The Forum: Easy recipes keep the cook cool

Everett cook Lavon Woodey, the gal who just gifted us with the how-to for fruit cream pie, now shares more of her specialties.

“So nice to hear from all of my friends when a recipe is printed!” she says. “Now here are two easy recipes. In my book, the seafood salad is a real keeper — especially good with summer potlucks.

“The recipe for dry white icing, 7-minute type, came from my aunt many years ago, and it has been a family favorite ever since. It’s not like the sticky 7-minute frosting I first used. And it’s a little less messy for little fingers to handle and to take on picnics.;

Overnight seafood salad

1 cup fresh cooked salad shrimp

1 cup fresh crab or imitation crab

22 soda crackers, coarsely crushed

1 tablespoon minced onion

1 cup mayonnaise

6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and chopped

3/4 cup chopped celery

In a large bowl, combine the shrimp, crab, crackers, onion, mayonnaise, eggs and celery; mix lightly but thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate overnight or 24 hours. Makes 6 to 8 servings. If desired, all shrimp or all crab can be used.

Dry white icing; 7-minute type

1 egg white

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Turn egg white, sugar and water into the top of a double boiler; place over hot water and cook, beating constantly with an electric mixer, as usual for 7-minutes icings, until frosting forms soft peaks. Remove from heat, blend in the vanilla and spread on a cake or cupcakes. As the frosting sets, it will dry with a thin top crust.

The Forum is always happy to receive your contributions and requests, so don’t hesitate to send them along to Judyrae Kruse at the Forum, c/o The Herald, P.O. Box 930, Everett, WA 98206.

Please remember that all letters and e-mail must include a name, complete address with ZIP code and telephone number with area code. No exceptions and sorry, but no response to e-mail by return e-mail; send to kruse@heraldnet.com.

The next Forum will appear in Monday’s Good Life section.