Creamy Crab Filling

The following recipe was used for my Steam Buns cooking class. You can read about my class and get other links to recipes HERE.

Creamy Crab Filling

1 brick cream cheese

1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 bunch green onions sliced
1 1/2 cups imitation crab meat, chopped
pinch of kosher salt
1 tablespoon white sugar

Combine all the ingredients.

Cajun Crabcakes

The following recipe was prepared for my Chef Spotlight Dinner highlighting New Orleans chefs. You can read about it and get other recipes from the event HERE.

Cajun Crabcakes
shared at the event by Ruth
recipe can be found here

32 ounces claw crabmeat
2 cups plain bread crumbs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning, recipe follows*
3 eggs
1 red onion, minced
Vegetable oil, for pan-frying
*Cook’s Note: Store bought Cajun seasoning is fine also

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Flake the crabmeat into a large bowl and add the bread crumbs, mustard, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning, eggs and onion. Mix well but don’t overwork or the cakes will be mealy. Divide the mixture into 16 balls and flatten slightly to form the cakes. (The recipe can be made to this point and the cakes can be refrigerated overnight or frozen for up to 1 week.)

Pour 1/2-inch of vegetable oil into a medium saucepan and heat over medium-high. When oil is hot, fry the cakes in batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a low oven until ready to serve.

Cajun Seasoning:

1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.

Yield: about 5 teaspoons

OMG: I Got CRABS.

Yep. You read right. I got crabs today… and my husband loved it. But first, let me provide some background…

We hit up the asian market today out in the suburbs and wow, what a difference in prices. Normally we shop in the neighboring suburbs since the prices are more afforable than in the city where we live. However this time, we went further out to get some new scenery. I’m so glad we did. Some of our awesome buys include:

– strawberries for $.99/lb
– blackberries for $.99/pkg
– blueberries for $1.79/lrg pkg
– peaches for $.69/lb
– plums for $.99/lb
– broccoli crowns for $.49/lb
– yellow onions for $.39/lb
– red onions for $.49/lb
– green onions @ 4 bunches/$1.00
– vine tomatoes @ $.79/lb
– shallots @ $.79/lb
– seedless cucumber @ $.79 each
– seafood mix for $1.99/lb
– vegetable dumplings for $2.99 @ buy one get one free
– boneless, skinless chicken breast @ $1.49/lb
– fresh, live blue crabs @ $1.49/lb

… and so much more! We left there with a trunk full of fresh produce, seafood and meats all for less than $90. We’re set for quite a while. So back to my crabs. My husband jumped at the chance to have fresh live crabs for dinner. In fact, he made dinner tonight and it was pretty darn good. It’s been quite some time since I got messy with a pile of steamy hot crabs so it was a fun dinner. Here’s a little pictorial of how he prepared our crabs:

It’s a live one, folks…

These are snappy little buggers…

Go to sleep little crabbies…

And here’s a special spice to flavor it up…

Mmm…

To add some additional flavor and color: parsley…

and 15-20 minutes later, dinner is served!

While he steamed the crabs with the Chesapeake Bay seasoning, parsley and salt & pepper to taste, I roasted some corn in the oven and made a fresh fruit salad with some of the fruit we purchased.

For the Crab Rangoon Cups

Here are the recipes for the appetizers I’m serving up 2 hours prior to the Thanksgiving buffet dinner. I figured I’d post the recipes now before the kitchen chaos begins…

For the Crab Rangoon Cups:

1 cup surimi
½ block cream cheese
1 stalk green onions, sliced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ tablespoon sugar
salt & pepper to taste
½ package wonton wrappers
¼ cup canola or olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine all ingredients except the last two ingredients.
Place cream cheese mixture into a plastic baggie and set aside.
Prepare muffin pan by spraying the inside of each well with cooking spray.
Place one wonton wrapper over a well.
Using the tart shaper, gently push the wonton wrapper into the well to form a cup.
Repeat until all wells are filled with wonton wrappers.
Take filled baggie and snip a small corner to use as a piping bag. I
n each well, squeeze a dollop of the filling.
Brush edges of wontons with canola or olive oil.
Bake filled wontons in preheated oven for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Crab Rangoon Wonton Appetizers

We made these appetizers during the holiday appetizer cooking class I hosted. You can view pictures, the entire appetizer menu and get links to the other recipes from the class HERE.

Crab Rangoon Wonton Appetizers

1 cup surimi

½ block cream cheese
1 stalk green onions, sliced
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ tablespoon sugar
salt & pepper to taste
½ package wonton wrappers
¼ cup canola or olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine all ingredients except the last two ingredients.
Place cream cheese mixture into a plastic baggie and set aside.
Prepare muffin pan by spraying the inside of each well with cooking spray.
Place one wonton wrapper over a well.
Using the tart shaper, gently push the wonton wrapper into the well to form a cup.
Repeat until all wells are filled with wonton wrappers.
Take filled baggie and snip a small corner to use as a piping bag.
In each well, squeeze a dollop of the filling.
Brush edges of wontons with canola or olive oil.
Bake filled wontons in preheated oven for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Chinese Flair & Farewell

For the past week, we’ve had some special houseguests visiting from San Diego. Today was their last day with us and to send them off with full bellies, I made a special lunch of their favorites.

Crab Rangoon

Here’s my recipe for crab rangoon:

1 brick cream cheese
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 bunch green onions sliced
1 1/2 cups imitation crab meat, chopped
pinch of kosher salt
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 pkg wonton wrapper squares
1 egg, for egg wash

Combine all the ingredients except wrappers and egg.
Cover and let it chill overnight to allow flavors to meld.
When ready to prepare, add a small dollop of crabmeat mixture in the middle of the wonton.
Rub 2 edges of the wonton with egg wash.
Seal wonton by folding up to form a triangle.
Squeeze any air pockets out.
Heat oil and fry up until golden brown.

Mongolian Beef

Here’s my recipe for Mongolian Beef:

2 bunches green onion, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 lb lean beef, sliced thin
salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce

Season sliced beef with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
Sprinkle cornstarch over beef and toss to coat. Set aside.
In hot pan saute garlic and onion in cooking oil until softened.
Add meat and brown.
Add oyster sauce and soy sauce; stir to coat.
Just before serving, add green onions and toss.

I served this over steamed jasmine rice.