Moo's Cream of Zucchini Soup

1 lb. zucchini, coarsely diced
2 T shallots or scallios, minced
1 clove garlic
2 T olive oil
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 3/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Wash zucchini but do not peel. Dice coarsely. Mince shallots (or scallions). Heat olive oil in large sauce pan and add zucchini, shallots and garlic. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Do not let vegetables brown. Put cooked vegetables into blender or food processor. Process then add the remaining ingredients and blend again. You can serve this soup hot or cold.

Moo's Cheese-Mushroom Crepe Filling

1 cup cottage cheese (or 8 oz. cream cheese)
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1/4 lb. fresh mushrooms, minced
1 T scallions or shallots, minced
1 T butter
1/2 T olive oil

Mash cheese in a bowl with salt and pepper. Sometimes I add a little chili powder for an extra zip. Beat in the egg. Saute mushrooms and scallions in butter and olive oil for 5 minutes. Stir sauted vegetables into the cheese mixture. Put some of the mixture down the center of each crepe, roll. Bake in 350 degree oven for about 25 minutes. Serve with a white cheese sauce topping.

Moo's Basic Crepe Recipe

3 eggs
1 cup sifted flour
1 1/2 cup milk
3 T melted butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. grated lemon rind

Beat eggs slightly and stir in flour, salt and lemon rind. Mix in the milk and butter. Batter should be as thin as cream.

Heat a little non-stick skillet (6" or 8" dia.) and spray with Pam. Pour about 2 tablespoons of batter into a hot skillet. Tip skillet back and forth until there is a thin, even layer of batter covering the bottom of the pan. Cover over a brisk heat until crepe is golden brown. Flip and lightly brown the second side. Makes about 20-24 crepes

Moo's Salmon Aspic Mousse

2 env. unflavored gelatin
2 cans jellied madrilene
2 cans salmon (you could substitute 2 pounds of fresh poached salmon)
1/4 cup Miracle Whip
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup sour cream

Soften gelatin in 1 can of madrilene in a large sauce pan over low heat. Stir constantly until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the second can of madrilene. Measure out 1/2 cup of the mixture and set aside for the moment. Stir wine into the remaining madrilene mix in the sauce pan. Drain salmon, bone and flake (or flake your freshly poached salmon). Put salmon in a large bowl. Beat in the 1/2 cup of gelatin mixture and the Miracle Whip. Fold sour cream into the salmon mixture.

Pour gelatin wine mixture into a fish-shaped mold and chill until almost set. Then pour in salmon mixture and chill mold overnight.

When ready to serve, unmold salad and garnish with greens. You may want a little extra Miracle Whip on the side in a bowl. We like to tint it a light green.

Kendra's Choco-Mocha Punch

Okay this may not be your ordinary punch, but it IS a delicious palate pleaser. It's like a frosty frappuchino.

1/2 gallon chocolate ice cream, softened
8 cups strong coffee, chilled
1 pint half and half
1 tsp almond extract
1/8 tsp salt
Very dark chocolate, grated on top
Ground cinnamon on top

You don't want to make this very far in advance as it will melt. However, if you have room in your freezer, chill the punch bowl. So about 15 minutes before you are ready to serve put softened ice cream in a large mixing bowl. Add about 3 cups of the cold coffee and mix until smooth.

When it's time to serve, put the ice cream mix in the punch bowl. Add half and half, extract, salt and the rest of the cold coffee. Stir then sprinkle the top with grated chocolate an cinnamon.

Niki's Lacy Tempura

Moo, Niki and I worked hard to create a tempura recipe that would enable us to create a light and lacy tempura. We experimented with many ingredients, temperatures and combinations. This is one of our better creations. Great with shrimp and vegetables.

1 pound shrimp, shelled, deveined and flattened
2 eggs
1 cup very cold water
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
10 ice cubes
4 T very cold water
Olive oil

Tempura Dipping Sauce #1
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sherry
Sprinkle a little minced ginger on each individual bowl of dipping sauce

Dipping Sauce #2 (not traditional but very good)
1 T dry mustard
1/4 cup catsup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 T water

Once you have cleaned and prepared the shrimp, store them in the refrigerator until you're ready to cook. To make the batter, beat eggs with very cold water. Sift together flour, cornstarch and salt. Beat this mix into the liquid (this is not a lumpy batter). Because you want the batter to be very cold when you drip shrimp and/or vegetables into the hot oil, add 10 ice cubes to the batter and set the batter bowl into a larger bowl filled with ice.

Pour enough olive oil into a sauce pan to deep fry shrimp. Heat oil to 375 degrees. And it will be important for you to maintain a steady heat.

With your left hand dip into the lace batter and shake it into the hot oil. With right hand, dip a cold shrimp into the main batter and roll it onto the lace. Cook until golden

For lace, place 1 cup of batter into a smaller bowl. Stir in 4 T of very cold water.

Moo's Choco-Chip Coffee Cake

Batter
1/4 lb. butter, room temperature
1 8-oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup milk
1 cup chocolate chips

Pecan Topping
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a spring-form pan. Mix up the topping in a small bowl. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese then gradually add the sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Add vanilla, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well. Stir in cold milk and chocolate chips. Mixture will be very thick. Pour into prepared pan, sprinkle pecan mixture on top. Bake 50-55 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before removing the pan's outside ring.