Happy Father's Day!

     My dad is a fan of Guy Fieri and the show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.  He and my mom have actually eaten at a few of the "dives" featured on the show.  My dad is super hard to buy gifts for and he's actually more grateful for time spent with the family than gifts.  So this Father's Day, I bought him the book, Diners, Drive-In's and Dives: An All American Road Trip and made 2 of the recipes from the book for my Dad's celebration.  We had to celebrate yesterday because my dad is scheduled to work late today, which is a bummer.  But I'm glad we got to spend some time together!

One of my favorite pictures at my parents house is in their bedroom.  It's a picture of my Pop walking my mom down the aisle at my parent's wedding.  I was really happy that my pal Kelly snapped this great shot of my Dad and I. 

   
      I chose this first recipe because it is from Maine, a place my dad is a real fan of.  This recipe comes from a diner called A1 in Gardiner, Maine.

Mike's Maine Crab Cakes

Ingredients
1-1 1/2 lbs fresh crab meat
1 1/2 cups fresh corn
3/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
3/4 cup celery, chopped
3/4 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
3/4 tsp dry mustard
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 large egg, beaten
2 1/2 cups wheat saltines, crumbled and divided
2 tbsp unsalted butter

Method
1. Mix the crab meat, corn, pepper, celery, onion, mayo, and mustard in a medium bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.
2. Gently fold in the egg.  Add 1 1/2 cups of cracker crumbs and mix in gently.  Be careful to not overwork the mixture.
3. Place the remaining cracker crumbs on a plate.
4. Form the crab meat mixture into 3 inch patties.  Press each side into the plate of crumbs.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the butter.  Cook the crab cakes until they are golden, 4-6 minutes per side.

The Taste Test
     I cooked the crab cakes in batches.  The book suggested cooking them 6 minutes per side, which turned out to be a little long.  I had to experiment with the timing for these and I'm not sure I had it quite figured out in the end.  However, these crab cakes were very good!  My dad asked about a sauce, which I had also wondered about but the cookbook did not recommend a sauce. In the end, I don't think a sauce was necessary because the mayonnaise helped to keep the crab cakes moist and delicious. 

    This second recipe is not from my Dad's new cookbook.  I wasn't sure who would actually show up for dinner and I worried that the crab cakes wouldn't be enough.  I found a simple pasta dish from Real Simple that I went with.

Shrimp, Leek, and Spinach Pasta

Ingredients
16 oz. gemelli pasta
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 leeks, cut into half moons
salt and pepper
2 lbs medium shrimp
Zest from 2 lemons
3/4 cup heavy cream
10 oz baby spinach

Method
1. Cook the pasta according to package directions and return to pot.
2. Heat the butter in a large skillet, over medium heat.  Add the leeks and a dash of salt and pepper.  Cook until the leeks are soft, 3-5 minutes.
3.  Add the shrimp and lemon zest.  Cook until the shrimp are opaque-about 4-5 minutes.
4. Add the cream and a dash of salt to the pasta in the pot, over medium heat.  Stir until the pasta begins to thicken.  Add the shrimp and spinach.  Stir and cover until the spinach begins to wilt.  

The Taste Test
    This was a relatively simple dish to put together and it tasted great.  I think this dish would be just as great without the cream.  If I were to make it again, I might leave the cream out to make this dish a little healthier.

     My Mom made a broccoli slaw salad to go along with dinner.  She gets regular emails from the Hungry Girl website, where this recipe came from.


Asian Broccoli Slaw 

Ingredients
16 o. package broccoli cole slaw
1 cup canned water chestnuts, drained and sliced into thin strips
1 cup canned mandarin orange packed in water
1 cup chopped scallions
2/3 cup Newman's Own Lighten Up Low Fat Sesame Ginger Dressing
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Method
1. Toss all of the ingredients together in a large bow and mix.
2. Refrigerate for 2 hours and stir again before serving.

The Taste Test
    Simple, nutritious, and tasty.  This is a great summer salad.


    I chose a dessert from my Dad's cookbook.  This recipe came from a place called Pizza Palace in Knoxville, Tennessee.  Coconut is a fan favorite in my family so this coconut cream pie seemed perfect.

Coconut Cream Pie

Ingredients
3 cups whole milk, divided
3 eggs
1/2 cup cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/8 tsp salt
1 1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/3 cup shredded coconut, toasted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 10 inch prepared baked pie crust (I used a graham cracker crust)

Method
1. Whisk 1/2 cup of milk, eggs, and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth.
2. In a medium saucepan, whisk the remaining milk with the sugar, butter, and salt.  Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil and them slowly whisk in the egg mixture.  Continue to cook, whisk constantly.  When the mixture begins to boil and is very thick remove it from the heat and whisk in the untoasted coconut and vanilla.
3. Pour the custard into the pie crust and spread evenly.  Sprinkle the toasted coconut on top.
4. Place the pie in the refrigerator until chilled and set-about 2 hours.

The Taste Test
YUM! YUM! YUM!

     So back to the real reason for all the deliciousness in this post...my Dad.  He really is a great dad and I know everyone says that on Father's Day, but my Dad truly is great every day of the year.  He's always been there for my family, through thick and thin.  He's also just about the wisest and handiest man I know.  He is a learner and while at times he gets frustrated in the learning process, he is always trying to figure things out-that's how he got so smart.  Back when I was younger, like maybe six, I thought he wasn't very smart because he had messy handwriting.  But as I grew up, I learned there is much more to life than your handwriting.  I strive each day to be as patient and as understanding as my Dad-and to also write a little neater.

My Dad enjoying his Father's Day dinner.  Isn't he cute?

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

I love you!

xox

Baked Zucchini and Eggplant

    I bought an eggplant and zucchini at the store the other day and had no ideas for dinner tonight.  I didn't feel like stopping at the store for any other ingredients, so tonight was a case of making something from what I had.  Luckily I found a recipe on allrecipes.com that fit the bill.

Baked Zucchini and Eggplant

Ingredients
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2 inch slices
3 small zucchini, cubed
2 tbsp fresh parsley
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 large onion, cut into rings
2 cans of diced tomatoes

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Wash and slice the eggplant.  Place it in a shallow baking pan.  Sprinkle half of the herbs over the eggplant.
2. Place the cubed zucchini over the eggplant.  Sprinkle the remaining herbs over the zucchini.
3. Place the onion rings over the zucchini.  Spoon tomatoes over the onions.
4. Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes.  Remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes.

The Taste Test
     This dish was a little "blah."  It tasted fine and was nice and fresh, but it was lacking a bit of a wow.  If I were to make this again, I might add some feta cheese or mozzarella to the top during the last 10 minutes of baking.  Arnauld suggested that it might taste better over pasta.  Something to keep in mind.

Scallops with Sesame Sauce

     If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know that I dislike scallops.  Arnauld enjoys them from time to time so I have tried making them a few times-not always successfully.  Tonight I made my third attempt and I actually liked them!  I took one bite and was amazed that the scallops weren't super fishy tasting, the texture wasn't tough and chewy, and I didn't have to hold my nose.  I think I'm growing up.

Scallops with Sesame Sauce

Ingredients
1/2 lb sea scallops
1 green onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp canola oil
1/8 tsp black pepper

Method
1. Remove the scallops from the refrigerator and allow them to sit out for 10 minutes before cooking.
2. Combine onion, garlic, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl.  Whisk all of these ingredients together and set aside.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Heat the oil before adding scallops.  Sprinkle scallops with black pepper and cook 2-3 minutes per side or until golden.  Remove from skillet once cooked and set aside.
4. Pour the onion mixture into the same skillet used to cook the scallops.  Allow the mixture to come to a boil (about 45 seconds) before drizzling over scallops.

Tempeh Greek Salad

     I bought some tempeh after reading about it and seeing several recipes that listed it as an ingredient recently.  I have never attempted to make tempeh before or even tried it for that matter.  I happened to be leafing through my recipe binder yesterday, looking for some inspiration and found I recipe I had pulled from June's Cooking Light magazine.  This recipe was for wraps but since I don't have any wraps in the house, I plan to eat this as a salad for lunch this week.

Tempeh Greek Salad

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 8 oz package of tempeh, but into 24 pieces
1 cup water
3 tbsp lemon juice, divided
2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, minced
3 cups of lettuce
2/3 cup of cherry tomatoes
2/3 cup slice cucumber
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup kalamata olive, halved

Method
1. Heat a skillet oven medium-high heat.  Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil before tossing in the tempeh.  Saute the tempeh for about 4 minutes, turning once.  Add 1 cup of water and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.  Reduce the heat to medium and let the mixture simmer for 10 minutes.  Again, turn it only once.
2. Combine 2 tablespoons of yogurt, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, lemon rind, paprika, salt, and garlic in a small bowl.
3. Combine remaining olive oil, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, feta, and olives in a large bowl.
4. Top the salad with tempeh and a dab of the yogurt sauce.  Season with black pepper to taste.

The Taste Test 
     So after my first taste I didn't think I was going to be a fan of tempeh.  The texture was much more dense than tofu.  But mixed with the salad today, it was pretty good.   It filled me up and the heaviness of the tempeh was nicely contrasted by the salad.  I think I will have to experiment with this new ingredient a bit more.

German Chocolate Cookies

     This year Arnauld joined a softball league with some guys from high school.  It's been really good for him.  He's reunited with some pals and actually left work in time to do something fun that he enjoys.  I couldn't be happier for him.  Arnauld is constantly bragging about how great he is at softball.  In fact, after each game he tells me how he's the best player on the team.  He's so good that the team makes him supply things like beer and hot dogs for after the games.  Kind of weird if you ask me.  Well, after his stellar skills last week, he's in charge of food.  I thought I'd be a supportive wife and bake cookies for the team.  The sneaky part is, these cookies aren't that bad for you.  This recipe was one I had pulled and filed in my recipe binder.  It is from the September 2009 issue of Better Homes and Gardens.

German Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on high speed for 30 seconds.  Add the brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.  Beat until combined. 
2. Beat in the egg and vanilla.  Next beat in the flour.
3. Stir in the rolled oats, cocoa powder, coconut, chocolate, and nuts.  The dough will be very thick.
4. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.  You can sprinkle additional pecans and coconut on top if you want.
5. Bake 8-10 minutes, just until the edges are firm.
6. Transfer to a wire cooling rack after 1 minute.

The Taste Test
If you use a teaspoon to make these cookies, they come out fairly small.  This recipe made about 35 cookies.  These little treats can help to satisfy a chocolate craving without getting out of control.  Hopefully Arnauld's softball team likes them.  Good luck guys!

Happy Birthday Arnauld!

    Arnauld joined the 28 club yesterday.  He likes to tell me how old I am during the four months that I am a year older than him.  He has been very busy at work the last two weeks and he was expecting to have to work late on his birthday.  A change in plans brought him home at a "reasonable hour", around 7.  Because his work plans were so iffy, we decided to celebrate his birthday by going out to dinner, just the two of us.  It turned out to be a great plan because we were both a little beat from a long week!  I wanted to have a birthday post for Arnauld's birthday but we've both been kind of lazy on this dreary day.  He actually has to go into work tomorrow, so I mustered up the energy to make a batch of peanut butter and banana muffins for him to bring in for his co-workers.  The irony is that he won't even eat them!  I didn't even think of making Arnauld a birthday cake because he doesn't eat cake or baked goods.  He prefers trail mix-weirdo!  Oh well.  At least I married a simple guy who is happy with the little things.

Peanut Butter and Banana Muffins
Recipe from Muffins Galore by Catherine Atkinson

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup milk (I used almond milk)
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Method
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
1.Grease a 12-cup muffin pan or line with paper liners.
2. Mix the flour and oats.  Stir in the brown sugar and baking powder.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the peanut butter, milk, syrup, egg, and mashed bananas.  When these ingredients are well blended, add them to the dry ingredients.  Mix until everything is combined.
4. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins evenly.  Mix the sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle on top of each muffin.
5. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the muffins have risen and are golden.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack.

Arnauld loves trail mix so much that we had to have some at our wedding.  Of course his mom bought him a big bag for his special day.

Happy Birthday Arnauld!

xox

Kale Chips

    Kale chips?  If they're anything like potato chips, I just might like them.  This recipe popped up in an email with ideas about eating more greens.  I have heard people at work talking about kale chips so I thought I would give them a try.  Who knows, maybe they'll be better than potato chips and this snack will cure my crunching cravings.

Ingredients
Kale, chopped into small pieces
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
1. Wash kale and allow it to dry.
2. Spray olive oil on the kale so that it is evenly coated.  I didn't have spray so I just drizzled some olive oil on the kale and mixed it up.
3. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Allow to bake until the kale is crunchy, about 15-20 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper.

The Taste Test
    Definitely interesting.  I was a little iffy after the first bite, but just like regular potato chips, you can't eat just one!  The kale gets very crispy and light in the oven.  I think I'll be making these again!

Tabbouleh with a Mexican Twist

     I spent the weekend in Maine with my Mom, Dad, and brother.  It was nice to get away, even just for a bit.  The weather was great, just a little chilly for the beach.  We are heading back to the beach house once school get out.  I'm hoping the weather warms up a bit.  It's really nice to have a place to just escape to on a whim.  My parents have done such a great job with the place.  I'm really proud of them and happy that they also have a place to go that makes them happy.
     While driving back home, I realized I hadn't thought about lunch the week.  Luckily, I texted Arnauld a grocery list and he picked up a few things for me.  I was able to make this quick, healthy, and tasty dish pretty much in the blink of an eye.

Tabbouleh 

Ingredients
1 cup water
3/4 cup bulgar wheat
1 large tomato, diced
1 small cucumber, diced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup avocado, cubed
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil

Method
1. Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan.  Add bulgar and remove from heat and cover.  Allow the bulgar to sit for 25-30 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed.
2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl and stir.  Let them sit so that the flavors mix together.
3. Stir in cooled bulgar.  Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Dad and Kenz installing the steps down to the beach.