Best-Ever Crab Cakes

I found both of the recipes on Pinterest. You can find it Here I also found the recipe for fried onion rings on Pinterest, Here

I did not allow the crabcakes to rest for 1 hour.  I made 1/2 of the recipe and they were delicious.  This will be repeated at the Edwards' house.

Ingredients for the Crabcakes

Crabcakes/Onion Rings

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked

2/3 cup panko

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

3 tablespoons butter

Preparation

Hands-on: 15 Minutes

Total: 1 Hour, 15 Minutes

1. Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a bowl. Gently stir in crab, panko, and parsley. Shape mixture into 12 (3-inch) patties, pressing gently to flatten. Place patties on a baking sheet; cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour.

2. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 6 patties to pan; cook 2 1/2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove crab cakes from pan; repeat with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and remaining 6 patties.

Ingredients for the onion rings

1 vidalia onion

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 cup flour

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

Directions:

Peel and cut the onion into slices and then separate into rings. I like them fairly thin.  Mix the flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a shallow pan, like a cake pan. Beat the egg and milk in a separate shallow pan.

Dip the rings in flour, then egg/milk mixture and then back in the flour.  I fried mine in a fry daddy, but you could also use a cast iron skillet with plenty of oil. When cooked to desired golden brown, place on paper towels to drain and lightly salt. 

German Chocolate Cake with Butterscotch Icing

I wish you could have seen this cake about 30 minutes before I took this picture. I had decided not to publish because the top layer kept falling. It was an ugly sight.  Fortunately, this makes a ton of icing. It set up while in the refrigerator and I was able to
move it. Not beautiful, but acceptable, and it tastes great. Just don't make it the first time for a bake sell. You can find the recipe
Here  The ( ) are my notes.

Printable Versio

Crock Pot cracked Chicken

You can find the recipe Here
So easy, but oh so GOOD

SLOW COOKER CRACK CHICKEN

Print

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs boneless chicken breasts
• 2 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese
• 2 (1 oz) packets dry Ranch seasoning
• 8 oz bacon, cooked crisply and crumbly
• lINSTRUCTIONS

1. In a slow cooker combine place chicken, cream cheese, and Ranch seasoning.
2. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until chicken shreds easily.
3. Once chicken shreds stir with a large fork or spoon, so the chicken shreds and all the ingredients combine.
4. Add in crumbled bacon and stir to incorporate.
5. Serve warm.
6. This would be great on a sandwich or on a baked potato. 

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

These are really good. I have made them before, but it has been a while.  

Printable Version

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

1 (1-lb) pkg. spicy breakfast sausage

6 large poblano peppers

1 cup hot cooked rice

1 cup cooked or canned pinto beans ( or black beans) rinsed and drained

1 ½ cups shredded Mexican cheese blend

Salsa, sour cream (optional)

1.  Preheat grill to medium-high (350 to 400).  Meanwhile cook sausage in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 10 minutes, stirring often, until sausage crumbles and is no longer pink.  Drain and set aside.

2.  Grill peppers 5 minutes per side or until charred.  Cool slightly.  Place peppers in large resealable plastic bag; seal and let stand 5 minutes to loosen skin.  Remove charred skin.

3.  Cut a 3-inch slit lengthwise into each pepper.  Leave tops intact.  Remove seeds.  Set peppers aside.

4.  Stir together sausage, rice, beans and cheese.  Spoon evenly into peppers.  Arrange peppers on aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.  Grill, covered, 5 minutes or until filling is thoroughly heated and cheese melts.

5.  Top with salsa and sour cream, if desired.

Notes:

I did not use the outside grill for any of this.  Put the peppers in the oven and broil until each side of the pepper is charred.

Spray the foil-lining in #4 with Pam to prevent from sticking.  Put in the oven at 350 and heat until thoroughly heated and cheese melted.

Skillet Chicken with Roasted Carrots

I have an app on my phone called MYFitnessPal. They send me exercises, recipes, and hits to loose weight. This is the one for today.  I loved it. It is only 377 calories. I used chicken tenders, so I probably didn't have a whole chicken breast. This is how I adapted it for two people.

Printable Version Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 (6 ounce) skinless, boneless chicken tenders
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1 cup baby carrots
2 small red potatoes, halved (I used medium size potatoes and cut them in quarters
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced and seeded
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon flour 1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/3 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil, swirl to coat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add chicken to skillet. Cook 5 minutes on one side and 2 minutes on the other side. Remove chicken from pan. Place potatoes and carrots, cut side down, in pan. Sprinkle with thyme. Place pan in oven and bake 10 minutes. Return chicken to pan and top with lemon slices. Bake for 12 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Place chicken and vegetables on a plate while you make the sauce. Combine 1 cup milk, flour, and lemon zest in a bowl. Return pan to medium-high heat. Do not wipe out pan. Add flour mixture to pan. Allow to thicken and scrape the bottom to loosen brown bits. Cook until thickened. Add chicken stock and cook until desired thickness. Add remaining salt and pepper. Add the chicken and vegetables to the pan. Sprinkle with parsley. I cooked an additional 3 minutes because my potatoes weren't done.

Cinnamon Apple Dutch Pancake

A friend posted a similar pancake on Facebook, but you can't save it unless you share.  I went on Pinterest and typed in Apple pancake and found this one:  Cinnamon Apple Dutch Baby Pancake It is really good. I could have eaten the WHOLE thing, but I only allowed myself 1/4. I get 10 points for being disciplined. I saved this under breakfast, but it was be great for dessert or dinner.



Printable Version Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
3 medium size Gala apples, sliced thinly--I only used one, and it was a Jazz 
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
4 eggs
Cinnamon Topping
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
Place butter into a 12" cast iron skillet and melt butter
Place apples into the skillet with the butter and cook on low heat for about 5 minutes, to soften the apples.
Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, milk and eggs in a separate bowl.
Pour pancake mixture over the apples and bake for 20-25 minutes. It will be golden brown, puffed, and OH SO GOOD! I sprinkled with powdered sugar.  Jud added some syrup, but it didn't need a thing.

Red Velvet Cake

                                                       I have been making this cake for years, but couldn't find it on                                                       

my blog when I was ready to make it. So here it is. It is a favorite

at our house.






Printable Version
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups Crisco
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 oz. red food color (I used 1 oz.)
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
Method:
Used 2 - 9" cake pan that have been sprayed and floured or 3 8" pans
Cream Crisco, sugar and eggs. Add flour, cocoa, salt, vanilla, and buttermilk.  Fold in red food color, baking soda and vinegar.  Bake 350 degrees - 30 - 35 minutes.
Icing:
1 cup milk
1/4 cup flour


1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup Crisco
1 stick butter
1 cup granulated
It is very important to follow the directions
Cook milk and flour over low fire to pudding stage. Allow the pudding mixture to cool completely. While it is cooling, cream butter, Crisco, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add this mixture to the cooled pudding mixture and beat like crazy.  You want the sugar to dissolve.  You can taste it to make sure there is no grit from the sugar. If you add the butter before the mixture is cooled, it will melt and make a mess. I know this from experience.