Crab, Bacon & Cheddar Dip

1 LB Crab (Special Refrigerated)
1 LB Cream or Neufchaftel Cheese, softened (2 blocks)
1/2 LB Bacon
1/4 LB grated Cheddar Cheese
1/2 C grated Parmesian Cheese
1/4 - 1/2 C Sour Cream to adjust creaminess
1 TBS Mayonaise
1 TBS Prepared Dijon Mustard
1-2 shallots diced
1-2 cloves garlic diced
1 TBS Bayou Blast or Crab Seasoning (I find crab seasoning too salty)
   http://meatloaf4moose.blogspot.com/2012/10/spice-blender.html
2-3 Tsp Worcestrshire Sauce

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, except crab, bacon, shallots and garlic
Cook Bacon on med heat until crispy, cut into 1/4" strips crosswise, mix into bowl
Pour off most of the bacon grease, reserving 2-3 TBS in pan, reduce heat to med-low.
saute shallots until translucent, add garlic saute another minute
mix contents of pan into bowl (including the grease)
fold in crab meat
heat at 300 for 20-30 minutes until bubbly

top with bread crumbs for a modicum of class, heat 5 more minutes.

Paprikas Krumpli - Hungarian Potato Stew with Sausage

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 LBS cooked sausage (Black Bear Knockwurst, Hungarian Bratwurst, Kielbasa)
• 2 LBS  Potatoes (6-8 medium potatoes) cut into bite size cubes and smaller pieces.
• 1/2 Lb Mushrooms
• one large onion
• two cloves garlic
• THREE tablespoons Hungarian paprika (Szeged 2 Sweet + 1 Hot was a little too spicy)
• salt and pepper to taste
• Enough broth to cover the potatoes

In a large stew pot, heat the olive oil. Slice the sausage on an angle and add it to the pot, stirring frequently. 

Dice the onion and add to the sausage. When the sausage is cooked and the onion is translucent, sprinkle in the paprika a bit at a time, stirring constantly. 

Let it simmer for one minute, then add your garlic, salt and pepper. 

Add mushrooms and brown them.  

Add the potatoes (you can do it with or without the skin) and stir it all and allow the paprika to coat the potatoes and sausage, and to cook.

Add water or broth to just barely cover your potatoes. 

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a quick simmer and cook until the small potatoes are falling apart. 30 minutes to an hours. 

Stir every five to ten minutes, keeping an eye on the consistency of your potatoes. 

When the smaller pieces are falling apart, mash a few of them, which will thicken the stew.   All potatoes need not be soft and falling apart, 

Done when and the liquid is no longer soupy.

Serve with sour cream.

Much appreciation to http://www.examiner.com/article/paprikas-krumpli-is-a-simple-but-elegant-hungarian-stew

Yorkshire Pudding

A dish loved by both my Step Father and Step Mother.  Not sure my bio parents were interested, it wasn't their heritage or family tradition (Moose was of Welsh descent, Anne of English descent).  I think Moose would increase the original recipe and use the original roasting pan, rather than transfer the drippings.  Yeah that's it.

Ingredients (increased by 33% to fill roasting pan)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup pan drippings from roast prime rib of beef  (whatever is available + butter if needed)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Sift together the flour and salt in a bowl. 
In another bowl, beat together the eggs and milk until light and foamy. 
Stir in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.  It should have consistency of a thin pancake batter. 
Pour the drippings into a 9-inch pie pan, cast iron skillet, or square baking dish. (Pyrex is not rated for 450 deg.) 
Put In the Roasting Pan in oven and get the drippings smoking hot. 
Carefully take the pan out of the oven and pour in the batter. 
Put the pan back in oven and cook until puffed and dry, 15 to 20 minutes.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/yorkshire-pudding-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Crab Cakes

The internet giveth and the internet taketh. saving what I want while I can...

http://www.mikulski.senate.gov/about/crabcakerecipe.cfm

Ingredients:

1 lb. jumbo lump or backfin crab meat
2 slices white bread
1 tbsp. mayonnaise (light or regular)
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. Old Bay or Wye River seasonings
1 tbsp. snipped parsley (optional)
1 egg (or substitute for special diets)
tartar sauce or cocktail sauce

Directions:

Beat the egg in a bowl. Trim the crusts from the bread and break the slices into small pieces. Add these pieces to the egg. Mix in the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Chesapeake seasoning and parsley, and beat well.

Place the crabmeat in a bowl and pour the egg mixture over the top. Gently toss or fold the ingredients together, taking care not to break up the lumps of crabmeat.

Form the cakes by hand into patties about 3 inches around and 3/4-inch thick. Shape should be like a cookie, not like a meatball or golf ball. Place the cakes in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes before cooking. This is very important so the cakes don't fall apart.

Broil the Crab Cakes:

Slip them under a preheated broiler until nicely browned, turning to cook evenly, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side.

Or saute:

Heat a small amount of butter or olive oil in a skillet and saute the cakes, turning several times, until golden brown or about 8 minutes total cooking time.

Red Beans and Rice -> To Crockpot

I'm thinking this can work if done carefully.
Cook veg separate from meat
Cook Meat set aside.  drain tastiness into veg mix
Soak Beans over night
Cook Beans and veg. All day
add meat at the end.
cook rice and serve over rice

Meat should still have character

Trinity 2 C Onion 1 C Celery 1 C Pepper
4 clove garlic
2-3 TBS Cajun Seasoning
2 TBS Parsley
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp pepper
Cayenne Pepper to taste
1 Ham Steak
1 14 oz. LB Kielbasa or Andouille (adjust cayenne pepper to taste)
Brown meat on high heat, set aside with slotted spoon
pour off additional liquid and reserve

saute veg and spices 3-4 min
add garlic 1 min
set aside

In a.m. add veg and beans and stock to crock
cook all day
mash some beans
add more stock till creamy
add meat
cook rice
serve over rice

Oriental Broccoli Ramen Noodle Salad

I first had this at the Barn Door with grilled chicken, The Barn Door was by far Wilmington's best dive bar.  The businessman's cheap liquid lunch with a cheap greasy burger.  Actually the proprietor Art, loved to eat and was a very creative cook.  There was live music at night.  Punk Rock, Grunge, Metal... total 90's youth scene.  You had to walk through the band to get to the bathroom.  I am pretty sure I am one of the few patrons who knew both sides of the Barn Door.

Gripes about the usual internet recipes:  Too much sugar, no sesame oil, pre-pack Broccoli slaw is awful.

2 Packets of Ramen Noodles (chicken or beef) smashed in the bag.  (Reserve flavor packets!!!)
2 heads of Broccolli, chopped small
1/2 C pre grated carrot or 1 grated carrot
1/2 C grated or chopped cabbage
1/3 C Rice Wine Vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
1/3 C Canola Oil
1/4 C Sunflower Seeds (or chopped Almonds or Cashew pieces)
1/4 C Raisins (a little sweetness or mandarin oranges. or both)
1-2 TBS brown sugar to taste (you can use white, but I find the brown sugar has a nicer tase
1-2 TBS sesame oil to taste
1-2 TBS Soy Sauce to taste
1 TBS Siricha to taste, (a Thai garlic hot pepper sauce, now available in Asian section of most groceries.)

Combine Vinegar, Oils, sugar and soy, Siricha and 1 (only one) Ramen flavor packet in a measuring cup and whisk together.
Combine smashed ramen, chopped broccoli, carrots, seeds/nuts, fruit in a bowl, and mix well with dressing.
Chill 1 - 4 hours

Works very well when served with leftover (chilled) London Broil, Grilled Chicken, Grilled Tuna or Salmon.

Carrot & Rutabaga Stew

2.5 LBS Rutabaga, cubed
1.25 LBS Carrots, cubed
6 C stock.
1 LG Onion, Diced
2 TBS Penzeys Bouquet Garni
1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper (to taste)
2 cloves garlic, chopped.

Crockpot on low for 8-12 hours.  Using an immersion blender, blend about half into a purree, or remove 1/2 to blender and return to pot.

serve with cooked tortellini.

Easy Guacomole

4 Avocados
1/4 C tomatoes
1/2 diced onion
1 TBS Penzeys Arizona Dreaming
1 Tsp Garlic Powder
2 TBS Lime Juice
1/2 tsp salt
add Cumin?

Mash, do not use immersion blender.

Beef Stew = Mt + Sl + Se + St + VG

Where
B = LBS. of Beef Roast (Cubed)
oo = TBS olive oil = B
p = tsp pepper = B
s = tsp NaCl = B x 1.5
O = Onions = B / 2 (Chop Coarse)
FL = Cups of Flour =  B/4
W = Cups Red Wine = B/2
G = Garlic Cloves = B (Chop Fine)

L = Cups Beef Broth = B x 1.5

h = tsp Hungarian Paprika = B/2
bq = tsp Bouquet Garni = B
bl = Bay Leaves = B/2
w = tsp worcestershire sauce = B/2

C = Carrots = B x 1.5 (Chop)
P = Potatoes = B x 1.5 (Dice)
E = Celery Stalks = B/2 (Chopped)
A = Parsnip = B/4 (Sliced)
R = Rutabaga = B/16 (Diced Small)
T= Turnip B/4 (Diced Small)

Hh = High Heat
Hm = Med Heat
Hl = Low Heat

Brown B in oo+s+p, remove and set aside.  Cook O until soft, add FL, thicken, add diced G cook 1 min..  Deglaze with W, bring to simmer.  Add L, B, h, bq, bl, w, and simmer for 1-2 hours. Add C,P,E,A,R,T.  Simmer for 30 Minutes

(B + oo+s+p) x Hh  = Mt
(O + FL + G + W) x Mh  = Sl
(h + bq + bl + w) = Se
(Sl + L + Mt + Se) x Hl = St
(C + P + E + A + R + T) = Vg

Mt + Sl + Se + St + VG = SB
SB = ((B + oo+s+p) x Hh) + ((O + FL + G + W) x Mh) +(h + bq + bl + w) + ((Sl + L + Mt + Se) x Hl) + (C + P + E + A + R + T)