Meat

Cajun Hot Crab Dip

You know when you want to make a dish for a get-together and you don’t really have much time to get something made?  That’s when I turn to dips.  Whether you want a cold dip or a hot dip, they generally take the same amount of time to make (since cold dips need time in the fridge for the flavors to meld).  What’s especially great about dips is all the ingredients can usually be mixed together in one bowl and while it’s either chilling or baking, you can take care of whatever else needs to be done before the event.  This Cajun Hot Crab Dip is a warm, comforting dip which is perfect for any shindig.

Crab, shallots, garlic, hot sauce, Cajun seasoning and water are blended before being added to more crab, mayonnaise, cream cheese and lemon.  A crunchy topping of panko and chives (which I added later so it isn’t in the pics) gives this low-calorie dip a crunchy final coating.  Before buying Cajun seasoning, take a look online for homemade recipes because you might have everything you already need without adding another spice bottle in your cabinet.  Try this dip on baguette slices or with pita or pretzel chips.  One of my friends said this dip tastes like a crab cake so if you like crab cakes, you’ll probably like this.

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The ingredients:

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Heat a small saucepan over medium heat and coat pan with cooking spray.  Add shallots and garlic to pan; cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

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Place 1 cup crab in a food processor.  Add the shallot mixture, 1/4 cup water, pepper sauce, and Cajun seasoning to crab; process until smooth.

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Spoon mixture into a large bowl, and stir in remaining crab, mayonnaise, cream cheese, red pepper, salt and pepper.

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Transfer the mixture to a 1-quart glass or ceramic casserole dish coated lightly with cooking spray.  Combine panko and chives in a small bowl; sprinkle over crab mixture.  Coat panko mixture with cooking spray. Bake at in a preheated 450°F oven for 30 minutes or until browned and bubbly.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving as this dip will be very hot.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Light mayonnaise

Overall Rating:  Like It

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine

Turkey Lasagna

Well, here we are on New Year’s Eve…again.  How does one year go by so fast?  For that matter, how does a decade or two decades go by so fast?  It was 22 years ago today that I lost my mom and it’s still so unreal.  I don’t get sad on this anniversary anymore because the sadness comes on throughout the year when I least expect it and it’s enough.  Instead of mourning her on this day, I choose to celebrate her and think of the many times I would stand at the kitchen table with her and assemble lasagna.  It was one of my favorite meals to make with her because we each had our roles.  She would be standing at the counter mixing ground beef and tomato sauce in the electric skillet while I would stand nearby stirring a bowl of cottage cheese, parmesan cheese and egg.  Then we would come together and do the layering until we were left with the perfect pan of lasagna ready for baking in the oven.  I can’t not think of her each time I make lasagna and I’m glad I do.  Making this Turkey Lasagna was no different.

This particular recipe comes from my aunt who started making this a few Christmases ago.  She had found it in the newspaper and liked it so much, it became a regular meal in the rotation.  Ground turkey (or ground chicken) is browned and mixed with jarred marinara, spinach and basil.   A little bit of ricotta is added, making the meat sauce slightly creamy.  Lasagna noodles, meat sauce and parmesan cheese are layered and baked until gold and bubbly.  What I love about this lasagna in particular is not just the addition of the spinach but also that there isn’t much cheese so it keeps the calories down.  Rather than having ricotta or mozzarella cheese layered in, the little bit of ricotta and sprinkle of parmesan is just enough.  If you don’t like lasagna unless it’s dripping with cheese, you might not like this.  But if you want a flavorful, tasty lasagna that won’t make you feel too guilty, this might be for you.  And just as I did when I was a kid, I used the extra noodles to scoop up the leftover meat sauce until the pan was clean.  I just wish my mom was there to do it with me.

Turkey Lasagna (from Chicago Tribune)

  • 1 box (16 ounces) lasagna noodles
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 pounds ground lean turkey
  • 2 jars (25 ounces each) marinara sauce
  • 1 bag (8 ounces) fresh spinach, chopped, stems removed
  • 1 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1 teaspoon ground pepper
  • 1/2 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook noodles according to package instructions; drain.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 30 seconds.  Add turkey; cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until cooked through, about 3 minutes.  Add sauce; cook 1 more minute.  Add spinach, basil and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until leaves wilt, about 2 minutes.  Add ricotta; lower heat to simmer.  Cook 1 minute; remove from stove.  Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; top with at least 4 to 5 noodles. Spread 1 cup of sauce over noodles; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat process until remaining noodles are used.  Bake for 25 minutes, cool for at least 7 minutes before serving.

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The ingredients:

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Cook noodles according to package instructions; drain.  Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 30 seconds.  Add turkey; cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon until cooked through, about 3 minutes.

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Add sauce; cook 1 more minute.  Add spinach, basil and pepper; cook, stirring constantly, until leaves wilt, about 2 minutes.  Add ricotta; lower heat to simmer.  Cook 1 minute; remove from stove.

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Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish; top with at least 4 to 5 noodles.  Spread 1 cup of sauce over noodles; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese. Repeat process until remaining noodles are used.  Bake for 25 minutes.

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Cool for at least 7 minutes before serving.

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Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

  • Shredded parmesan cheese

Overall Rating:  Love It

Source:  Chicago Tribune

Chicken Sausage Puffs with Creamy Mustard Dipping Sauce

Have you ever used puff pastry? I haven’t and I’m left wondering how I can call myself a cook now. Not that puff pastry is something I made from scratch or anything. I simply pulled it out of the box and thawed it out. But why was I intimidated? It’s not like I have to puff it up by blowing into it or anything. These Chicken Sausage Puffs with Creamy Mustard Dipping Sauce were so, so simple. I’m now obsessed. I want to make everything with puff pastry. I may never eat regular bread again.

Frozen puff pastry is thawed until pliable and cut into squares before being cutely topped with a little button of chicken sausage. As the pastry cooks in the oven, it puffs up around the sausage and becomes light and buttery. What a perfect appetizer for the holidays or just as a tasty snack. Make this with pork sausage, turkey sausage or vegetarian sausage and I swear you won’t be disappointed.

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The ingredients:

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Preheat oven to 400°F. Place 1 pastry sheet on a lightly floured work surface; roll into 1 (8- x 12-inch) rectangle. Cut pastry into 24 (2-inch) squares.

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Place 1 sausage slice in center of each square, pressing down. Repeat with remaining pastry sheet and sausage.

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Arrange puffs on aluminum foil-lined baking sheets, and brush with egg. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until pastry is puffed and golden.

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Meanwhile, stir together mustard and sour cream in a small bowl.

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Serve pastries warm, with dipping sauce.

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Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions:

  • light sour cream

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: Coastal Living Magazine

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