Spicy Crabby Cakes

I went to the Belmar Seafood Fest and had some mediocre crab cakes, I thought, I can do better than this....I liked how they turned out.

Ingredients:
1 lb lump crabmeat (Costco has a great one)
1 Jalepeno, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 slices hearty white bread (I used a white whole grain), processed into breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 dashes cayenne
2 1/2 Tbsp Creole Mustard
1/4 C scallions (the green parts only, sliced thin)
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
tsp lemon zest
4 Tbsp low fat mayo
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp hot sauce
1/4 C vegetable oil
flour for dredging

1. pour crabmeat into strainer and pick out any shells/cartilage if needed (the costco one had none)
2. Combine crabmeat, scallions, salt, pepper,cayenne, jalepeno in a large bowl...careful not to break up the crabmeat too much
3. In another bowl, combine mayo, lemon juice, lemon zest, worcestershire sauce, garlic, mustard, hot sauce, whisk together until combined
4. Mix the two bowls together into the larger one (gently) and then gently fold in the breadcrumbs.
5. Form into patties (mine made about 9). and refrigerate for at least two hours.
6. Heat oil in skillet on med. I brushed the crabcakes with a little melted garlic butter (but this step is optional) and then dredge lightly in flour. Cook in oil about 5 minutes per side (can turn up to med high if not browning enough. Serve with
Horseradish sauce: (amounts approximate)
1/2 C sour cream
1-2 Tbsp horseradish
1/4 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper
Srachi chili sauce to taste (very spicy)

Hungry Girl Chicken

There is this new great website called www.hungrygirl.com and she makes healthy versions of unhealthy things. I made "fried" chicken, inspired by hungry girl.

2 chicken breasts (thin cut)
1/2 C egg beaters
1 T dijon mustard
1 C Fiber one cereal ground in food processor
1/4 parmesan cheese
thyme, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper all to taste
Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat dish with cooking spray. Mix egg beaters and dijon mustard together in one bowl and ground fiber one, spices and cheese in another bowl. Coat chicken in egg mixture and then in breading mixture. Put in cooking dish and spray with cooking spray. Bake 10 minutes and turn and spray with cooking spray and cook another 10-15 minutes, until no longer pink inside.

White Corn Muffins with Jalepeno and cheese

1 1/2 C white corn meal
1 C flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 C low fat buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
1/4 C vegetable oil
2 Jalepenos
1/2 C Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl. Add buttermilk, egg, oil and stir until moistened. Slice 12 slices from Jalepenos and chop the remainder. Add chopped Jalepenos to batter and stir. Fill muffin pans 3/4 full. Sprinkle cheese over each muffin and lay once slice Jalepeno on top of each. Bake 400 degrees for 20 minutes

Red Sangria

1 (750ml) bottle Malbec or other fruity dry red wine
3/4 C Capt Morgans Spiced Rum
1/4 C Triple Sec
1/2 C OJ
1/2 C sprite zero
2 T sugar
apples and oranges for garnish

mix all liquid ingredients the night before you need the sangria for best results. Cut apples into small cubes, and oranges into slices and add to mixture.

Whole Wheat Orzo with Tomato and Feta

1/2 lb. Whole Wheat Orzo (about 1 and 1/3 cups)
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Butter
1 C feta, crumbled
handful of parsley, chopped
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved
lemon zest and juice of one lemon

Cook orzo to package directions, drain. Melt butter and add feta until both are creamy and melted. Mix in cooked orzo, parsley, tomatoes and lemon zest and juice. Stir until combined and heated through. Serve hot.

Sweet Potato Bisque

Sweet Potato Bisque

2 T unsalted butter
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground thyme
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
6 C chicken stock (or veg stock)
2 dried bay leaves
4 large sweet potatoes (about 1 and 1/2 lbs), peeled and cubed
1 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 C heavy cream
1/2 C fat free half and half
1 Tbsp dry sherry

red pepper flakes to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter over med heat and add garlic. Saute 1 minute (do not brown). Add thyme, cinnamon, nutmeg and stir another minute. Add stock, sweet potatoes, bay leaves, brown sugar. Stir and bring to a boil over high heat. Simmer over med to med high heat for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are very tender. Take out Bay Leaves and puree with Immersion Blender. Add cream and half and half. Add sherry and adjust seasonings if necessary. I toasted some pumpkin seeds and garnished with them.

Key Lime Trifle

So I had my family over for brunch, and for my father in law (who loves key lime pie) I made Key Lime Trifle....also a co worker just bought me a trifle dish. It is a time consuming recipe, but sooo worth it!

Key Lime Trifle

Lime zest
key lime poundcake (recipe follows), cut into squares
Tuaca Liquor
Key lime custard (recipe follows)
1 pint heavy whipping cream (whipped until stiff peaks form)

Assembly: Layer key lime custard, key lime poundcake, sprinkle poundcake with tuaca liquor and then contine layering in the same order. End with layer of poundcake, key lime custard, and whipped cream. Garnish with lime zest and graham cracker crumbs.

Key lime poundcake:

1 C butter
1/2 C shortening
2 C granulated sugar
5 eggs
3 C all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 C milk
1/2 C key lime juice
1 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
zest of one lime

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour 10 inch tube pan. Mix flour and baking powder. Cream butter, shortening and sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time. Beat in flour and milk (alternating). Mix just until incorporated. Add lime juice and lime zest and vanilla. Pour into pan and bake for about 90 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. allow to cool 10 minutes. Turn into wire rack. Once cooled, cut into cubes

Key Lime Custard

2 (14oz) cans sweetened condensed milk
1 Cup Key Lime juice
8 oz mascarpone cheese

Mix all ingredients together.