Monday, July 30, 2007

Recipe--Crab Cakes

I haven't had Crab Cakes in such a long time, so that's the recipe I decided to go with today.  Actually, I've only had them once and that was probably about 10 or more years ago.  But I loved them and decided it was time to get a recipe and make some myself.  So here are several of the recipes I found to try out.  Add some rice pilaf, green beans with toasted almonds and maybe some homemade rolls, Mmmmmmm!

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Allison's Maryland Crab Cakes
1 lb. Maryland Blue Claw Crab Meat
12 Saltine Crackers, crumbled
2 tbs Mayonnaise
1 tbs. Grey Poupon mustard
1 egg
Old Bay seasoning, according to taste
Maggi Seasoning - 5 drops or more to taste.

Clean crab; mix all ingredients. Form into patties. Bake on baking sheets, sprayed with Pam. Dot each crab cake with margarine. Bake at 400 for20 minutes or until browned. Serve with fresh lemon, tartar or/and cocktail sauce.

Savory Crab Cakes
Serve these tasty crab cakes with tartar sauce or a remoulade sauce, along with lemon wedges.

INGREDIENTS:
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons Creole mustard
1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
2 teaspoons finely minced red bell pepper, optional
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat
1 1/4 cup fresh fine bread crumbs, divided
PREPARATION:
Combine mayonnaise, mustard, parsley, and seasonings; set aside.

Drain crabmeat; gently squeeze to get as much of the liquid out as possible. Put crabmeat in a bowl. With a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in mayonnaise mixture and 1 cup of the bread crumbs, just until blended.

Shape into 8 crab cakes, about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. I use a biscuit or cookie cutter with an open top to shape the cakes and press the ingredients down to make them hold together. Press gently into reserved crumbs. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours.

Heat clarified butter or oil over medium heat. Fry crab cakes for about 5 minutes on each side, carefully turning only once. Serve with lemon wedges and Remoulade or other sauce.

Crab Cakes

Serve these flavorful crab cakes with remoulade or tartar sauce.
INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces lump crab meat
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 small clove garlic, finely minced, or dash garlic powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper
1 egg
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning
4 tablespoons butter
PREPARATION:
Rinse and pick over crab meat, discarding any pieces of shell or cartilage. Try to leave lumps as large as possible. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over low heat; slowly saute finely diced onion, celery, red pepper, and garlic until tender.
 
Whisk egg in bowl; add mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, and Creole seasoning. Combine with sauteed vegetables and soft bread crumbs, mixing well. Add the crab meat and form into loose patties; place on waxed paper-lined plate. Refrigerate for about 1 hour, or until firm. Heat remaining 4 tablespoons butter in large skillet over medium-low heat. Gently place crab cakes in skillet and cook for about 5 minutes. Turn and cook for 4 to 5 minutes longer, until cooked through. Serve with a remoulade sauce or tartar sauce. Serves 4.

Senator Barb Mikulski (from Maryland) Favorite Crab Cake Recipe
Ingredients:
1 lb. jumbo lump or backfin crab meat
2 slices white bread
1 tbsp. mayonnaise (light or regular)
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. Old Bay or Wye River seasonings
1 tbsp. snipped parsley (optional)
1 egg (or substitute for special diets)
tartar sauce or cocktail sauce
Directions:

Beat the egg in a bowl. Trim the crusts from the bread and break the slices into small pieces. Add these pieces to the egg. Mix in the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Chesapeake seasoning and parsley, and beat well.

Place the crabmeat in a bowl and pour the egg mixture over the top. Gently toss or fold the ingredients together, taking care not to break up the lumps of crabmeat.

Form the cakes by hand into patties about 3 inches around and 3/4-inch thick. Shape should be like a cookie, not like a meatball or golf ball. Place the cakes in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes before cooking. This is very important so the cakes don't fall apart.

Broil the Crab Cakes:

Slip them under a preheated broiler until nicely browned, turning to cook evenly, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side.

Or saute:

Heat a small amount of butter or olive oil in a skillet and saute the cakes, turning several times, until golden brown or about 8 minutes total cooking time.

Serve at once with tartar sauce, mustard, or cocktail sauce on the side.  Serves 6 people
 
I also came across the following articles from Real Age and thought some of ya might find them interesting too.  I know a few people who are going to love to hear this information about Chocolate.
 
RealAge Tip of the DAY for July 30, 2007
•Can't Live Without Chocolate?

No problem. Scientists may one day claim you need the stuff to be at your healthiest.

It's a theory growing from a study of the diets of a small Indian tribe in the Panamanian islands. High blood pressure is virtually unheard of within the group. And tribe members drink three or four 10-ounce servings of cocoa per day. Coincidence?

Killer Compounds
The Panamanian tribe doesn't drink run-of-the-mill cocoa. Because of the gentle way they process their cocoa beans, their cocoa is chock-full of epicatechin, a flavonoid that helps widen and relax blood vessels. If the tribe's lack of high blood pressure (as well as other diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer) does turn out to be because of epicatechin, researchers speculate that the flavonoid could one day be given vitamin status.

Other Potential Reasons

 But before you buy stock in Hershey's, there's still research to be done. The tribe members also eat lots of fish and fruit, and their diet or their lifestyle -- or both -- may be part of the lack-of-disease equation. So far, researchers have ruled out genetics.

Bottom Line
What remains true:Flavonoids are good for your heart; lots of research points to this. But dark chocolate is just about your only hope for chocolate that hasn't had its flavonoids completely destroyed by processing. And if you need to cut calories to lose weight, a little bit of chocolate goes a long way.
RealAge Benefit: Getting 31 milligrams of flavonoids -- cocoa beans are naturally rich in them -- a day can make your RealAge 3.2 years younger.
 
However, another sweet treat has chocolates health boosting compounds without the fat...
 
RealAge Tip of the DAY for July 27, 2005
•Health-Happy Apples
 
Reach for the right apple to get ahead of the nutrition game.
Researchers recently assessed the antioxidant capacity of eight different apple varieties and found Red Delicious apples to be highest in two powerful flavonoids, epicatechin and procyanidin. These flavonoids are especially abundant in apple peels, so wash them well and eat the skins.
 
All apples pack a health punch, regardless of variety. Although much of the nutritional punch of apples is found in the skin, certain nutrients reside in the flesh, too. In recent studies, researchers found two powerful flavonoids in Red Delicious apples, but they were mainly in the skins. Another compound with strong antioxidant activity -- hydroxycinnamic acid -- was found in the flesh. Two phenols found in the apples, epicatechins and procyanidins, have superior antioxidant capacity and may help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, and other conditions. Before you eat your apple, wash it thoroughly under running water with a vegetable brush to remove wax and contaminants.
RealAge Benefit: Getting the right amount of antioxidants through diet or supplements can make your RealAge 6 years younger.
 
So of course, my theory afterreading those articles in that everyday all of us should slice, at least, one apple and dip it in chocolate.  Go ahead...it's good for you!  Let's just call it our mid-afternoon antioxidant snack, lol.  I know of at least one person who will be over every afternoon to make sure she gets her healthy snack.  Right Cath?  LOL!
 
Well, for the past two weeks Rylie and I have spent alot of time visiting with Grandpa.  Since he has been moved to a new rehabilitation hospital he has been doing so much better.  We are all so thrilled with his progress.  We even have hope that he will be home for the holidays this year.  If not sooner.
 
This week though it is time to let Rylie be a kid and do some fun things.  So today I am going to pack a picnic and we are going to spend some fun time at the pool.  She loves doing that and it's been quite a while since we've spent some time there.  She has so much fun playing with all the other little kids. 
 
So today I am posting the lyrics to a special song just for Rylie.
 
Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Please shine down on me

Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Hiding behind a tree...

These little children
Are asking you
To please come out
So we can play with you

Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Please shine down on me!

Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Please shine down on me

Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Hiding behind a tree...

These little children
Are asking you
To please come out
So we can play with you

Oh Mister Sun, Sun,
Mister Golden Sun,
Please shine down on...
Please shine down on...
Please shine down on me!
 
Have a great day & hugs to all my friends!
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, crab cakes sure does sound good!  I'll have to give it a try.  I'll also check out that real age website.  I think I took their test quite a few years ago but it's time I went back and did it again!  Have a fabulous picnic at the pool.  I'm envious!  Linda (Friday's Child)