CRAB CAKES

Crab Cakes.....LOVE THEM! There are so many kinds out there. Many are way too "bready" for me. When you can't bite into a lump of crab...what's the point....might as well be bread cakes! There are two secrets to prefect crab cakes: one is to make sure if you are going to make them that you buy good lump crab whether from your fish monger or there are some very good canned brands but they should be found in the refrigerated fish area of the store. Secondly, the crab cakes must be refrigerated for a couple hours before frying to help remove some of the moisture so they don't fall apart in the skillet. This is the most important step.

They should be served with your favorite dipping sauce or any variety of vinegary slaw.

Ingredients:

1-1/2 lbs good lump crab meat

3/4 cups fresh breadcrumbs (from fresh white bread)

3/4 cups panko breadcrumbs

1 small onion minced

4 cloves of garlic minced

2 tbl mayonnaise

2 large egg whites

1/2 lime juiced

1/2 lemon juiced

1/4 cup fresh diced italian parsley or cilantro

salt

pepper

dash of cayenne pepper

dash of dry mustard

dash of Worcestershire sauce

Old Bay seasoning

5-6 tbl olive oil

Mix bread and panko breadcrumbs in a blender until fine.

Pour 2 tbl olive oil in a saute pan and heat on medium. Add onion and garlic. Cook 5-7 minutes until onions are caramelized. Remove from heat and place in a mixing bowl. Let cool for a few minutes. Add crab, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, egg whites, lime juice and parsley. (You can substitute cilantro for the parsley but I don't like cilantro). Season with salt, pepper, cayenne, mustard and Worcestershire. Shape the cakes into big patties and place on a baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Pour 3-4 tbl olive oil in a pan and heat until the oil is pretty hot. Add the crab cakes and cook until a crust forms on each side about 4 minutes a side. Carefully turn the crab cakes in the pan. Remove from the pan and sprinkle with Old Bay Seasoning and the lemon juice.

For presentation, serve on a platter with lemon slices and sprigs of parsley or cilantro whichever you used in the cakes. Serve with dipping sauce as in tartar sauce or similar or a great fresh slaw.

Very simple Very delicious

ENJOY!

BLOGGER"S NOTE

Sorry I was unable to dazzle your palate yesterday...I was away from the internet all day..can you imagine....I will be back later today with something scrumptious!!!!
APOLOGIES!

HAPPY CINCO de MAYO

Well you can't enjoy Cinco de Mayo without a fabulous MARGARITA!!!! These are a bit strong but if you are going to have one shouldn't it be a GOOD ONE!. However, you can certainly adjust the recipe to lighten up on the alcohol. This makes about eight cocktails....around my friends and family it would make about FOUR....

To salt the glass or not salt the glass.....that is the question???? In this salt conscious environment I still go for the salted rim. Just wipe the rim of the glass with a cut lime and roll the glass in a plate of good sea salt...yum!!!

In a blender mix:

1-1/2 cups tequila

1 cup triple sec

1/3 cup Grand Marnier or Cointreau

2 cups sweet and sour mix

Pour into glasses filled with ice. Squeeze a quarter of a lime in each and DRINK UP!

Happy Cinco de Mayo

ENJOY!

BAKED VEGETABLE PASTA

Let's see I LOVE vegetables....my family sometimes "likes" vegetables and many friends push them to the side of the plate...you know who you are!!!!!

This recipe combines the best part of healthy vegetables with the delicious tastes of pasta, cheese and marinara sauce. Try to make sure when chopping the vegetables that they are about the same size chunks. You can add or replace other vegetables with asparagus or squash or any other vegetables you like.

Ingredients:

1 zucchini chopped

6 oz cremini mushrooms chopped

1 orange and red pepper chopped

1 8oz jar of artichokes drained and chopped

2 shallots diced

2 cloves of garlic diced

8 oz mozzarella or fontina or gruyere cheese grated

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2-3 cups marinara sauce

1 box penne pasta

2 tbl olive oil

1 tbl herbs de provence

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp red pepper flake (optional)

2 tbl unsalted butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

To make clean up easier, line a baking sheet with tin foil. Pour 2 tbl olive oil on the bottom of a baking sheet. Add herbs de provence, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes and mix. Add zucchini, mushroom, peppers, artichokes, shallot and garlic. Mix so all vegetables are covered with the oil and spices. Bake in the oven until roasted about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions, but only cook about 6 minutes so they are still firm, drain.

Turn oven down to 375 degrees

Mix vegetables with pasta and 1 cup marinara, your cheese of choice and 1/4 cup paremsan cheese. Pour mixture into a 13 x9 pan greased with 1 tbl of butter. Pour a 1/4 cup layer of remaining marinara sauce and parmesan over the top and cut up last tbl of butter into small pieces and spread on top of pasta.

Bake about 25-30 minutes or until bubbly. Serve with the rest of the marinara sauce and extra parmesan cheese. The best recipe ever to hide those deliciously healthy vegetables.

ENJOY!

FOOD TIPS FOR BETTER SLEEP

Getting a good night's sleep is an important predictor of your overall health. Your metabolism runs much more efficiently when you get enough sleep...helping keep your weight in check.
So here are some "foody" tips for a better night's sleep!

1. Cut your eating about 3-4 hours before you go to sleep so you have a chance to digest the food before trying to fall asleep. Your last meal before bed should have less sugar and no caffeine.

2. Try eating foods high in tryptophan for your evening meal. Tryptophan is a sleep-inducing amino acid found in eggs, fish, soybeans, turkey, chicken, nuts and cheese. We all know how we feel sleepy after eating our turkey on Thanksgiving. Add some calcium to this meal as it helps your brain process tryptophan.

3. We all remember having some nice warm milk before bedtime when we were kids, but milk actually keeps you awake. Proteins in milk lowers your serotonin levels making it harder to fall asleep. Organic cherry juice actually increases serotonin levels helping you drift off.

4. You should stay away from chiles, cayenne pepper, too much garlic and other spices that can cause heartburn. They boost your metabolic rate which isn't exactly conducive to sleeping. Avoiding "gas-y" foods is best too...so leave the beans, cauliflower, broccoli and brussel sprouts for lunch.

If you are still having trouble try some of these remedies:

- Take a teaspoon of liquid calcium-magnesium about an hour before bed
- Herbal decaffeinated teas with chamomile can help
- Small amounts of melatonin will help but don't overdo your dose.

GOOD NIGHT!!!!
ENJOY!

PRETTY PIZZA

This is the actual pizza we had for dinner on Friday. So pretty. While I would love to say I made the dough....there are just so many options to buy already made dough...I just don't bother. Many local pizza restaurants sell their dough very cheaply. A place down the street from me sells it for $2. The italian market nearby sells frozen rounds of pizza dough. For this I used a frozen roll of Rhodes Bake n' Serve White Bread. I just take a roll out in the morning and cover it in a bowl with Saran Wrap and leave it on the counter. Great idea before you leave for the office. If you need it to thaw faster, turn your oven to 200 degrees, cover the dough in a bowl and put it in the oven. After a few minutes turn the oven off but leave the dough in the oven. It will rise within hours.

When you are ready to make the pizza, roll the dough out thinly to the shape of your baking sheet or pizza stone. If you have a pizza stone, put it in a 450 degree oven and let it get good and hot. After about 10 minutes, carefully take the stone out of the oven and lay the dough over the top and pinch up the sides to form the pizza.

Spread a marinara or pizza sauce on the dough, add your meat and/or vegetables (I saute the vegetables I use before to make sure they are cooked and soft). Shake a little oregano, basil, pepper or red pepper flakes on top and finish with shredded mozzarella on top.

Crack an egg in a bowl and brush the sides of the dough with the egg wash to make sure the crust gets nice and golden.

I make my own marinara and store it in the freezer (I will blog that soon) or there are many good brands of marinara sauce available. This is a great last minute dish for a busy week and it requires so few ingredients.

ENJOY!

KENTUCKY DERBY MINT JULEP

Happy Derby Day!

The key to a good Mint Julep is good bourbon and fresh mint. I am in on the mint...bourbon???? Frankly for me, if I need to sip a fancy beverage while wearing a big ol' hat...I'll put a cocktail umbrella in my Kendall Jackson...but for you diehard Mint Julep Derby fans here is the recipe.

First you need to make a simple syrup. So in a small saucepan heat 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring it to a boil and stir to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and add about 10 mint leaves. Let that simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool.

In a glass add 1 tbl simple syrup and about 10 mint leaves. Crush the mint in the glass (picture the mojito bartender) then add a bunch of good bourbon and lots of crushed ice....garnish with a nice fresh mint leaf and SIP! I'm the one in the corner with the wine.

Have fun watching the race!!!!

ENJOY!