Tempura Batters, 3 recipes

I. My favorite Tempura #1:

1 and 1/3 cups all purpose or rice flour
1 tsp salt
1/3 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp melted butter or veg oil
2 egg yolks, beaten (or two whole eggs)
3/4 cup flat beer

Mix first 3 ingredients in bowl and make a well in the center.
Into that well pour the butter/oil and beaten egg. Mix this batter well.
Then gradually add the flat beer while stirring constantly.
Allow the batter to rest for 3-12 hours, covered and refrigerated.
Before using, bring batter back to room temp.

Dip your washed and dried veggie or meat pieces in the batter
immediately prior to dunking in the deep-fry oil.

Notes:
*Flat beer is a MUST
*Since this is a wet batter, the meat or veggies must be dry for it to stick
correctly. You may need to blot with paper towels or even dust lightly
with flour before dipping.
*I like to add a bit of paprika to all batters for a better browning effect.

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II. Very Simple Tempura #2:

1 egg
1 cup very cold water
1 cup all purpose flour

Beat egg in bowl. Add water. add flour and whisk lightly.
Do not overmix. Use immediately.

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III. Tempura Batter #3:

1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
2/3 cup icy cold water
yellow food coloring (optional)

Sift together dry ingredients and set aside.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add remaining ingredients, then add this
mixture to the flour mixture.
Use at room temp.

7-Up Biscuits

2 cups baking mix (jiffy or bisquick)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 to 1 cup 7-Up (or any lemon lime soda)
1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat to 450

Cut the sour cream into the biscuit mix; using a knife, fork, pastry cutter, or even your fingers, just work it in as well as you can.

Stir in 1/2 cup 7-Up. If dough isn't very soft, add a bit more.

Sprinkle some additional baking mix onto your counter. About a half cup should do.
Scrape dough out of bowl onto the flour. Knead and fold dough until coated with the baking mix and just until it's a dough-like consistency.

Pat dough out, and use a biscuit cutter or glass, or empty soup can to cut out about 9 or 10 fat biscuits. Wet the rim of cutter with water, sprinkle with flour, then press into dough to cut.

The tricky part here is to make biscuits fit into the pan right, so keep the pan size in mind.

Melt the butter in a 9 inch square pan. Add the biscuits to pan on top of melted butter, and bake 12-15 mins or until brown.
You may want to broil at the end to make tops browner. but watch very closely.

Banana Bread (Best Ever!!!)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup butter
2 cups pure cane sugar
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4-5 bananas)
4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (plus extra, if you like)

Preheat oven to 350, grease and flour two 9x5 loaf pans or one 9x13 casserole dish.

Sift the flour, salt and baking soda into a large bowl.
In separate bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until smooth. Stir in the bananas, eggs, vanilla and nuts until smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the flour, and stir just until blended. Divide the batter between the 2 loaf pans or pour all mixture into the 9x13 pan.

For loaf pans, cook 60 to 70 mins.
For 9x13 bake for 35-40 mins.
Keep a close check. Bread is done when a knife inserted into crown of the loaf comes out clean.

Let cool in pan(s) 5 minutes then transfer to cooling rack.

Note: To make Gluten Free, substitute flour with a quality GF flour, such as cup4cup, and reduce amount to 1 and 3/4 cup. Also add an additional egg (total of 5 eggs) and a tsp xantham gum.

Seafood Dressing

                                                     

1 cup Parkay margarine or butter
I cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 16 oz. pkg Crab delight imitation crabmeat, cut into smaller pieces.
16 oz. small raw shrimp, shelled and deveined.
1 or 2 small cans oysters, cut into small pieces (optional)
1 cup breadcrumbs (or crushed crackers)
1 14 oz pkg Pepperidge Farms Cornbread Stuffing (bag)
2 TBSP sugar
1 14.5 oz can chicken broth
1 10.75 oz (small can) cream of mushroom soup
Seasonings (see * below)

Oven temp-375 (preheated)

Melt margarine or butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add peppers, onion, celery, oysters and shrimp. Cook and stir 5 mins. Add crabmeat, and stir. Set aside.

In large bowl (Dividing ingredients into 2 large bowls works better), add stuffing, bread crumbs, and sugar. Mix.
Add in the skillet ingredients, soup, and as much of the broth as you like to adjust moistness to your taste. If not moist enough add a bit of water.

*Now add what seasonings you like. I recommend Greek seasoning, Badia complete seasoning, sage, thyme, 2 diced bay leaves, McCormick's garlic jalepeno seasoning, creole seasoning, basil, salt and pepper.*

Mix well and spoon into greased 15 x 10 baking dish (Use two smaller baking dishes if you don't have the large casserole dish size). Sprinkle top with paprika and dot with butter.
Bake in center of preheated 375 oven for about 30-40 mins. Then broil a few minutes to brown the top (keep a close check).

{Serves a lot, lol. I serve this with cranberry sauce and chicken gravy, just like regular dressing.}