Coconut Macaroons

Preheat oven to 350
Coat a baking sheet generously with nonstick cooking spray (or line with parchment paper)

In a large bowl whisk together 3 large egg whites, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 cup sugar until frothy. With a fork mix in one 14 oz. bag of sweetened flaked coconut (5 1/2 cups) until moistened. (we like the Mounds brand of coconut best).

Drop mixture by packed level Tablespoons on prepared cooksheet. Bake, rotating sheet half way through, for about 20 – 25 minutes until lightly golden. Cool completely.

They are good plain – but we like them especially with some chocolate drizzled on top. I just melt some semi-sweet chocolate chips in a double boiler (microwave works too) and drizzle (or glop, depending on how chocolately I feel, and how well it cooperates) the melted chocolate across the top of the macaroons.

 
Chicken Haystacks

 

Cooked Rice
Chicken Gravy
Grated Cheddar Cheese
Olives
Chopped Green Pepper
Chopped Red Pepper
Chopped Celery
Diced Tomato
Grated Carrot
Pineapple Chunks
Mandarin Oranges
Shredded Coconut
Slivered Almonds
Chinese Noodles

Gravy:
Cook and chop 1-2 chicken breasts – or more depending on how much you are making. You can also use left over turkey.
In a saucepan empty 3 cans of cream of chicken soup – more or less depending on how many your are cooking for. For three cans of cream of chicken soup add 1 to 1 1/2 cans of milk. This will make a nice thick gravy. Add chopped meat and heat, being careful not to scorch the bottom.

Haystacks:
Spoon rice on plate then top with any or all of the ingredients listed. The wonderful thing about this favorite dish is that is can easily be altered to suit peoples taste, or what you happen to have on hand.

 

Rolled Sushi (Norimaki)

3 cups Sushi Rice (kome)
Fish – tuna, baby shrimp (I often use the teeny canned shrimp), crab – or whatever suits you, raw or cooked
Cucumber
Egg
Red pepper
Green pepper
Carrot
10 sheets dried seaweed (yaki nori)
Japanese horseradish (wasabi)

For Sushi Rice:
Cook three cups sticky rice (short grain rice) in 3 1/4 cups water. Spread rice in a pan or bowl to cool then add the following: 4 1/2 Tbs Rice Vinegar, 1 1/2 tsp Salt, and 2 Tbs Sugar and mix well with a wet wooden spatula. I often will add more Rice Vinegar, Salt, and Sugar because I like my sushi rice well seasoned.

Now for the rolled sushi:

Cut your vegetables – you don’t need to use all of the ones listed, just whatever suits your mood – julienned style – long and thin.

Place a sheet of seaweed on a bamboo mat. With wet hands or wet wood spatula spread sushi rice over two thirds of the seaweed leaving a little space at each end. Arrange fish and vegatable on rice toward the bottom. Lift bamboo mat with seaweed over ingredients and press, then roll. Let roll stand for 5 minutes or so before cutting – I usually roll all of my sushi and by the time I am done it is ready to cut. When cutting Norimaki wipe knife with wet cloth to stop rice from sticking to it.

Have fun and enjoy – should you want to try it and have questions, let me know. If you live in the Portland,OR or Seattle, WA area – Uwajimaya is the best store to get anything you need for sushi or any other kind of Japanese food.