Welcome 2010

I wonder is this the first year of a new decade. Everyone, well, most people anyway, tell me that the new decade starts with 1 so, this (2010) is actually the last year of the decade. That may be true technically, but I feel since we are starting double digits, it seems to be a new decade to me. So much has happened in the last 10 years, and yet so much remains the same.
As a way of tracking, or cataloging my day-to-day I have decided to attempt the 365 photo challenge. Will I actually take and upload a photo a day? I don't know. But I do think it will be interesting to look back and see again what I saw.



Technically, this was the last photo of 2009, cream puffs made for friends. After a dinner and movie, dear friends came back to our house for dessert.
In response to a few requests, recipe follows. It really is very easy.
Ingredients:
1 cup of flour
1 tsp white sugar
1 cup butter (unsalted is best)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 TB white sugar
1tsp amaretto, rum, etc. flavoring - optional

Place butter and water in a heavy saucepan on medium heat and bring to a boil. Add flour and sugar mixture and stir with a wooden spoon. Lower heat and stir until mixture pulls away from sides and forms into a ball. Remove from heat and beat with electric mixer 1-2 minutes. Gradually add beaten eggs and mix well.
Spoon 24 mounds of dough onto baking sheet and place in 400 degree oven.
Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake 35 minutes more. Turn oven off and let cool with oven door ajar.
Filling: chill bow, beaters, and whipping cream, vanilla, and sugar. Whip until soft peaks form. Do not overmix. Add optional flavoring.
To assemble: Split pastry shells in half. Fill with whipped cream. replace top half. Dust with powdered sugar. You may also drizzle with melted chocolate or flavored syrups.
Enjoy - makes 24 cream puffs.