5 out of 5

Would we make again? Yes. Surprisingly this was very tasty.

From the original site:
This is a wonderful recipe to have in your repetoire because you can vary it to make many classic cream pies, including chocolate, banana, butterscotch, eggnog or coconut. Of course, you can always get un-traditional and start coming up with new variations. How about tropical flavors like fresh pineapple and mango, or perhaps a Peaches and Cream Pie, or maybe a Chocolate Banana Cream? Once you read the basic instructions, you'll get endless ideas of how to vary them. Have fun!

The Basic Recipe
3/4 Cups sugar
1/3 Cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Cups whole milk
2 eggs or 3 egg yolks
1 T. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 baked and cooled 9 in. pie shell
whipped cream to top pie

The Basic Instructions
In a medium saucepan, mix sugar, flour and salt. Stir in 1 cup of milk, mix until smooth,
and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until smooth
and thickened, about 2 minutes, then remove from heat.

Beat the eggs or egg yolks with the remaining cup of milk. Temper the egg mixture
with a small amount of the slightly cooled milk mixture then blend this into the larger
saucepan with the cooling milk mixture.

Return saucepan to the heat and bring to a boil again, stirring constantly, lower heat
and simmer until mixture thickens a bit more, about 1 minute.

Remove from the heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Cool slightly and pour into the
baked pie shell.

Cool completely then cover top of pie with sweetened whipped cream or whipped
topping.

Cream Pie Variations
Chocolate Cream Pie
Make basic filling and add 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips to hot filling in pan. Stir
until chocolate melts completely.

Banana Cream Pie
Make basic filling, cool. Slice 2 or 3 bananas into bottom of pie shell. Pour cooled basic
filling (or chocolate filling) on top.

Coconut Cream Pie
Stir 1 cup flaked coconut into basic filling just before pouring into pie shell. Sprinkled
toasted coconut on top of the whipped cream for a beautiful and tasty presentation.

Butterscotch Cream Pie
Substitute 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar instead of white sugar in basic filling
recipe, and increase the butter to 3 tablespoons. Cook in the same manner as the
basic filling.

Eggnog Cream Pie
Stir in 1/4 tsp. nutmeg into the basic mixture. Sprinkle a small amount of nutmeg on the
whipped cream.

About the Author
Cheri Sicard is a self confessed dessert-a-holic and the editor of FabulousFoods.com, where you can find lots of other great recipes, cooking articles, holiday and entertaining ideas, celebrity chef interviews and free cooking newsletters. Visit her at Fabulous Foods.com

5 out of 5

Would we make again? Yes. A chocolate pie that is not overly sweet.

From the original site:

Flavors of Switzerland
Total time: 30 to 60 minutes
Preparation time using cooked potatoes: 30 minutes
Preparation time using raw potatoes: 1 hour
Difficulty: Easy
Chef's Note
Tips
There are 2 ways of making rösti
- with cooked potatoes
- or with raw potatoes.
Both are delicious, with a slight difference in flavor between the two. When you use potatoes cooked the day before, making rösti at dinnertime become very quick.
I confess I made numerous unsuccessful attempts at making them. During a trip to Switzerland, seated on a terrace, I asked a local woman near me if she had any secrets that cookbooks generally don't provide.
She asked if I had a good "Kartofell" - the grater should have large holes, because if the grated potatoes are too fine, you'll end up with mashed potato.
Secondly, if you're using cooked potatoes, cook them a day ahead in boiling water, with their skins on, and remove when only three-quarters cooked. Once cooled, peel them at the last minute and they'll grate easily. Otherwise they turn to mush... farewell, rösti.
With these two tips, I've never been unsuccessful in making rösti again!

Ingredients
- 1 kg (2 1/4 lb.) Potatoes
- 4 tbsp. fat or oil
- A pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:
Preparation with cooked potatoes - 30 minutes
1. peel the boiled potatoes (see notes above); grate them with a rösti grater with large holes; sprinkle each layer with salt;
2. heat the fat in a skillet; add the potatoes; sauté over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally with a spatula;
3. reform the potatoes and flatten into a cake; continue cooking for 10 minutes longer until a crust forms;
4. flip like a pancake if you're Swiss and have the knack - otherwise, turn out onto a plate and return to the skillet.

Preparation with raw potatoes - 1 hour
1. peel the raw potatoes; grate them with a rösti grater with large holes;
2. melt the fat in a skillet; add the potatoes, season with salt; stir a few times to coat the potatoes with the fat;
3. reduce the heat and cook, covered, for 30 minutes;
4. reform the potatoes and flatten into a cake; continue cooking for 20 minutes over high heat to form a crust;
5. flip like a pancake if you're Swiss and have the knack - otherwise, turn out onto a plate and return to the skillet.

4 out of 5

Would we make again? Yes. Although a lot of work.

From the original site:
Flavors of Switzerland
Total time: 15 to 30 minutes
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Chef's Note
A classic explained by Chef Karl Rodekirchen of Le Jardin Restaurant in the Arabella Sheraton Neues Schloss in Zurich.
Serve with Zurich-style rösti, naturally.

Ingredients for 4 servings
- 600 g (1 lb. 5 oz.) Veal, thinly sliced by hand
- 250 g (9 oz.) fresh Mushrooms, sliced
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp. oil
- 200 ml (3/4 cup) white wine
- 200 ml (3/4 cup) heavy cream
- 20 g (4 tsp.) butter and 20 g (8 tsp.) flour
- Salt and pepper


DIRECTIONS:
1. Sauté the meat in very hot oil and brown on both sides;
2. add the mushrooms and onion; season with salt and pepper; sauté everything;
3. add the wine and cream, blend in the beurre manié (the butter combined with the flour);
4. bring to a boil and remove from the heat once the sauce has thickened.

5 out of 5

Would we make again? Yes.

From the original site:
"This is a recipe from my ninety three year old grandmother from Switzerland. She is still
making these cheesy bite sized puff pastry appetizers that can be served at room temperature
or hot out of the oven. Once you have had one, good luck stopping."

Servings: 12

INGREDIENTS:
1 (17.25 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed (we used pre-made frozen puff pastry tarts)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 cup milk
2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Roll out the puff pastry sheets to 1/4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 3
inch squares. Press the squares into the cups of two 12 cup muffin tins to make pastry cups.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, flour, pepper and nutmeg. Stir in cheese
until evenly blended. Distribute the mixture evenly amongst the pastry cups.
4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until the pastry is golden brown and the
filling has puffed up. Cool in the pans until you can touch them before removing. Serve warm
or at room temperature.

5 out of 5

Would we make again? Yes.

Serves 2

Ingredients:
4 ounces Black Squid Ink Pasta
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon shallots, minced
2 teaspoons butter
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
Nutmeg, freshly grated to taste
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
6 frozen cooked Shrimp thawed, tails intact (61 - 70 count)
2 tablespoons Parmesan Cheese, finely grated
4 chive stems for garnish

Prepare black pasta according to package directions.

In a skillet over medium high heat melt butter, sauté garlic and shallots for 2 minutes; add wine; simmer until reduced by one half. Add broth and cream, lower the temperature and simmer until sauce thickens. Remove from heat; add nutmeg, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Twirl black squid ink pasta with a long-tined fork, slip pasta off the fork onto a serving plate spoon garlic cream sauce around the pasta, add shrimp, cheese, chives and serve.

Wine recommendation: Pinot Grigio; Pinot Noir

5 out of 5

Would I make again? Yes. It reminded me of eating by the Adriatic Coast - Yummy.