Tarte Au Crabe (Crab Pie)

This unique creation is from Gourmet Cooking by Earl Peyroux:

Pie Crust:
2 cups Lay's* potato chips, crushed
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 t. smoked* paprika
2 t. green onion, minced

Filling:
1 lb. lump crab meat, picked through for shells*
1/4 cup pimiento, chopped
1/4 cup black olives, chopped
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup green onions, chopped
3 T. flour
1/2 t. Kosher* salt
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt*
1/2 cup Lay's* potato chips, crushed

For the crust: Combine all four ingredients in a med. bowl. Press into bottom and sides of a 10" pie pan. Bake at 375 for 10 mins.

For filling: Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions and sauté 5 mins. Add pimiento and olives, and mix well. Gently stir in crab meat. Blend in flour and salt. Add milk gradually and cook until mixture is thick and smooth. Stir in sour cream. Pour mixture into pie shell. Top with potato chips and bake at 350 for 20 mins. Let sit at least 5 mins. before cutting.

Carpe Diem!!

Love,

MM

Southwestern Chicken and Macaroni Salad

"When it comes to macaroni salad, think outside the mayo. jar. This twist gets its creaminess from a salsa-cream cheese dressing and big chunks of avocado."
(10 servings)

2 poblano peppers, halved lengthwise
1 25 oz. package frozen fully cooked crispy chicken strips
8 oz. large elbow macaroni
1/2 8 oz. package of cream cheese, softened
1 7 oz. can salsa taquera
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, thinly sliced and coarsely chopped
1/2 small can of sliced black olives*

Preheat the oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with heavy-duty foil. Place peppers on baking sheet, cut sides down. Roast 20-25 mins. or until skin is blistered and charred. Bring the foil up around peppers and fold edges together to enclose. Let stand 15 mins. or until cool enough to handle. Using a sharp knife, loosen the edges of the skins. Gently pull off skins and discard. Chop peppers. Meanwhile, cook chicken and macaroni according to package directions. Drain pasta and rinse well under cold water, set aside. Quick cool: When draining the cooked macaroni, cool it even faster by filling the colander with ice before pouring the pasta over. Then add a few more cubes to the top and run cold water over. Cut chicken into bite size pieces. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and half the salsa. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until smooth; gradually beat in remaining salsa. Add peppers, macaroni, and olives; toss to combine. Gently fold in avocado and chicken. Serve at once or cover and chill up to 2 hours.

Give Thanks All Day today!! And, have FUN doing it!!

Love,

MM

Cheesy Hash Brown Breakfast (or lunch or dinner*) Casserole

"Distinctive flavors guarantees a brunch they're sure to munch"
(12 servings)

8 frozen hash brown patties
Cooking spray
6 eggs
2 cups 2%* milk
1 cup sour cream
1 t. Johnny's Garlic Seasoning*
1 t. ground mustard
1/4 t. freshly ground pepper
6 slices uncured* peppered* bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
2 cups shredded sharp* cheddar, divided
3 green onions, thinly sliced

Place hash brown patties in a single layer in a 13x9" baking dish sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in preheated 450 oven 20 mins. or until browned, turning after 10 mins. Remove from oven; let stand 5 mins. Reduce oven temp. to 350. Beat eggs in a large bowl with wire whisk. Add milk, sour cream, Johnny's, mustard, and pepper; mix well. Stir in bacon 1&1/2 cups of the cheese and onions. Pour over hash brown patties. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake 40-50 mins. or until center is set and edges are golden brown.

"ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN"

And, have FUN today!!!

Go California Chrome!!!!!

Love,

MM

Tuna-Tomato-Hearts of Palm* Linguine Salad*

I am a HUGE fan of cold noodle salads, and this one caught my eye:
(serves 6)

1 lb. whole grain* linguine
1 lb. zucchini, ends trimmed
2 cans (5 oz. each) tuna in olive oil, undrained
1 pt. cherry tomatoes, cut in half
2 T. capers, rinsed and chopped
2 green onions*, chopped
2 hearts of palm tubes*, cut into rings
Lemon pepper

Cook linguine as label directs. Drain, rinse under cold water, and chill. Meanwhile, with a vegetable peeler, peel zucchini into wide ribbons. In a large salad bowl, place all ingredients, and sprinkle with lemon pepper to taste. Toss well to coat. Serve with a crusty baguette* and softened butter with a cold plum*.

"Remember that our vision is limited, and that we see only a small part of the entire scene." That is where Faith comes in!

Have FUN today.

Love,

MM

Open-faced Radish Sandwiches with Herbed Avocado Spread

A chance to relish the radish:
(serves 4)

1/2 ripe avocado
4 oz. goat cheese
1 t. lemon zest
1 t. fresh* lemon juice
1 t. chopped fresh garlic* chives
1 t. chopped fresh parsley
Kosher* salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
4 slices whole-grain bread, toasted
4-6 radishes, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced

In a small bowl or food processor, blend together avocado, cheese, lemon zest, and juice. Fold in chives and parsley; season to taste with S&P. Divide avocado spread between the bread slices. Top with radishes and red onion. Cut in half on the diagonal, and serve immediately with Lay's Potato Chips*.

I wish you "Strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow."
And, don't forget to have FUN!!

Love,

MM

Beef Empanadas

These crisp, savory, hand-held pies are Argentinian inspired and a breeze to prepare, plus you can freeze left-overs for easy last-minutes lunches or dinners:
(serves 4)

1 T. EVOO
1/2 cup chopped sweet* onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
1 t. cumin
1/2 t. smoked paprika
2 hard boiled eggs, roughly chopped
1/4 cup sliced green olives
2 t. chopped fresh parsley
Sea* salt and freshly ground* pepper, to taste
1 (8 oz.) package refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
Flour, for rolling
1 egg beaten with 1 T. water for egg wash

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat oil in a sauté pan over med. heat. Cook onion and garlic until soft, about 5 mins. Add beef and cook until no longer pink, about 7 mins. Stir in cumin, paprika, eggs, olives, parsley, S&P. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Gently roll out each biscuit to a 5-6" circle on a lightly flour work surface. Place about 1/4 cup filling in the center of each circle and fold in half, like a turnover. Crimp edges together with a fork. Brush tops with egg wash and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake on the middle rack until golden brown, 15-20 mins. Serve with a black bean/corn relish, and melon slices.

"When people share their fears with you, share your courage with them."

Have FUN today!!

Love,

MM

Crab Imperial

This comes from a cookbook featuring fav. recipes from St. Simons and the Golden Isles of Georgia (published in 1977):
(serves 4)

1 lb. crabmeat (picked over for shells*)
1 t. dry mustard
1/2 t. Kosher* salt
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup light* mayo.
1 T. capers, drained and lightly chopped*
Paprika

Blend mustard, salt Worcestershire; stir in mayo. and capers. Gently fold in crabmeat. Place in baking dish and sprinkle with paprika. Bake at 375 about 20 mins. or until golden brown. Perfect for a luncheon, tea, or shower. I would serve this with crostini or multi-grain crackers, cold red grapes, and lemon wedges.

"I will go anywhere - provided it is forward."

Have FUN today!!

Love,

MM