Saturday, February 24, 2024

Scrumptious Crab Cakes

 


1 pound jumbo lump crab meat (important you get this kind)
1/2 c mayonaise
1 T dijon mustard
1 tsp worcestershire sauce
1 - 2 tsp hot sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp lemon zest, plus 1 Tbsp lemon juice
freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 tsp salt
Fresh parsley, chopped (about 1/8 cup)
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs (or more, if needed)
Oil for frying

Combine mayo, mustard, worcestershire sauce, hot suace, egg, lemon zest and juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Carefully fold in the crab meat, but don't break up the crab. Then fold in bread crumbs to make a firm, but not stiff crab mixture. 

Using 1/3 cup measuring cup, form 8-9 crab cakes and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Chill for at least 20 minutes or until they are firm and cold.

Heat oil in a large pan and add the crab cakes - cooking over medium heat. Do not disturb them so they get brown and crispy, but not burnt. It should take 3-4 minutes. Then turn crabcakes carefully and brown on the other side (you may need to add more oil) until they are hot through and crispy, but not burnt. This should take another 3-4 minutes.

Place on a serving platter and eat with tartar sauce, cocktail sauce and lemon wedges. Can be eaten alone or as a crab cake sandwich. 
 

 

I made these for Christmas 2023 and we enjoyed them very much. Leftovers, reheated are good, but eat within a day or two or freeze them.

Thursday, July 13, 2023

Cucumber salad with sour cream dressing

 5 small salad cucumbers
1 small white onion
1 Tbsp table salt
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp white wine vinegar 
2 Tbsp fresh dill, chopped
Pepper to taste

Using a mandolin, slice cucumbers about 1/8-1/4 inch thick into a glass bowl. Slice onion into smaller pieces. Sprinkle onion and cucumber with salt and transfer to a mesh colander. Allow to drain over bowl for at least 1 hour and up to two hours. 

Drain cucumbers on paper towels to remove as much liquid as possible. Set aside in clean and drained out glass bowl until ready to eat. Drain cucumbers if liquid settles on bottom of bowl. 

Mix sour cream, vinegar, dill and pepper in a small dish. Place in refrigerator until ready to eat. 

Just before eating, combine dressing with cucumber. Mix thoroughly to cover all the cucumbers. Sour cream May foam a little. If too thick add a little more vinegar. If too thin add a little more sour cream. 

Serve with your favorite summertime entree. 

Wednesday, January 25, 2023

Bacon shallot gruyere quiche


1 pie crust (I use Pillsbury brand)
6 pieces of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
4 oz gruyere cheese, shredded 
3 large eggs
1.5 cups (12oz) half and half
Dash cayenne pepper 
1.5 tsp kosher salt 
1 tsp ground black pepper 
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place pie crust in a 9 inch pie pan. Blind bake crust for 10 minutes or until almost done. Be sure to cover crust if it gets too brown on the edges. 

Fry bacon until crisp. Remove bacon to drain and bacon grease except 1 Tbsp. Fry shallot until softened and brown in the bacon fat. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel. 

In a medium bowl, whip eggs until frothy. Add half and half, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Add the parsley if using. Set aside. 

Place bacon and shallots in the bottom of the pie crust. Add the cheese to evenly coat the bacon and shallots. Pour the egg mixture over the cheese and gently make sure egg is completely submerging the cheese. 

Sprinkle the top of the quiche with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional). Then place the quiche on a baking pan and put it in the middle rack of the oven. If crust is brown, cover it with foil or a pie crust shield to keep it from burning. 

Set a timer for 15 minutes. Check it, then turn the oven to 350. Continue baking 20-40 minutes longer, but check often to see if the egg is set. Use a toothpick to poke it. If it comes out clean, it’s done. 

Set on counter and cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving. 


Note: you can use this recipe for any quiche, but make sure any veggies are cooked and well drained to avoid a watery quiche. Also, blind baking the crust is essential to avoid a soggy bottom! 

Monday, January 9, 2023

Shrimp and Grits



 This is a modified version on Bobby Flay's Shrimp and Grits. I think mine is much better! :D

Ingredients

Grits: 
Make grits according to package directions, be sure to make enough for 4-6 servings. 
1 1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp butter
 
Shrimp:
1.5-2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp
6 slices of bacon, chopped
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 c. dry sherry wine
Cajun seasoning (enough to cover shrimp)
1 clove garlic, minced
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp chopped parsley (fresh)
 
Make the grits, add the cheese and butter (keep warm)

Rinse shrimp and pat dry. Add Cajun seasoning and set aside. Fry bacon until crisp, removed from pan and set aside. To the bacon grease, add the shrimp and cook until it turns ALMOST pink. Add the scallions and garlic and fry for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the lemon juice, and sherry and reduce slightly and shrimp is done. Stir in parsley and bacon.

To serve, spoon grits into bowls or on plate and top with shrimp and a little of the sauce.  Serve immediately!

This makes 4 helpings.

Note: You can remove the shrimp and wait to add the scallions until after you add the lemon juice and sherry. You can then add more sherry (or a small amount of chicken broth) and simmer until reduced and slightly thickened. Add the shrimp and scallions back into the sauce. Then stir in parsley and serve. 

Note: Sometimes I don't add the bacon (it gets soggy) and then just top each serving with the crispy bacon to keep the bacon crunchy.

Note: It's important to make the grits first and keep them warm since the shrimp cooks very quickly. You can fry the bacon while cooking the grits. Better yet, have two people make this dish -- one to make the grits and the other to make the shrimp.

Thursday, February 10, 2022

Vanilla Cake with Buttercream Frosting





1/2 cup butter, softened 
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, room temperature
1.5 cups flour (APF, not cake flour)
1.75 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp table salt 
3/4 c milk, room temperature 

Heat oven to 350*. Butter and flour 9 inch cake pan or line cupcake tins with paper and spray inside with cooking spray (about 18 or more).

With a hand mixer, beat butter until soft and fluffy. Add sugar and mix until sugar is almost dissolved (about 3-5 minutes). Add vanilla and mix until incorporated. Next add eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate into butter-sugar mixture. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Pour half the flour into the butter- sugar-egg mixture, beat until smooth, add half the milk, beat until smooth, add the rest of the flour and mix, then add the rest of the milk. Beat batter about 1-2 minutes, scraping bowl with a rubber spatula until batter is smooth and completely mixed and fluffy. 

Pour into prepared pan or cupcake tins. Bake for 15 minutes, then move cake for even browsing. Continue baking in 3-5 minute intervals until cake is just done (test with cake tester or toothpick). Cake should spring back when touched lightly. Do not overtake or cake will be dry. Remove from oven and cook on a cooling rack. If desired remove cake to a cake plate or just frost when cake is completely cooled. Cupcakes can be taken out of tins to finish cooling. 


Frost with buttercream frosting when cake is cooled. 

Buttercream Frosting
1/3 cup softened butter
1.5 tsp vanilla 
3 cups powdered sugar 
2 + Tbsp milk

Using an electric mixer, cream butter and vanilla. Add sugar 1 cup at a time, mixing between. Add just enough milk to make frosting the desired consistency. If too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. 


Monday, November 15, 2021

Old fashioned Chicken and Fluffy Dumplings



My mom made dumplings on top of stews and were always so fluffy! It wasn't until I moved farther south that I ever had dumplings made like pasta. These dumplings are like drop biscuits and I use a recipe I found in my mom's Betty Crocker cookbook (not original to me). I also use a rotisserie chicken for this recipe so it is a quick meal. If you want to cook your own chicken or use leftover turkey or chicken from another meal, that works too. I usually love to use homemade bone broth, but, again, this meal is meant to be quick. I hope it brings back some childhood memories. I know, it did for me!

1 rotisserie chicken, meat removed and cut or shredded into bite-sized pieces*

6 Tbsp butter
1 medium to large onion, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 stalks celery, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/4 inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup flour
6 cups (48 oz) chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup chopped parsley**
 
Dumplings
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp soft butter
3/4 cup milk
3 Tbsp minced parsley**
 
Before starting, remove the meat from the chicken and shred or cut into bite-sized pieces. You should have about 4 cups of cooked chicken.
 
Make the dumplings by stirring the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture to resemble cornmeal (I use a pastry blender, but a fork also works). Add the parsley and stir. Pour the milk into the bowl and stir until all the dry ingredients are wet. Do not overstir or the dumplings won't be fluffy. Set the mixture aside until ready to use.
 
In a large Dutch Oven, melt the butter. Add onion, celery and carrots and cook until onion and celery are softened. Add the flour and make a roux, adding more butter or some olive oil if it's too dry.  Cook for about a minute, then slowly add the broth, scraping up bits of the flour from the pan until incorporated. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the frozen peas, parsley, and chicken. Bring to a boil, then turn heat so that the brother is simmering. 

Now drop the dumplings into the top of the pan, covering the entire top with small scoops (I use a one tablespoon scoop that I use to make cookies). If you keep the dumplings small, then the timing below will work. If they are larger, you need to adjust. 

One you have all the dumplings in the chicken stew, set a timer for 8 minutes and cook without a cover. DO NOT STIR the stew! Then cover the pan for another 8-10 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked through (use a toothpick to poke the center and if it comes out clean is is likely done. You might need to cut a dumpling in half and taste it to make sure it is completely cooked and no longer doughy. If you make larger dumplings, you will need to cook them for 25 minutes or more.


Uncover and serve (do not stir, but leave the dumplings on top). Serve in large bowls, taking a few dumplings and some broth. If you want it more brothy, use an additional 2 cups of broth at the beginning. If you like it more like stew, this should be the right consistency.

*You can substitute leftover turkey if you have it!
 
**You can substitute the parsley in the dumplings and the stew with fresh thyme instead (use about 1/4 cup though in the stew and 1-2 tablespoons in the dumplings. You can also use fresh chives in the dumplings instead of parsley or you might try adding fresh rosemary to the stew. Fresh herbs make this dish! Use what you have, but use them. 

Enjoy!

 


Monday, November 8, 2021

Chimichurri

1 small bunch flat leaf parsley (about 1 cup), finely chopped 
3 large cloves garlic, minced (adjust if you want less garlic flavor)
1 Fresno chili, small dice
1 tsp dried oregano or 1 Tbsp fresh oregano 
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar 
1/2 cup good olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl at least 15 minutes before eating. Make sure all ingredients are submerged in olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Make up to 24 hours before eating. The sooner you eat it, the fresher it tastes. No need to refrigerate unless storing longer than 24 hours. Bring to room temperature if you refrigerate it.

Use as a condiment for meats, especially grilled steak/beef, but also good on any meat or fish or as a topping for a Buddha bowl or as a dressing for pasta or rice. 

This isn’t spicy, but if you want some spicy hot flavors, add a few pinches of red pepper flakes or some cayenne pepper. Do not chop in a food processor. Hand chop/dice all ingredients for best results.



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