Crab Cakes

So I totally cooked this dinner ages ago.  This post has just been sitting here waiting to be crafted.  I remember it was a delightful little project.  

I will be totally honest and tell you I used fake crab and it was damn good.  Who can afford to eat real crab, right?

Crab Cakes
From How to Cook Everything

Ingredients
1 lb crab meat
1 egg
1/4 cup mayonnaise, I used sour cream because I refuse to work with mayo
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
2 tbsp bread crumbs
1 cup flour, for dredging
curry powder
2 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter, or more oil

1. Mix together the crabmeat, egg, mayonnaise, mustard, and some salt and pepper. Add enough bread crumbs to bind the mixture just enough to form into cakes; start with 2 tablespoons and use more if you need it ( I needed more).

2. Refrigerate the mixture until you’re ready to cook. It will be easier to shape if you refrigerate it for 30 minutes or more, but it’s ready to go when you finish mixing.

3. Season the flour with salt and pepper and add some curry powder. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat for 2 or 3 minutes. Add the oil and butter and heat until the butter foam subsides. Shape the crab mixture into 1-inch-thick cakes, dredge each in the flour, and cook, adjusting the heat as necessary and turning once (very gently), until golden brown on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Serve with lemon wedges and/or tartar sauce. (I used this awesome cucumber dill feta dip)

The curry powder is optional, but I loved it.  I fully embraced the curry flavors by serving up some Mediterranean curry cous cous on the side. 

Best Burger Recipes

With Memorial Day around the corner, BBQ season is in full swing.  I thought you might perhaps appreciate a little burger collection to get you (and your grill) fired up.

Top Row: Buffalo Chicken Burgers, Taco Burgers, Ramen Burgers

Bottom Row: Spinach Feta Turkey Burgers, Mozzarella Stuffed Burgers, Texas Toast Burgers

Happy summer everyone, let the burger bonanza begin!

Vegetable Lasagna Roll Ups

I feel like lasagna roll-ups are a total Pinterest phenomenon. It's definitely one of those recipes I have been skeptical of.  What kind of ridiculous/impossible project was this going to be? I wondered.

It really was not the challenge I was expecting, but I was only making this for 2 people.  I can imagine doing this for an entire dinner party would quickly become tedious.

Vegetable Lasagna Roll-Ups

Ingredients

8 oz ricotta

1/4 cup vegetable cream cheese

1 cup chopped spinach

salt and pepper to taste

1 egg

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

1/2 pound lasagna noodles

tomato sauce of your choice

1. Cook noodles according to package directions.
2. Mix together filling: ricotta, cream cheese, spinach, egg, parmesan and mozzarella cheese, and salt and pepper.
3. Preheat oven to 350. Spread some sauce onto the bottom of a 13x9 casserole dish.
3. Lay out 2-3 noodles at a time on a cutting board. Spoon a thin layer of filling onto each noodle and roll up!
4. Place rolls in prepared casserole dish.  Top with more sauce.
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes.

Delicious and not nearly as time consuming as you might expect.  Also, on the plus side, much easier to serve and cooks quicker than regular lasagna.

Yum!  Now I have a half box of lasagna noodles that are just asking to be rolled up.  What should I fill those with?!

Thai Peanut Chicken Salad

When did it become so darn hot out!?

It's been feeling like it's summer already so I thought you guys could use a nice refreshing (almost) no-cook meal option.

Thai Peanut Chicken Salad
Adapted from Pinch of Yum

Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 bag of broccoli slaw
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp siracha
2 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp fish sauce
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup water

1. Cook chicken breasts in a pot of boiling water until cooked through, approximately 15-20 minutes. Shred cooked chicken.
2. Place shredded chicken, broccoli slaw, and chopped peanuts in a large bowl.
3. To make the dressing, mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl, whisking until smooth.  Pour over salad, tossing to combine.

So tasty guys! Perfect for the super hot summer they keep warning us is on it's way.

Freezer Chicken Meals

I have been excited to spend a day making meals to have on hand in the freezer.  Little did I know I would be able to prepare 5 chicken dinners in less than an hour, including clean up time!

Before we get to the recipes I want to just share a few tips that will make this process easy.

1. Fold over your Ziplock bags and they will stay open and stand up on their own
2. Have your sharpie ready to label bags
3. Take every ingredient out ahead of time
4. If you have more than one set of measuring spoons, utilize them. That way you don't have to wash between ingredients.

All of these recipes are for use with 3-5 chicken breasts and can be cooked in a slow cooker on low for 4-6 hours or baked in a 350 degree oven for 50 minutes.

Hawaiian Chicken

1 cup red Russian dressing, or Catalina dressing
1 packet onion soup mix
1/2 cup apricot preserves

BBQ Chicken

12 oz bottle BBQ sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar, I used cider vinegar
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp garlic powder

Sticky Chicken

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp peanut butter
3 tbsp ketchup

Chicken Hurry

1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp onion soup mix

Lemon Garlic Chicken

2-3 cloves minced garlic
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp dried parsley
3 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp pepper

When they are all done I cannot explain to you the satisfaction you will feel! Also, look how compact they can become to fit nicely in your freezer.

I am one step closer to becoming a suburban soccer mom.