Food For Thought

Ingredients:
Puffs
¾ cup water
¼ cup butter or margarine
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Filling and Topping
1 container (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
½ cup powdered sugar
½ teaspoon Pantry Double Strength Vanilla
¼ cup prepared chocolate frosting, melted
2 tablespoons chopped pistachios or almonds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. For puffs, in (1.5-qt.) Saucepan, combine water, butter and salt; bring to a boil over high heat. Add flour all at once. Using scraper, stir mixture vigorously about 1 minute or until mixture leaves sides of pan and forms into a ball. Remove from heat; place dough into bowl. Add eggs and whisk until smooth and very thick using whisk.

2. Lightly spray mini-muffin pan with oil. Using slightly mounded scoop (1 tablespoon), scoop batter into cups. Bake 22-25 minutes or until deep golden brown. Remove from oven and make a small cut into side of each puff to release excess steam. Remove puffs from pan to cooling rack; cool completely.

3. For filling, combine whipped topping, powdered sugar and vanilla. Mix gently until well blended. Use bismark tip on decorator to pipe filling into center of each puff. For topping, place frosting in bowl; microwave on HIGH 5-10 seconds or until melted. Drizzle frosting over puffs and sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Serve immediately.

Variations:

To prepare filling using heavy whipping cream, combine 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream, ¾ cup powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon Double Strength Vanilla in (2-qt.) mixing bowl. Set over (4-qt.) mixing bowl that is filled with ice. Beat cream until stiff peaks form using whisk, about 5-7 minutes. Proceed as recipe directs.

If desired, 1 teaspoon vanilla can be substituted for the Double Strength Vanilla.