Ingredient: egg whites

Angel Food Cake

This last weekend, we were able to buy a bunch of eggs on sale. Once I returned home, I realized that I already had a few dozen in the refrigerator. Not wanting to waste eggs, I asked Andrea to please make this recipe, twice.

When I was first given this recipe, by another para I worked with, I did not make it. I had been told that angel food cake was hard to make and finicky. A few years ago, Andrea and I started making it together. It is not a super hard recipe to make, but works best on dry days and when you have a little extra time to let it cool properly. Be sure not to get any yolk in with the egg whites and the pan you use is not greasy.

We almost always use an angel food pan for this recipe. If your pan does not have a removable bottom, line your pan’s bottom with parchment paper. We have also made this with a small lined bread pan with success.

This cake is good plain, for strawberry shortcake, with custard and with ice cream. It also freezes well if you have extra.

Meringue

Audrey learned how to first make these when she was eleven. She continues to make them, usually with chocolate chips and occasionally with pecans.

Meringues are not super hard to make, but they will not set up on a humid day or if there is any yolk in the egg whites. Sometimes it feels as if you have to beat the whites “forever”. But these are well worth it

Gluten Free Sandwich Bread

When Allan started cutting gluten from his diet, a friend from work gave him this recipe. It is good fresh, but we think it tastes better toasted. It works very well for sandwiches also.

A few helpful hints on this bread:

  • To keep gluten free, but sure to check ingredient labels.
  • The bread will stick, so use a nonstick bread pan or grease the pan well. If it does stick, let it sit a few minutes before trying to remove from pan.
  • Do not let the dough rise over the pan, it will “boil over” and make a mess.
  • Also, be sure to bake the bread long enough. It may sound hollow, but still be sticky inside. A thermometer should read between 208-210 when done.
  • Let cool before cutting. It does not have to be completely cooled though.

Miss Jili’s Kung Pao Chicken

Miss Jili is a friend of ours from China. We enjoyed having her over and sharing recipes with us before she moved to finish her schooling. This is a favorite recipe of ours.