Best Crab Cakes, Ever!

Today I ate the most wonderful crab cakes of my life. I was far from the coast in Atlanta, GA, but they tasted so wonderfully fresh and full of lump crab. We met our newest married friends, Becky & Kevin, at Houston's in Atlanta. We started off our meal with a smoked salmon appetizer and Bloody Marys. The salmon was amazing and the bloody marys were less than stellar. For the first time ever, I sent my drink back (well, all 4 of us did). The rest of the meal was delicious; spinach with shallots and ramono cheese and roasted veggies, and of course the crab cakes. Three of us ordered the crab and Paul had the NY strip special. YUM. We were too full to partake of dessert so we'll have to return for dessert (and more crab cakes!)

Ultimate Double Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

For my first cookie exchange I made a double chocolate chip oatmeal cookie. I wasn't brave enough to try something really new, so I stuck with a Southern Living recipe that hasn't failed me yet!


Prep: 30 min., Bake: 14 min. per batch
Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 package milk chocolate morsels

Preparation
Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended.

Combine flour, soda, oats, salt and cinnamon in a small bowl; gradually add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in morsels and raisins. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets.

Bake at 350° for 8 to 14 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Yield
Makes about 5 dozen
Credits: Susan Hefilfinger, Mandeville, Louisiana , Southern Living, APRIL 2005



Notes:
Use dark brown sugar to give the cookies a richer taste
Use brand name, higher quality chocolate chips (my favorite is Guittard)
And finally use salted butter for a melt-in-your-mouth flavor

I also recommend using parchment paper to line your baking sheets for quick removal and cleanup. Also, I am in love with my little scoop to perfectly measure and dispense each morsel of cookie dough (dip in water periodically to keep the batter from sticking).



If you just want the ultimate chocolate chip cookie (without oatmeal) make this change:
Delete the quick cooking oats and use 2 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of flour

Beef Macaroni Bake

I've made this 'casserole' twice and last night it came out so yummy I wanted to share. I found this recipe on "About.com" and made a few changes to suit our taste. Serve with a side salad and it is a complete, hearty meal!

INGREDIENTS:
• 8 ounces elbow macaroni or small shells, cooked, drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion (I used a whole medium sized onion)
• 3 ribs celery, chopped
• 2 green bell pepper, chopped (medium sized)
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound extra-lean ground beef
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning*
• 1/2 teaspoon Greek seasoning*
• 2 cans (14.5 ounces each) tomatoes, undrained, diced*
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• dash (about 4-5 shakes of the bottle) Worcester sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
• 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese, divided

PREPARATION:
Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic. Continue to sauté the vegetables, stirring frequently, until the chopped onion is tender.

Add ground beef and continue cooking, stirring, until beef is browned. Add the Cajun & Greek seasoning, Worcester sauce, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir to blend well and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked and drained macaroni and 2 cups of the shredded cheese, along with salt and pepper, if desired.





Transfer to a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking pan. Cover with foil. At this point, the casserole may be refrigerated for a few hours or overnight. I had enough to fill 2 casserole dishes.
Bake the covered casserole in a 350° oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly (if it is cold from the refrigerator, it may take longer). Top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and cook, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes longer.
Serves 6 to 8.



My changes –
*Use a BIG pot* I started out with a 3 qt saucepan and it was way too small! If you have a big ‘dutch oven’ (like the Le Creuset kind), use it!
I used one can "no salt added" diced tomatoes with “green pepper, celery & onion” and 1 can diced tomatoes, Market Pantry brand from Target
I used “Tony Chachere's” Creole/Cajun seasoning (it rocks! green container in the spice aisle) and "Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning" (same from the meatloaf recipe)
I used 2% cheddar cheese

Christmas spice coffee

I love some flavored coffees, however, I don't care to pay extra for them (and their artificial flavoring). I started making my own "flavored" coffee at home. It's quick, easy and cheap!

I love the 'spices of Christmas:'
cinnamon
cloves
nutmeg
all spice

They make me feel all warm inside and they make coffee taste super delicious!

Here's how to make your own:

1 coffee maker
1 coffee filter
ground coffee
your choice of ground spices

I like to use columbian or frech coffee (love the deep flavor) and then add a hearty dash or cinnamon (about a 1/2 tsp for 8 cups). On special days, I also add a 1/4 tsp of cloves, nutmeg and allspice. Not only does it taste delicious, it makes the house smell heavenly!

For an extra special touch, I also love to froth a little warm milk before adding my flavored coffee. Ikea has an awesome battery powered frothers for less than $3, but you can also find them at any kitchen specialty store. You'll think you're drinking a $5 coffee drink from Starbucks :)