Birthday Dinner

Hello! I hope everybody enjoyed their midweek Fourth of July parties. Did anybody else wake up the next morning thinking it was Monday? It’s funny how a holiday in the middle of the week can throw things off kilter. I admit, since I've been on break from school, all the days just seem to run together. I guess that's the beauty of summer though.

Let's talk about birthdays. Birthdays can be very strange events. Some people greet them with excitement and eagerness, planning everything from the cake to the guest list. Others look at them as simply another year older - another chapter in their book that is being written with every day that passes. For the most part, my family falls into the latter category. We never were the type of family to make a huge production of birthdays; there was no massive "super sweet 16" party or a house full of teenagers and loud music trashing the place. Instead, they were usually intimate including only family and close friends. Sometimes it was just family. For my parents it was one of two options: stay home and cook a meal or go out to eat. This year was no exception. For those of you fortunate enough to know my father knows that he is a man of little fuss. His birthday was this past week, and as per every year we ask the millionaire dollar question - "Would you like to go out for your birthday, or eat at home?" Every year it's the same response, "What does everybody else want to do?" You can only imagine the frustration that comes with the indecisiveness. After a couple minutes of discussion there is a decision. This year he requested a large salad (he is complicated to cook for...AKA a picky vegetarian/vegan). A salad he said. I walked away grumbling because I was hoping for some answer other than a salad, something with a little more pizzazz. 

And so started my search for inspiration..and a recipe. Cooking for a vegetarian/vegan can be hard. Trying to find a variety of foods that aren't repetitious can be frustrating; and then you have to verify that it is what that person is wanting. I stumbled upon a recipe for stuffed peppers and knew it was exactly what I was looking for. They're hearty, packed full of protein, but not too heavy. We have made stuffed peppers before with soy Chorizo, but my father gets burned out on pseudo meat quickly so I had to find another protein substitute. One of the great things about this recipe? You steam the peppers in the microwave for about 7 minutes, drain, cool slightly, and stuff! How easy is that? The stuffing alone would make a wonderful side dish to any meal. I halved the recipe and used 1 orange and 1 yellow bell pepper. The recipe called for Orzo pasta and sun-dried tomatoes, but we didn't have any on hand. So I opted for brown rice and omitted the tomatoes. I would suspect you could use tomato paste if you are in a pinch. I subbed the 1/2c Orzo for 1/2c of short grain brown rice.

The peppers are wonderful hot or cold. You know how some dishes just taste better the next day? Next day leftovers anyone? This is a recipe I will definitely be keeping on hand for future reference. 

For dessert, instead of the traditional birthday cake, I baked a simple zucchini bread. He loved it just the same (I guess I should mention he isn't a huge fan of cakes? Unless it's a carrot cake..without frosting). 

Enjoy!

"It takes a long time to grow young."

~Pablo Picasso

Greek Stuffed Peppers (with my alterations)

Original recipe from EatingWell

Serves - 4

Total time - 40 minutes*

Ingredients:

4 yellow, orange and/or red bell peppers

1/2 cup whole-wheat orzo (I used 1/2c brown rice)

1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

6 ounces baby spinach, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano, or 1 teaspoon dried

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, divided

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, (not oil-packed), chopped (I left this out)

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar, or red-wine vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Halve peppers lengthwise through the stems, leaving the stems attached. Remove the seeds and white membrane. Place the peppers cut-side down in a large microwave-safe dish. Add 1/2 inch water, cover and microwave on High until the peppers are just softened, 7 to 9 minutes. Let cool slightly, drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add orzo and cook until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. (If using brown rice, bring 1 1/2c water to a boil. Add 1/2c rice and pinch of salt. Reduce to a simmer, cover and let cook for 40 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is tender.)

3. Mash chickpeas into a chunky paste with a fork, leaving some whole.

4. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add spinach and oregano and cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in the orzo, chickpeas, 1/2 cup feta, tomatoes (if using), vinegar and salt; cook until heated though, about 1 minute. Divide the filling among the pepper halves and sprinkle each pepper with some of the remaining 1/4 cup feta.

*If using brown rice, allow 1hr for total cook time. 

Let Freedom Ring

Hello! I trust you and your loved ones are having a wonderful and safe Fourth of July. I am making this a brief post and leaving you guys with a recipe I tested today - the most decadent chocolate mousse. It's light and airy, with a robust chocolate flavor that is sure to please all chocolate lovers. If it's too rich for you, add a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and top with milk chocolate shavings and enjoy!

Heavenly Chocolate Mousse
Serves - 6
Prep time - 30min.
Chill time - 8hrs-overnight


Ingredients:
8 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup water, divided
2 tablespoons butter
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/4 cups whipping cream, whipped




Directions:


1. In a double broiler, heat chocolate, 1/4 cup water and butter until the chocolate and butter are melted. Cool for 10 minutes. In a small heavy saucepan, whisk egg yolks, sugar and remaining water. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture reaches 160 degrees F, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; whisk in chocolate mixture. Set saucepan in ice bath and stir until cooled, about 8 minutes. Fold in whipped cream. Spoon into dessert dishes. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.


Enjoy!

Cookies are Made of Butter and Love

Hello hello! Right now I am enjoying my first cup of coffee of the day, listening to the rain, and taking in the aroma of the most heavenly chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven. I've been feeling a bit under the weather these past few days - no pun intended - and haven't been cooking as much as I would like. However, tonight I managed to cook dinner; two types of pasta dishes, fresh Focaccia bread, and a crisp artisan salad. We were all hungry by the time it was finished cooking and I forgot to snap a picture of it for you guys. Sorry! Next time it's made I will share it with you along with the recipe. It's become a favorite in this house. 

While perusing Pinterest a couple weeks ago I found a pin for Jacques Torres' Secret Chocolate Chip Cookie and they looked divine! So, guess what I made tonight when I was wanting something sweet? http://pinterest.com/pin/78039006013541499/

Okay enough with all that jazz; let's get to the good stuff. Now I love a good chocolate chip cookie, but it has to fit my criteria: thick and chewy with equal proportions of chocolate to cookie, and most importantly NO add-ins. I've tried several recipes in the past but none of them even come close to this one. The best part? They are 5" cookies packed with chocolate in every bite. Now that is what I call a cookie. 

There were a few tips on the blog where I got the recipe from. I didn't follow them because I was a.) too impatient, b.) was not going to leave the house in the pouring rain to get pastry flour from the store, and c.) I had several bags of chocolate chunks and large chips on hand, so I used those in place of the bulk chocolate piece. Needless to say these cookies turned out without following the tips. I can only imagine how good they would be if they were followed. I have listed them for you if you would like to give them a try. 

The following tips are from the original blog post on Tender Crumb.

- Don't substitute the pastry and bread flours w. AP flour. I really believe that the combination of the pastry and bread flours give the cookie a nice slightly crunchy exterior giving way to a really tender middle.

- Hand chopped chocolate chunks, NOT premade chips - I will purchase a hunk of the best bittersweet chocolate that I can afford and hand cut them into chunks. The easiest method to chop a block of chocolate: nuke the block at 50% power for a few seconds, no more. It softens the chocolate just enough. Then take a large kitchen knife and chop away! Your effort will be rewarded with really nice ribbons of melted chocolate throughout the cookie.

- Chill the cookie dough at least 24 hours (I let my dough sit anywhere from 2-3 days) before baking. This is not for taste reasons that were recently written about in an article from NY Times (god forbid we're aging cookie dough...let's leave that for wine and cheese). IMHO, refrigeration makes a difference with the look and texture. I think the dough sets in a way so when you bake the cookies, you end up with the lovely wrinkles and folds as the balls of dough spread and bake

As I said, I did not have pastry flour on hand so I used 1 1/3cup of unbleached all-purpose flour and 2/3cup of cake flour to make 2cups of a pastry flour substitute. I also used Ghirardelli Bittersweet, Semi-sweet, and Milk chocolate pieces. Everyone in my house likes a different type of chocolate so I used the three favorite. As soon as I mixed the dough, I used a 1/4c ice cream scoop to measure the cookie dough. I started to get excited when I saw them start to spread every so slightly as they were baking and I was afraid that with a pound of butter that they would spread more than they did. But they kept a nice puff to them and browned lightly around the edges. I was also afraid that with using "pastry flour" and bread flour that they would be too dense, but I was surprised to find that they were airy in the center. I must admit that I had doubts about them as I was preparing them, but trust me, these will turn out to be the best chocolate chip cookie you have ever made. If anyone tells you they haven't ever been wowed by the homely chocolate chip cookie, hand them one of these and let them be blown away. 

Also, you can follow me on Twitter here! 

Follow @FoodieNic92 Enjoy!

Jacques Torres' Secret Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Makes twenty-six 5-inch cookies or 8 1/2 dozen 1 1/4-inch cookies

Ingredients

1lb unsalted butter

1 3/4c granulated sugar

2 1/4c packed light-brown sugar

4 large eggs

3c pastry flour

3c bread flour

1tbs salt

2tsp baking powder

2tsp baking soda

1tbs pure vanilla extract

2lbs bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats and set aside.

-In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars.

-Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

-Reduce speed to low and add both flours, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and chocolate; mix until well combined.

-Using a 4-ounce scoop for larger cookies or a 1-ounce scoop for smaller cookies, scoop cookie dough onto prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. 

-Bake until lightly browned, but still soft, about 20 minutes for larger cookies and about 15 minutes for smaller cookies. 

-Cool slightly on baking sheets before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. 

Food Trucks Galore!

I had wanted to eat from a food truck for some time now. No, not one of the taco trucks you see parked at a construction site one day and on the side of the road another, but a gourmet food truck - one that serves something other than the usual tacos, burritos, and refrescos. The only thing about these trucks was that they are set up downtown at the hours that I’m normally not there. I’ve heard that the lines can be up to a couple hours long. WOW! Talk about loyal customers. One of the nights while on Twitter I saw a tweet for the Haute Wheels Food Truck Festival in Houston. With the help of the infamous Google and a quick search I discovered that it would include 34 of Houston’s best food trucks. Holy smokes! I had to go see what the hype was all about. I found myself purchasing two tickets the next day. My mom joined me. The tickets were $16; food cost was separate and you paid at each vendor. The entrance fee was a little pricey but well worth it. Being able to support the local businesses and be surrounded by other foodies was well worth it though. We purchased the tickets online that way we could skip the line and I have to say that was the way to go. We would have spent thirty minutes in the ticket line alone. We were getting concerned that it would be raining that day, but thankfully the forecast was wrong; it turned out to be a beautiful day, mid 80’s with partial clouds to give us an occasional break from the Texas sun.

Before we started making the rounds.

So we entered with a game plan. We order one item, split it, and move along. This way we got to taste more and not get too full. Needless to say I was a little overwhelmed and didn’t know where to start. 34 choices - how do you decide between sweet or savory first? We made the round to get a feel for what all was there, then we dove in.

Our first stop was Firehouse Tacos. It is the brainchild of a retired HFD captain, Homero Ponce-López. Run by members of the HFD, there is a boot on the counter for further donations to charities that help fallen hero’s’ families. How neat is that? I loved the idea before we tried the food. Tacos were their specialty, and we chose the pulled pork tacos topped with crushed pineapple served on a flour tortilla. The price was reasonable, $4 for two good size tacos. Generous with meat and topping, the flavor of the pork was HUGE! Slightly sweet, slightly smoky, a hint of cayenne and chipotle, and oh so tender, the pineapple was the perfect pairing. It enhanced the flavors of the pork so much. The flour tortilla was soft with a light flavor, but really it was just a vehicle for the amazing filling. I would stop here again if in the area.

Pulled Pork Tacos from Firehouse Tacos.

Our second stop was the Oh My Gogi! truck. They are the notorious Korean BBQ and Mexican fusion truck here in the Houston area. Now I have to say, before then I had never tried Kimchi, but all their dishes were served with it. So seeing that this was an adventurous day, we decided to try the Chicken Quesadilla with Kimchi, house hot sauce, salsa rojo, cilantro and lime. I’ve got to say, I walked away from there saying “Oh my Gogi!” Hands down that were the best quesadilla I’ve ever had. It was stacked full with cheese, large pieces of chicken, and too large pieces of cabbage; however the Kimchi had a subtle tangy flavor that worked really well the hot sauce and cilantro. Drizzled on top was more of their house sauce with a hot mayo, more cilantro and lime.  The prices were moderate, $5 for a quesadilla, $10 for the quesadilla, fries, and a drink. We stuck with just the entrée. A fabulous treat - a must for anyone wanting something different from the norm.

                       

                       Waiting for our quesadilla from Oh My Gogi!

The amazing quesadilla.

While standing around eating, we noticed a few people walking around with waffle sandwiches. I could not have left there without checking out the Waffle Bus. This was by far the longest line we waited in - ~20 minutes. The menu included sandwiches such as smoked salmon with sour cream, fried chicken with honey mustard, Nutella and banana, and s’mores. Of course we opted for the Nutella with banana. $6 got you a full size waffle filled with meager servings of Nutella and about a half of a banana, dusted with powdered sugar. The waffle was amazing, but I wish there had been more filling. I was slightly disappointed with the portion size, but the flavors made up for it.  After finishing the sandwich I realized we never took a picture. Sorry!

Our fourth stop was Kickers BBQ. This truck wasn’t on my list of ones to visit, however a quick glimpse at the menu and we knew we had to try the Avocado Eggroll.  I must admit, if you were to offer me warmed avocado wrapped in a wonton, I would probably politely decline. But again because we were feeling adventurous, we decided to give it a go. I don’t think I could have imagined that it could possibly taste THAT amazing. The avocado was creamy and full of flavor, the wrapper was stuffed with a generous serving of the luscious green filling, and the dipping sauce was just sweet enough to add that extra something special. It tied all the flavors together. Lightly fried to perfection, not too oily but still warm from the fryer, the crunch on that baby was perfect – and I’m not a big fan of fried food. This little roll of wonderful was only $3.50 for one large eggroll. Well worth the price.

Avocado Eggroll from Kickers BBQ.

We headed over to MMMCupcake, a truck notorious for their moist cakes and sinfully rich frostings. Of course we couldn’t decide on just one flavor. So, what do you do when you’re indecisive? Get the sampler box of course! 6 adorable bite sized cupcakes in four of their most popular flavors – two chocolate, one with a chocolate ganache and another with a peanut butter frosting, two red velvet with cream cheese frosting, a lemon with lemon frosting, and a strawberry with strawberry frosting. Oh my goodness gracious. I have never had frosting that thick, that rich, and that decadent. Not too sweet, but just enough to add that extra oomf to the cake. The cupcakes themselves were very moist and in the middle of the chocolate cupcakes were chocolate chunks. What a great surprise! The box was only $6. We were too full to eat these there, so we got them to go. Sadly I did not take of these. But trust me, they were the perfect size and oh so good.

The last stop was Porch Swing Desserts. I have read great things about this company, and was excited to try one of their desserts; especially after I encountered a man raving about their strawberry pie. We were sold. We got a little pie to go as well. It was $3.50 for a personal size pie made with local strawberries and fresh whipped cream. We didn’t eat this until the next day and I have a feeling it was better the day it was made. It was incredibly sweet, but I think that was due to the juice from the strawberries soaking into the crust. Also I was disappointed to see only a mere tablespoon of diced strawberries. Bummer. The flavor was good, so I’m willing to go back and try something else from there. Hopefully with a better turnout than this time.

Making note of the trucks we visited.

I was pleased with the overall experience. The vendors were professional and the crowd was mild. No disturbances from rowdy patrons, just people eating food and having a good time. Another thing I noticed was that there weren’t many kids running around. The crowd was more of an adult crowd, but the venue was nonetheless family friendly. I read reviews from the previous year complaining about long lines and whatnot, and though I didn’t go then, based on my experience this year I look forward to attending next year’s festival.

Enjoy!

Strawberries in Meyer Lemon Syrup

Hello hello! It's been sometime since my last post, but that doesn't mean I haven't been keeping busy. I finished my last semester at junior college, went to the Haute Wheels Food Truck Festival. I know this post is a little late, but bear with me!

While at the store picking up a few things for dinner, as always, I find something I need that isn't on my list. Strawberries right now are just beautiful and I couldn't pass them up. I’ve always been a big fan of strawberries, and I can say without shame that possibly my favorite way to eat them is still dipped in chocolate. However I can never just eat one or two of them. So to keep things “healthy and light” I opted for this recipe I found on Cooking Light’s website. It was so simple yet so refreshing and perfect for the time that I had. It was a great way to finish off a heavy dinner, and convenient to boot. (Of course this would also be lovely as a midday refresher on a hot summer day – maybe throw in blueberries and add lemon zest?)  

The directions are simple and there isn’t much more to it than what you see – no surprises 
here. I loved how the strawberries, which were naturally sweet, were tamed by the lemon juice. I was afraid that the extra sugar would make this far too sweet, but was pleased to find that not true. If you aren’t a fan of lemon, than I would reduce the lemon juice to 2tbs. Also I used Meyer Lemons as the recipe calls for. If you are using regular lemons, I would suggest starting out with 2tbs, tasting, then adding more as desired. For the topping, I whipped 1/4c of heavy cream with a splash of almond extract to cut the milky taste. If using a hand mixer, I always freeze the bowl and beaters 15 minutes before I need them. I found this helps the cream to form and keep its peaks.

Enjoy!


"Strawberries are the angels of the earth, innocent and sweet with green leafy wings reaching heavenward." ~Terri Guillemets

Strawberries in Meyer Lemon Syrup

Ingredients

4 cups quartered small strawberries

1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup whipping cream

Directions

1. Place berries, juice, and sugar in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Cover and chill 20 minutes.

2. Place cream in a medium bowl; stir constantly with a whisk until soft peaks form. Serve whipped cream with berry mixture.

Colors are the Smiles of Nature

This is going to be a short post, but long enough so that I can tell you how amazing this salsa is. I mean, can we just take a minute to talk about the color? I absolutely love bright colors. Especially colors that remind me of summer - they have a way of making me smile. I'm a big color/texture person. If it's off, I'm not happy. I love the contrast in color between the cilantro, mango, and kiwis. The festive colors makes me wish summer was here already. Let's move on to the texture for a minute. The mango is really the main "body" in this dish. The kiwi has such a light texture, emphasizing the texture of the mango. If you're not a fan of cilantro, you can substitute flat leaf parsley or fresh mint. I encourage you to make this salsa yourself and have fun with it. It's very versatile and is sure to please.


I first made this salsa over two years ago. It was served with a honey-glazed pork loin, served over rice pilaf. Hello! Match made in heaven. I was hooked, and ended up making it 3 times that week. It normally doesn't last through the rest of the day around my house, but for a normal portion size, it should serve 4-6. It can be served with pork, tilapia, shrimp, and salmon. My favorite pairing still is with a simple pork. This last time that I made it, we paired the salsa with a center cut pork chop, served with rice pilaf, Parmesan crusted roasted zucchini and squash, and fresh baby bell peppers. Delish! Try it out and see how you like to serve it.

Mango-Kiwi Salsa


Ingredients:
2 ripe mango, chopped
4 ripe kiwi, chopped
Generous handful of cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste




Directions:
Combine mango, kiwi, and cilantro in bowl. Whisk together olive oil, salt and pepper, and add to fruit. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. 
This dish is even better if you refrigerate it overnight, but if you can't wait that long, then have it. 

Let the Rain Sing You a Lullaby

It's raining - again. Second day in a row. We now have a lake in both the front and back yard. Sitting at the table you can hear the steady rain pattering on the skylight. It's such a soothing sound. This is also the second day into my break from school. I like to think that rainy days are the only qualifier needed for a day to be considered a lazy day. My ideal lazy day would entail: coffee, lots of it, a good book, a hearty meal, and baking. I also like to think that doing these said things qualifies as being productive. I finished reading "The Help" today. That's one more thing I can scratch off my to do list. Though I'm sad it doesn't continue; it was a wonderful read. 


Aside the rain, this is one of the rare cold days. Two days ago it was in the high 70's, but tonight it's in the high 40's. I can't help but crave hot chocolate when it gets cold outside. My mother gave me this recipe after she found it while reading one of her books. Tonight seemed like the perfect occasion to test out the recipe. It was nothing short of a cup full of joy. Never have I had hot chocolate that was so creamy and thick, It's a step under Italian hot chocolate in consistency.  The teaspoon of sugar was just enough sweet to balance the bitterness of the chocolate. I used an 80% semi-sweet chocolate. And you can't have hot chocolate without whipped cream. It's simply an injustice to even think of such a thing. I grated a bittersweet chocolate for the topping. This is the perfect cup of love to share with someone you care for. 


If you'll excuse me, but I'm going to sit down with a new book and my cup of chocolate and enjoy the rest of the rainy night.  

Celeste Madeline Chambeau Hot Chocolate
Serves: 2


2c whole milk
1tsp. white sugar
1/2tsp. vanilla extract
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
Pinch of salt




Heat milk in a pot, stirring with a whisk. When steam starts to rise from the pot, whisk in sugar and vanilla. Slowly whisk in chocolate until it's fully melted then add the pinch of salt. Heat for five minutes on low, stirring frequently so milk doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, marshmallows, or chocolate shavings.


I made a simple whipped cream with 1/4c heavy whipping cream and 2tbs superfine sugar. Whip the cream until frothy then add the sugar.  

"Human nature is above all things lazy."

Like most people, I have a list of things that I need to get done around the house. And like most, I find myself doing everything except what is on that list. I know that putting it off will get me nowhere, this I have come to terms with. But you know I learned something to other day from my mother, and that is the dust will be there waiting for you when you finish whatever it may be that you are doing. HA! I love it, though I wish it were not true.


 Our winter has been extremely mild this year with the lows being in the 30's during the day. That only happened for a week though. Most days we are in the 70's. I'm not complaining though; this is the weather that I wish would stay year round. The breeze is cool enough to open the house, but warm enough to sit out on the porch and watch the day lazily go by. I have a short list of things that I WILL accomplish. This madness can't go on much longer. Some days it feels like my life is an unorganized mess. 

I'm thinking about all the things that I should be doing as I'm sitting here watching Ina Garten make French Toast Bread Pudding. It's a shame that nobody else in my house eats french toast. I'm thinking I will have to reduce the recipe and make just enough for myself. It's too decadent to pass up. It never fails; even if I just ate, if I see or hear about food, I'm already thinking how good it sounds and when I'm going to make it. 


A couple nights ago I made crab cakes and zucchini fritters. Yes, I fried. However I am no longer partial to fried foods. Once in a blue moon I will eat french fries or chicken that has been fried, but like I said, that is rare. What worked for me with these two dishes was that the crab cakes were not breaded, and the zucchini fritters weren't overly greasy or heavy. Dinner consisted of crab cakes, zucchini fritters, mashed potato cakes, cheddar biscuits, and a simple side salad. It's a lot of frying, but since its not done often around here, it was all the more worth it. Really these were one bowl wonders. If you are like me, and are not crazy about measuring everything exactly, then you can get away with dirtying a handful of dishes - makes for a great (and quick) weeknight meal. The crab cake recipe yielding 13 cakes. I packed the mixture into a 3" round biscuit cutter to make them all the same size. For the fritters, I used a melon baller to measure and form them. That recipe yielding roughly 28 fritters.


Crab Cakes
Prep Time:  20min
Cook Time: 18min
Serves: 4 to 6


Ingredients
1 pound crabmeat, picked free of shells
1/3 cup crushed crackers (I used Ritz)
3 green onions, green and white parts, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
Dash cayenne pepper
Flour, for dusting
1/2 cup peanut oil


Directions
In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients, except for the flour and peanut oil. Shape into patties and dust with flour.


Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, place crab cakes, in batches, into pan and fry until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Flip crab cakes and cook until golden, about 4 more minutes. Serve warm or room temperature. 

Zucchini Fritters with Herbs and Cheese
Serves: 6 to 8


Ingredients
5 zucchini, grated
1 cup finely chopped red onion
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese (I used Parmesan)
1 cup toasted breadcrumbs
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup fresh mint
1 tablespoon dried oregano


Vegetable oil for frying


Directions
Toss zucchini, onion, and salt in a large colander. Let stand for 1 hour; squeeze as dry as possible. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Mix in next 6 ingredients. 


Heat 1" vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Work in batches; shape zucchini mixture by tablespoonfuls into balls. Add to oil. Fry until brown, turning once - about 3 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve warm or room temperature.