Panko Crusted Crab Cake Bites with Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli

  (Adapted from Sunset magazine)

 Makes 24 mini crab cakes; servings about 8

Wow!  I'm so glad that I found this recipe!  I made this as an appetizer but it would be also excellent as a main dish, making the cakes into larger portions.  The roasted red pepper aioli is oh so yummy!  I substituted Old Bay seasoning for the hot sauce that was in the original recipe.  I also added Worcestershire sauce.  This just may become my signature appetizer dish!

INGREDIENTS:

o    12 ounces shelled cooked crabmeat

o    1/4 cup finely diced celery

o    1/4 cup minced fresh chives

o    1/4 cup mayonnaise

o    1 large egg

o    2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

o    ½ teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

o    ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

o    1 1/4 cups panko breadcrumbs (see notes) or 1 1/4 cups fine dry breadcrumbs

Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli

o    1/3 cup mayonnaise

o    1/4 cup chopped drained canned roasted red pepper

o    minced fresh chives

o    2 teaspoons lemon juice

o    1 teaspoon minced garlic

o    fresh chives, rinsed and cut into 1-inch lengths

DIRECTIONS:

1.     Sort through crab and discard any bits of shell. In a large bowl, combine celery, minced chives, mayonnaise, egg, mustard, Old Bay seasoning and Worcestershire sauce; mix well with a fork.

2.    Add crab and 1/4 cup panko; stir gently just to mix.

3.    Put remaining 1 cup panko in a shallow bowl.

4.    Shape crab mixture into 24 cakes, each about 2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick. Turn each cake in panko to coat on all sides, pressing gently to make crumbs adhere.

5.    Place cakes slightly apart in an oiled 12- by 17-inch baking pan (or a mini muffin tin as I did). Bake in a 450°F oven until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes.

6.    With a spatula, transfer crab cakes to a platter. Spoon a dollop of Roasted Pepper-Chive Aioli onto each cake. Garnish platter with fresh chives. Serve hot.

7.    For the Aioli: In a small bowl, mix 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup chopped drained canned roasted red peppers, 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic.

New England Lobster Pie aka Baked Stuffed Lobster Casserole

OK, I'll admit it.  I'm a lobster lover!  Being born and raised in the South, I didn't grow up with lobster.  But when I married my New England man and he introduced me to this amazing seafood dish, I was smitten.  My favorite lobster dish is baked stuffed lobster.  It's easier to eat as you don't have to crack and pick your lobster and it is so delicious.  Another way to enjoy this is to make it as a lobster pie (as it's known in New England) or casserole, especially if you're having guests for dinner!  Served with a chopped green salad, crusty bread, and sides of lemon dill rice and "corn off the cob", you will enjoy a special dinner treat!  Here's a photo of the cooked lobster meat, before I cut it into pieces.  Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of the individual pies when they came out of the oven... next time!

INGREDIENTS:

4 lobsters, boiled or steamed

   (1 ¼ to 1 ½ pound size)

TOPPING:

1 ½ cups crushed Ritz crackers

½ cup melted butter

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup butter, not melted

Lemon juice

DIRECTIONS:

·         Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

·         In medium bowl, mix together Ritz crackers, ½ cup melted butter and Worcestershire sauce.

·         Shell the lobsters, cutting the meat into bite sized pieces.

·         Put the lobster meat into 4 individual baking dishes (or in a square casserole baking dish).

·         Drizzle some fresh lemon juice over the lobster.

·         Dot with a couple pieces of butter.

·         Sprinkle liberally with the topping mix and dot with butter.

·         Bake in 400 degree F oven for about 15 minutes until lightly browned on top.

·         Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley.

Greek Shrimp with Feta and Herbed Orzo

If you love shrimp, tomatoes, and feta cheese, there's nothing better than this simple Greek style shrimp dish! There are several versions, but this one is a favorite of mine. To complete your Sunday supper, you only need a beautiful Greek salad and crusty bread!
Serves 8

INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp white wine
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3 14.5 oz cans diced Italian style tomatoes
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS:
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add onion to pan and sauté until caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add wine, oregano, basil, pepper, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir in shrimp. Sprinkle cheese evenly over mixture. Cover and cook a couple of minutes until shrimp are pink and cooked & cheese is melted. Sprinkle with parsley; serve immediately over herbed orzo pasta.

Orzo with Fresh Herbs: Cook 2 cups orzo pasta according to package directions. Drain; toss orzo with ¼ cup chopped fresh basil, 2 tblsp chopped fresh parsley, 1 tblsp olive oil, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper.

Savory Herb Roasted Chicken Breast

 (adapted from Allrecipes) 

Servings: 2

This is an easy and elegant recipe for roast chicken breasts.  You can vary the herbs to use your favorites; I'm just partial to herbes de Provence!   The aroma of this savory chicken while it roasts is wonderful!

INGREDIENTS:

2 large bone-in chicken breast halves with skin (split chicken breasts)

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon coarse sea salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 to 2 Tablespoons Herbes de Provence

DIRECTIONS:

·         Preheat oven to 375 degrees F

·         Rub chicken breasts with olive oil; sprinkle with garlic, salt, pepper, and herbes de Provence

·         Arrange chicken in large baking dish and refrigerate at least one hour

·         Bake in preheated oven for about an hour; an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast should read 165 degrees F