Crab Cakes with a Kick

Last night's dinner... these were delicious ;)  I served it with Roasted Spicy Sweet Potatoes and a side salad and we were both happy campers... especially since there were two crab cakes left over...  Eric also seems to think that this is the beginning of the end-he says I'm trying new recipes more than before and I'm obsessed with the presentation.  He makes me laugh.

Cooking spray
1/2 c and 1 tbsp EVOO, divided
1/4 of onion, minced
1/2 of a small green pepper, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 6oz cans of lump crab meat, drained
1/4 c seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 c of panko seasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tsp Frank's Red Hot sauce
1/2 tsp red hot pepper flakes
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Coat a small non stick skillet with cooking spray and heat 1 tbsp of EVOO over medium heat.  Cook pepper, onion, and garlic until onion is translucent and set aside to cool.  In a medium bowl, combine crab meat, bread/panko crumbs, egg, egg white, Frank's, and seasoning.  Mix well.  Stir in cooled vegetables.  For crab cake mixture into 1/2 inch thick patties using about 1/4 c of the mixture for each (will yield 6-7 cakes).  In a large non stick skillet, coat with cooking spray and heat remaining EVOO over medium high heat.  Cook crab cakes on each side for 4-5 minutes or until golden brown.  Use a splatter guard if necessary.  Drain on a paper towel covered plate before serving.

If diabetic, the exchanges are 1/2 starch, 1 fat, 1 Lean Meat if eating 1 crab cake

Smokin' Jambalaya

This is the dish that ended the life of my crockpot.  In the crockpot's defense, I have been using it a lot lately... mostly for Sunday meals because I am scared that if I leave it on while I'm at work, I will come home to a burnt down house and two dead puppies, which would kill me.  The handle popped right off and Eric told me there was no way it could be fixed and that it presented a safety hazard.  (The crockpot has since been replaced).  Anyway, we both agreed that we did not think that shrimp should ever be put in the crockpot again.  It wasn't that it tasted badly, it just made the shrimp tough.  The rest of the flavors were very good and it was a good amount of food for two people with leftovers for Hearn to take to lunch for two days.

1lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch chunks, cooked
1lb Hot Italian sausage, crumbled, cooked and drained of excess fat
1-2 tbsp EVOO
1/2 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 c celery, chopped
1 green or red sweet pepper, chopped
1 14.5oz fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 c chicken broth
1 c vegetable broth
1 8oz jar tomato paste
2 tbsp quick cooking tapioca (a thickener)
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 hot frying pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
8oz frozen peeled and deveined medium shrimp
2 c hot cooked rice

In a large skillet, heat EVOO over medium high heat.  Add onion, garlic, celery, sweet and hot peppers to pan.  Cook until tender.  In a 3 1/2 to 4 quart crockpot, combine vegetable mixture, chicken, sausage, broths, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tapioca, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, and spices.  Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 8 hours OR on high setting for 3 to 4 hours.  If using low setting, turn to high heat and add frozen shrimp.  Cook an additional 30 minutes.  Serve with rice.

Chile Tilapia Tacos with Quick Mexican Rice

So I haven't posted in quite a while.  Last week I was a slacker, having just gotten back from vaca, and the week and a half before that, I was so spoiled eating all sorts of delicious foods in Myrtle Beach and Key West (and on the road at numerous fast food establishments-Nacho Cheese Chalupas at Taco Bell.... mmmmm).  I can't say I totally missed cooking but I definitely missed it a little bit.  It's hard when you just spent a week eating delicious buffalo chicken salads, platters of numerous fried wings dredged in a variety of hot sauces OR eating huge garlic bagels with bacon, egg and cheese OR gooey, cheesey lobster and shrimp mac & cheese OR crab cakes OR ginormous lobsters dipped in butter OR... well, you get the point.  I had to get to it and I promised myself I would really try to work on this blog or as long as I could and I figured being pregnant is really no excuse to stop.  I flipped through a few of my magazines and found this recipe for fish tacos and adapted it, adding a side of some pseudo homemade Mexican rice, and then Eric devoured it, which totally surprised me considering the face he made when he saw our menu posted on the frig for the week.  He went back for seconds and then thirds.  Be careful-it can be on the hot side!!!

1/2 c mayo
1 7 oz can of chipolte chile peppers in adobo sauce
3 tbsp flour
1/2 c cornmeal
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 tbsp Canola oil
1/2 lb Tilapia fillets, cut into bite size pieces
6 flour tortilla shells
1 c shredded red cabbage carrot mix OR coleslaw veggie mix
1/2 c salsa OR 1 roma tomato diced
1 c shredded Mexican cheese

rice side:
1/2 c uncooked brown rice
1/2 c canned diced tomatoes
1/2 c black beans, rinsed
1/2 tsp cilantro
1 tsp onion flakes
1 tsp adobo sauce (from chile peppers)

Combine mayo and 1 to 2 chile peppers and some of adobo sauce into a blender.  Add more sauce or heat and less for less heat.  Blend till combined and spoon into small bowl.  In shallow bowl, combine cornmeal, salt, and flour.  In another shallow bowl, beat eggs.  Heat canola oil in a large non stick skillet.  Dip fish chunks into egg, then cornmeal mix, and then into pan.  Cook until golden brown on each side.  Move to paper towels to drain and set aside.  Microwave tortillas for 10-15 seconds.  Make tacos, topping with fish, cabbage or coleslaw mix, salsa or tomatoes, cheese, and adobo chile sauce.

To make rice:  cook rice according to package.  Remove from heat.  Add tomatoes, beans, seasonings, and adobo sauce.  Return to a low burner for 3-5 minutes to heat through.  Serve as a side to tilapia fish tacos.

Serves 2-4

Shrimp Scampi in Cream Sauce

So in honor of our upcoming 5 year wedding anniversary this Friday and because we will be yet again driving 10 hours on our anniversary to MB (why do I plan this?) and because I have been a major slacker wife in the kitchen and because Eric says I'm not getting enough fish into my diet for Baby Bean and because I know we will have zero home cooked meals for over a week and a half, I adapted this recipe from the North End Cookbook last night for a little pseudo anniversary celebration before we celebrate some more on our trip.  Delish :)  It makes me want to just eat seafood on our trip.

1/2 lb large shrimp, deveined, peeled
flour
1-2tbsp EVOO
2 large or 4 small garlic cloves, finely chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
dash of hot sauce
dash of white wine
1 c heavy cream
freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/2 lb whole wheat linguine

Cook pasta as directed and set aside.

Dust shrimp with flour and shake off excess.  Pour oil into heavy bottomed skillet, just enough to cover bottom.  Add garlic and cook till tender over medium heat.  Cook shrimp with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and hot sauce for about 5 minutes, turning shrimp.  Add wine and bring to boil.  Remove from heat and slowly add cream.  Return to burner and let mixture boil for 1-2 minutes.  Serve bubbling hot.

Spicy Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta

This definitely had a kick.  Cut back on the Cajun seasoning if it's too much.  Eric said it reminded him of our trip to New Orleans :)  I'll take that as a compliment.

1/2 lb penne pasta
1/4 c butter
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c all purpose flour
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
2 c milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 c parmesan cheese, shredded

Cook pasta according to package instructions.  Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.  Saute shrimp for 1 minute on each side.  Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute.  Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon, being sure to leave the butter in the pan.  Add red pepper to pan and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in flour, red pepper flakes, and cajun seasoning.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Gradually whisk in milk and turn up heat; cook until thickened.  Stir in parmesan cheese.  Remove from heat.  Season with salt and pepper.  Toss sauce with cooked pasta and add shrimp.  Serves 2.

Creamy Crab Imperial

Eric made this dish for me on my birthday this year-he felt he needed to cook for me for once since I am forever in the kitchen.  It was quite tasty... although he had been a little heavy handed with the spice factor.  So today we attempted it again and it was amazing :) It is really rich and heavy... this could actually be two dinners for us, which says a lot, with sides ;)  Next time we may add in a handful of grated parmesan cheese.  Either way, if you love crab, you'll love this!!!

1 lb lump crabmeat (we buy ours at Sam's Club-it's delicious!!!)
3/4 c mayonnaise
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp spicy brown mustard
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 egg, beaten
1/4 c panko bread crumbs
1 tsp paprika
3 tbsp butter

Preheat oven to 400 F.  In a medium bowl, combine crab meat, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay, salt, mustard, cayenne pepper, and egg.  Mix well without breaking up the crab meat too much (you want chunks).  In a 2 1/2 quart baking dish, spread mixture.  Lightly coat top with panko crumbs and paprika.  Dot the top with butter.  Bake for 20 minutes.