No Bread Crab Cakes with Avocado Sauce

There is nothing more disappointing than to take a bite of a beautifully sculpted crab cake to find that it contains hardly any crab! And worst of all, it is mostly comprised of a filler, and (if it gets any worse) the filler is breadcrumbs. Instant. Belly. Poofage. 

It almost makes you want to unloosen your belt just thinking about it.

This is the best time of year. It's full of parties. And pies. And cookies. And eggnog. Before you know it, the pounds creep up and your pants no longer fit. Do yourself a favor and give yourself (and your belt) a break in between the parties by making these breadless crab cakes for dinner tonight.

For my dinner, I skipped the traditional mayonnaisey tartar sauce usually served with crab cakes and topped these suckers with a creamy avocado sauce.

Holy potatoes!!!. It was yum central.


No Bread Crab Cakes with Avocado Sauce
Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients for Crab Cakes:
1 pound lump crab meat
1/4 cup garbanzo beans/ chickpeas, mashed in a food processor
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/3 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 TBS Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 egg whites
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Ingredients for Avocado Sauce:
1 avocado, pit removed, and scooped out from skin
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions for Crab Cakes:
1. In a saute pan over medium, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and peppers, cooking until softened (About 3 minutes).
2. Add together all of the ingredients (including cooked vegetables) in a medium sized bowl, using a fork until well combined.
3. Cover and place into the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
4. After 30 minutes has passed, make patties using 3/4 cup of the refrigerated crab mixture.
5. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium, add each patty, cooking 4 to 5 minutes on the first side, flip and cook 3 to 4 minutes on the other.
6. Place on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Directions for Avocado Sauce:
1. In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients.
2. Yup. It's that easy- done one step. And done by modern machinery. But I want to make you feel as if you accomplished more, therefore, I will say for the second step to pat yourself on the back.

Sweet Potato Pie with Gingersnap-Graham Cracker Crust

There is nothing quite like the time period between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. The air just has a certain spark to it. (And a certain chill, brr!).

This time of year requires you to eat pie. And to eat it constantly. I mean, there are just too many delicious pies out there to go neglecting, ya know?

It'd just be plain rude. And this is the time of cheer and good will, and loving thy neighbor, therefore no rudeness is allowed, and you must consume as much pie as possible, and give your neighbor some pie, too.

:)

Yum. It is oh so very worth every extra pound.


Sweet Potato Pie with Gingersnap-Graham Cracker Crust
Adapted from: Better Homes and Gardens
Yields: 8 servings

Gingersnap-Graham Crust
Yields: 1 pie crust

Ingredients:
1& 1/2 cups finely crushed gingersnaps (about 20 cookies)
1 cup finely crushed graham crackers (about 14 squares)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
½ cup salted butter, melted


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9 inch pie plate.
2. In a large bowl, combine the gingersnaps, graham crackers, and sugar. Stir in melted butter.
3. Spread the crumb mixture evenly upon the bottom and sides of the pie plate.
4. Bake for 5 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before adding filling.

Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients: 
2 cups mashed, cooked sweet potatoes (About 2 large)
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
Dash cloves
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half or light cream
½ cup finely chopped pecans

Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, brown sugar, ginger, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cloves.
3. Add the lightly beaten eggs, combine lightly with a fork just until just combined. Gradually stir in half-and-half until well combined.
4. Pour filling into pie shell. Cover the edge of the pie with foil.
5. Bake for 30 minutes.
6. Top the pie with pecans. Bake an additional 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

You're the Butter to My Bread- Flavored Butters

It's time to rethink the way you butter your bread. Be careful, I am about to blow your mind!


On top of that boring old roll you spread, hold on, wait a minute... Flavored. Butters.



So simple! But so complex! And so... buttery! Mind = blown.

Serve one flavored butter, or six flavored butters, with your Thanksgiving dinner to give those boring rolls some extra pizzazz!

Bourbon Butter
Yields: 6 to 8 servings


Ingredients: 
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
1 TBS + 1 tsp bourbon

Directions:
1. In a bowl, using a fork, diligently combine all of the ingredients. Place into a ramekin and cover it, or roll into a log in waxed paper and tie the ends, and store in the refrigerator to harden for approximately 4 to 6 hours before serving.
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Pumpkin Butter
Yields: 6 to 8 servings



Ingredients: 
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
2 TBS pumpkin puree
1 tsp brown sugar

Directions:
1. In a bowl, using a fork, diligently combine all of the ingredients. Place into a ramekin and cover it, or roll into a log in waxed paper and tie the ends, and store in the refrigerator to harden for approximately 4 to 6 hours before serving.

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Garlic & Herb Butter
Yields: 6 to 8 servings



Ingredients: 
1/2 cup salted butter, softened
3/4 tsp garlic powder
1 TBS chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
1. In a bowl, using a fork, diligently combine all of the ingredients. Place into a ramekin and cover it, or roll into a log in waxed paper and tie the ends, and store in the refrigerator to harden for approximately 4 to 6 hours before serving.

Wyebrook Farm Steer Roast & Apple Cider Braised Cabbage

This weekend, I was so happy to attend Wyebrook Farm's Steer Roast. Wyebrook Farm is located off of the picturesque and winding Route 82 in Chester County, Pennsylvania. 

It was so good to get out of the busy city, and head out home for a beautiful autumn day full of delicious beef.  

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Wyebrook Farm, allow yourself to become acquainted. It is well worth the learning. At the crossroads of progressive and old-fashioned farming, Wyebrook Farm provides the consumer a great alternative to purchasing meats by skipping the grocery store. Huh, that's odd. But, wait, isn't that what my grandparents did? Yeup! This is a farm that is doing something in this time that seems so extraordinary, yet in the broader scope of time, they are doing what always was done! In 2012, they will be having a market open on their premises! Very cool stuff!! 

Oh, and did I mention they produce the healthiest of meats by skipping artificial fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, hormones, and/or antibiotics. Amazing. 

What would a steer roast be without some good eats?

They served small sliders and apple cider cabbage, both of which were out of this world. I was so excited about eating the cabbage side dish (perfect for Thanksgiving, ahem, ahem), that I went home and instantly tried to recreate it! 

Here are some photos of the day (scroll down below for the cabbage recipe!): 

Apple Cider Braised Cabbage
Inspired by: Wyebrook Farm Steer Roast
Yields: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 of a head of savoy cabbage, chopped
1/3 cup apple cider
1 TBS apple cider vinegar
1 TBS butter

Directions:
1. In a medium sized pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the cabbage and cook until softened (approximately 4 to 5 minutes).
2. Add the cider and vinegar, stirring until well combined (approximately 3 minutes).
3. Reduce heat to low and cook until the juices reduce or about 10 minutes, stirring to make sure the cabbage does not over brown.

Gearing up for Thanksgiving Part 2: Turkey Stock

So. You cooked a 16 pound turkey for Thanksgiving and now you're stuck with about 8 pounds of turkey meat and a scary looking carcass left over. Great.

What do you do? What can you do?

LOTS!

First thing's first. Save that scary looking carcass! I know. I thought about passing out, too. It's just so eh looking. What if I told you that by boiling that heap of mess and bones, you won't have to buy stock for- let's say- MONTHS.

Yeah, thought so. I have your attention now.

It's easy and something that you can do while you clean up Thanksgiving dinner, or while you're sitting down to dinner!

This is true thriftiness and getting the most bang for your buck!

The great thing is that you will now be able to pull any meat you weren't able to get- or neglected to get- while carving! So get your containers ready for some more good meat!

Can't use all of the stock right away? No worries! Just freeze it!! :)

Turkey Stock
Yields: A ton of stock. Trust me.

Ingredients:
Turkey carcass, yummm
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 onion, cut in quarters
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1 red bell pepper, quartered
2 bunches of fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1 TBS each of salt and pepper
Water
The largest cooking pot you have.

Directions:
1. Place the carcass into a very large pot. Fill with water until there is about 1 inch of water above the carcass.
2. Place in the other ingredients.
3. Over medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil. For the first half an hour, be pretty diligent to remove any of the questionable things (i.e. fat, skin) that rise to the top of the pot.
4. Reduce the heat, so that the water simmers. Simmer for about 3 more hours, checking the pot every half an hour, to see if you need to skim fat from the top.
5. Strain out the vegetables and carcass.
6. Use for soups! Yumm!

Gearing up for Thanksgiving, Part 1: Turkey

Let's face it. Thanksgiving just isn't Thanksgiving without Turkey.

It's like having Laverne without Shirley.
Cereal without milk.
George Burns without Gracie.
Green eggs without ham.
Dean Martin without Jerry Lewis!

Gah! Can you imagine?! It would be a sheer travesty.


It is a holiday about giving thanks. Yes, even about giving thanks for your great-aunt Mildred who must have majored in nitpicking back in the day and young Snidely who flicks his boogies your way.

Okay. Enough about boogies.  This is a food blog and I'm supposed to percolate your senses and make you to want to stuff your face with food.

Cooking a turkey seems like a daunting task.

Especially after watching National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

But, it's really not that scary! I promise!! Cooking turkeys is actually a lot of fun.

The best part about turkeys? Everyone has their "go-to" their thang that they swear by doing: brining, frying, whatever!  I have a challenge for you! Try finding your own thang, and do what you wanna do.

Mine? The slow cooker. I swear by it. Cook your turkey per usual, and when the thermometer reads within 170 degrees, take 'er out, carve 'er up, save 'er juices, and transfer to the slow cooker.

Yes, yes, I know, I know, I know. I can hear the sighs of disapproval now. Not the same presentation as bringing out a gorgeous stuffed bird on your beautiful china platter.

May I refer to the above photo? The first time I cooked a turkey, that was all that I had envisioned. So, I decided to go a safer route, and realized that in the process, I had stumbled upon the most delicious, most juicy turkey of all time!

Stick with me, kid. I gotchyourback.


Roast Turkey

Ingredients:
Whole turkey, whatever size you fancy!, innards removed
1 cup + grapeseed oil (depending on the size of the bird)
1 cup chicken stock
4 sprigs each of Rosemary, Thyme, and Parsley
2 to 3 lemons, cut in half
1 onion, quartered
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1. According to the instructions that came with your turkey, thaw it (Note: make sure that you look 1 to 2 days before the big day, it may need to thaw for a few days in the refrigerator).
2. Preheat your oven to 500 degrees.
3. While the oven is preheating, fill your sink with warm water. (Note: don't be yucky, make sure your sink is clean!) Place the unwrapped and thawed turkey into the warm water. Let it hang out there for about 30 minutes. Remove, pat dry. 
4. Place the turkey into a roasting pan, with the wings tucked under the bird, and fill the cavity with the springs, lemons, and onion. 
5. Pour the oil onto the bird and liberally cover with salt and pepper and cover it with aluminum foil (make sure the foil does not touch the bird). Pour the stock in the bottom of the roasting pan.
6. Cook the turkey at 500 for 25-30 minutes. After 25-30 minutes, reduce the heat to 350. The turkey may take an additional 2 + hours, depending upon its size. 
7. Every 20 to 25 minutes, baste the turkey. 
8. When a thermometer registers within the 165-170 range, remove the turkey from the oven, and allow it to sit for about 10 to 20 minutes before carving.
9. Turn your slow cooker onto medium. Pour the oil from the roasting pan into the slow cooker, and place the slices of carved turkey (along with the herbs, onions, and lemons if you can fit 'em) into the slow cooker.
10. Keep the turkey in the slow cooker on medium heat for approximately 45 minutes to an hour.
11. Save the carcass and make a stock! (Recipe coming soon!)

Happy Veterans Day!

Happy Veterans Day!

Thank you to all who served, and continually serve, so that we may live free!

I also want to thank my grandfather, George G. Ziegler, III, who flew B-24s in WWII. Thank you, grandpa, for your service. Your sacrifice made it possible for so many in this world to be free.

He's pretty dashing, huh?!

Thanksgiving Recipe Inspiration!

It is that time of year! We are coming upon Thanksgiving so quickly! Yee-haw! I love that holiday!!

Need some inspiration as to what to make for the big day? I have compiled a list of some of my old recipes below! And yes, most of the photos are atrocious and before I understood how to make food appear to be appetizing ;) And no, I've never blogged about turkey. Don't you worry. This is going to change. Very soon.

Hint. Hint.


INSPIRATION!:


For Brunch:

Sour Cream Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Donuts

Pumpkin Pecan Chocolate Latte

Spinach and Tomato Tartine with Poached Egg

Side Dish:

Crab, Butternut Squash, & Walnut Macaroni & Cheese

Orange-Scented Cranberry Sauce

Dessert:

Pumpkin Pound Cake

Sour Cream Pumpkin Bars

How hard is it to believe that it's November?! November!!??!!

As this month is November, it means that several things are realities:

1.  Men everywhere are growing mustaches and/or beards for the ever-popular Movember for prostate cancer awareness. Fortunately, this year my husband is mustache-less. It was a little frightening to me last year, to be honest!
2.  Thanksgiving will be quickly upon those of us residing here in the United States, which means, it's time to start looking at inspiring recipes! So. Fun.
3.  It's pumpkin season, so I am still pumpkin obsessed.
4.  It is also pantyhose season, which means- to get those suckers up- consequently, I will be doing more plies as an adult than I did as a child ballerina. *Insert mental image*

Regardless of what November means to you, there is one thing that cannot be debated: pumpkin season is winding down. So that means you have to make as much pumpkin stuff as you can! Did I mention I am pumpkin obsessed?

The original recipe for this treat calls for icing, which would be perfect for an after dinner treat. However, if you omit the icing (like I did!), it serves as a perfect accompaniment to your morning coffee!

Sour Cream Pumpkin Bars
Adapted from: Better Homes and Gardens
Yields: 48 servings

Ingredients:

½ cup butter, softened
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 ½ tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
½ cup sour cream
1/4 cup lowfat vanilla yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans


Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. Using butter or nonstick cooking spray, grease a 15x10x1 baking pan, or a 9x13 baking pan (note: you will add approximately 5 to 10 minutes to your baking time using a 9x13 pan).
3. Using an upright mixer or a hand mixer, beat the butter for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, beating until the mixture becomes fluffy, approximately 1 minute.
4. Add the eggs, pumpkin, sour cream, yogurt, and vanilla, beating until combined, approximately 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Slowly add the all-purpose and whole wheat flours, beating until combined.
6. Using a spatula, fold in the nuts.
7. Spread the mixture evenly into a greased baking pan and back for about 25 minutes (for the 15x10x1 pan), or until a toothpick comes out clean.