Microwave them again for 10 seconds then whisk.
4. Add a tablespoon of shortening and repeat step 3 until chocolate chips are melted. TIP: Be patient when melting chocolate chips so they won't burn.
5. Shift the powdered sugar on to the melted chocolate.
6. Using a hand mixer, mix on a low speed until the powdered sugar is no longer visible.
7. Add the rest of the shortening and vanilla extract.
8. Mix on a low speed until the mixture is smooth.
9. The chocolate frosting is ready for use or keep in an airtight container at a room temperature for up to a week. NOTE: Keep in mind that in winter, the chocolate frosting may harden. If so, microwave the frosting for 10 seconds then whisk. Repeat until the frosting is smooth again.

Allergy Info: This chocolate frosting is free from or can be made without dairy, eggs, corn, legumes (soy), wheat, nuts (not palm), or fish.

Ham and Cheese Popovers

So every morning, I would bake or cook a brunch for my kids. From waffles to pancakes. Tortilla breakfast wrap is a great option when I have extra homemade flour tortilla. Fill it with scrambled eggs and candied bacons. Lotsa goodness and yummy factors!!!

One night while flipping through a cookbook, I saw a recipe with a batter baked in a muffin pan. After I reviewed the ingredients and methods of baking them, the recipe reminded me of the popovers recipe. I decided to bake my kids some popovers the next morning. I looked up three recipes and tweaked them to come up with my own. I decided to go with less flour and more eggs.

The success of making popovers is to make sure the over is super hot and to preheat the ramekins or muffin pan. Some recipes stated that ingredients needed to be at a room temperature. I didn't do that when I was making my ham and cheese popovers, and they all turned out well. So remember, super hot over and preheated ramekins or muffin pan.

I came up with ham and cheese filling because of two things. First, I had extra black forest ham that I really needed to just use it up. And second, I had to use manchego cheese because of Brek's dairy allergy to cow's dairy products.

I was super happy with the result. The bread was hallow when split open (see photo). There was a crunchy cheese at the bottom of the bread (see photo). I believe I finally found my go-to popover recipe. I will have fun testing my popovers recipe with different fillings. Oh, the best thing with these popovers is that it is super easy to put together. Seriously, who wants to slave in the kitchen in the morning?



Ham and Cheese Popovers
makes 6 regular muffin size

Filling
1/2 cup (1.4 oz) shredded manchego cheese
1/4 cup (1.3 oz) black forest ham, diced

Batter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup (4 oz) coconut milk
1/2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup (2.5 oz) all-purpose flour


1. Preheat the oven to 425F degree.
2. Once the oven is preheated, place the 6 small ramekins (or regular muffin pan) in the oven to preheat, about 5 minutes. TIP: If using ramekins, place them on a baking tray for easy handling.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until the mixture is creamy.
4. Whisk in the milk and sugar.
5. Add the flour and mix just until combine.
6. Take out the preheated ramekins.
7. Spray them with vegetable oil.
8. Divide the diced ham and shredded cheese evenly into the bowls. NOTE: Remember the ramekins are hot. Use oven mitten or a thick towel when touching the bowls.
9. Divide the batter evenly on top of the ham and cheese, about 1/4 cup in each ramekin.
10. Bake for 20 minutes. NOTE: Whatever you do, DO NOT open the oven. Keep the oven super hot so the bread will rise or pop over. Use the oven light to see the baking process.
11. Lower the oven heat to 375F degree and bake 10 more minutes. 
12. Enjoy these popovers with maple syrup on the side. NOTE: Be careful with the ramekins as they are super hot. Go ahead and take out the popovers before serving them to your kids.

Allergy Info: These ham and cheese popovers are free from or can be made without dairy (not sheep), corn, legumes (soy), nuts (not coconut), and fish.