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