Crab Cakes

So once again I had leftover crab meat. And one of my favorite things to eat is crab cakes! I don't like them overly saturated with mayonnaise though, so I only use enough to keep the cakes together.  I also experimented here with the seasonings, and was excited to find how great it came together.  Crab cakes are like meatballs though- you can really add anything you want.  So try these first, and then experiment on your own!

What I used:

shelled crab meat

cilantro

green onions

ground mustard

chili powder

salt/pepper

mayonnaise

Italian style bread crumbs (plain is fine too)

1 egg

Canola oil

1 lemon

1. Run your fingers through all the crab meat to double check there are no pieces of shell.  Also, this helps break up the larger clumps.

2.  Chop the green onion and cilantro and add them to the crab meat. Then add the seasonings:  salt pepper, dry mustard, chili powder. Mix to combine.

3.  Spoon in some mayonnaise, maybe a tablespoon worth and squeeze in some mustard too.  Stir the mixture so that everything is incorporated together.  Now is the time to taste it and adjust the seasonings.  Once you add the egg you will have to cook it to taste it, so add more salt or pepper or spices if you want more, or even more mustard or mayonnaise.

 4.  Time to add the binding ingredients-the 1 egg, beaten with a fork or whisk, and some breadcrumbs.  Stir to combine.  The mixture should look wet, but should stick together if you make a patty. So add more breadcrumbs if you find that it's not sticking together enough.

5.   Next pour a someo canola or vegetable oil in a deep pan and heat it up over medium to medium high heat. 

 6.  While the oil is heating up, make your crab cakes.  Form a patty, just like you are making hamburgers, and dip into a bowl of breadcrumbs to coat the entire cake.  Set aside on waxed paper.

7.  Test the oil to see if it's ready.  Take a pinch of the breadcrumbs you used to coat the crab cakes and throw it in the oil in the pan. If it starts to sizzle and bubble right away,  the oil is hot enough, if not, wait. Don't be tempted to turn up the heat.  It may get hotter faster, but it will also burn your food. Once the oil is ready, place the crab cakes in the pan giving enough room so you can turn them over.

8.  Cook each crab cake about 4-5 minutes on each side, or until they get golden brown. 

9.  While they are cooking, slice up some lemon to serve along side the crab cakes.  

Tips:

* When seasoning the crab cakes, remember that you can always add, but its hard to take away.  So go light on the salt or pepper or anything you are not sure of and then taste before adding the egg.  If you need to add more.

* Want to serve these for dinner with a salad? Make larger hamburger size cakes.  Want to use them for an appetizer? Make them about half the size. 

Spinach Orzo Salad

This was one of my very firsts posts, however due to the beginning of warmer weather...or wishing for warming weather, I thought I'd re-post it. This time I have pictures too! Hope you enjoy!

The salad marks the beginning of summer for me. I got this recipe once from a Rachel Ray cookbook, and I don't know how close it is the original, since I do it mainly from memory. It's really easy and can be done in about 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

1 bag baby spinach
1 box grape tomatoes
1 cup orzo pasta
1 lemon
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Handful of basil leaves
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook the orzo according to the package.

While its cooking, dump the spinach and tomatoes in a large serving bowl.  Add the lemon zest too.

Chop up the basil and put it aside to add at the end.

Once the orzo is cooked, drain it and put it back into the pot or the strainer. Drizzle in some olive oil, just enough to make it not stick, then add in the salt, pepper and garlic powder-a few shakes of each should be good. Add the juice of the lemon as well and stir to combine.

The orzo mixture is then added to the spinach mixture and tossed to combine. Top with the basil and cheese, and toss a few more times. Taste, then add more seasoning if needed.

Tips:
*Any kind of tomato can be used in this salad, just cut them into small pieces to make it easier to eat.
*I like to add grilled chicken or shrimp to this to make a complete meal.
*Once made, this will keep in the fridge for a couple days, sometimes tasting better the next day.
*Don't worry about adding the hot orzo to the cold spinach. The heat will wilt it a bit and bring out the oils of the lemon zest too, making it more tasty!