When I experiment either things turn out like I had envisioned or they go the complete opposite.  Still tasty just not what the original image in my head looked like.  This crab chili is the perfect example.  I’m still tinkering with it and plan on trying to make the version that I had in my head, but for now this is a winner.

It’s spicy with a good heat and mellow sweet crab to balance it out.

Andrea’s Crab Chili

• 16oz Lump Crab Meat, rinsed and checked over for shell
• 1 Green pepper, chunked
• 1/2 Large Onion, chunked
• 1 Jalapeno, chunked
• 1 Fresno pepper, chunked
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 4 1/4C Chicken Stock
• 2 15oz Cans of Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 14.5oz Can of Diced Tomatoes with Chilies
• 1 6oz Can of Tomato Paste
• Big pinch of Salt and Pepper
• 2tsp Chili Powder
• 1/2tsp Smoked Paprika
• 2TBSP Olive Oil for Sauteeing

In a food processor, add in the peppers, onion, and garlic and pulse until they are broken down and finely chopped.

In a large soup pan, add in the oil and heat over medium heat.  Add in the veggies and season with salt and pepper.  Satuee for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add in the chili powder and the smoked paprika and stir.

Add in the tomato paste and stir.  Allow that to cook for about two minutes and then add in the diced tomatoes.  Stir and add in the chicken stock, slowly.  Now add in the beans and bring the mixture up to a simmer.

Simmer for half and hour to 45 minutes.  Add in the crab and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and serve!

I didn’t remove the seeds from the fresno and jalapeno chili, and whew it was hot!

Keep in mind my heat tolerance is low so this to me was over the top hot.  Scott thought it was fine, so it’s up to you and how spicy you like your chili.

This kind of took us by surprise.  Crab chili? We weren’t sure how it was going to work out but it tasted amazing.  Spicy tomato based chili which is a familiar taste paired with sweet crab stops and makes you think for a minute.

Does this go together?

Yes it does!

Add in a cold beer (A hoppy one would be great, or Dortmunder Gold by Great Lakes would be a good choice as well), and some oyster crackers and you’ve got a party.

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!

Comments: 0

I’ve been hesitant in the past to mess around with crab because it is a pricey protein option and the idea of messing something up didn’t sit well with me.

However I reached a point where I realized that if we don’t experiment in the kitchen we won’t grow as cooks.  And that doesn’t do anyone any good.  So in the name of Embracing Cooking, I decided to start experimenting more with crab.

And that lead to twice baked potatoes!

Andrea’s Crab Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes

• 2 Large Russet Baking Potatoes, scrubbed
• 8oz Crab Claw Meat, drained, rinsed, and checked for shell
• 1/2 Red Pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 Green Pepper, finely chopped
• 1/4 Red Onion, finely chopped
• 4 Slices of crispy bacon, chopped
• 1TBSP Grainy Mustard
• 2tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 2TBSP Prepared Horseradish
• 1/2C Shredded Cheddar
• Big Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/2-1tsp of Garlic Powder
• 1tsp Old Bay Seasoning
• Olive Oil for sauteeing, about 1/2 TBSP

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, poke holes in the potatoes with a knife, and wrap in foil.  Bake for about an hour until potatoes are soft and cooked through.

Remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool enough to handle.

Cut the top off of the potato and scoop out insides into a large mixing bowl.  You want the potato to look like a boat but don’t scoop so much out the potato loses structure.

In a medium sized skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add in the peppers and onion and sautee just till they start to soften.  About 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and add to the mixing bowl.

Add in the crab, bacon, mustard, horseradish, worcestershire, and seasonings along with 1/4C of the cheddar.  Start to stuff the potatoes.  This makes a lot of filling and the potatoes will be stuffed to the tippy-top.

Before serving, heat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.  Spray or brush olive oil on the baking sheet and place the potatoes on top.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until the insides are hot.  Sprinkle on remaining cheddar and allow to melt.

Remove from oven and serve!

These potatoes hit the spot! And because they are large, they can be used as a main dish.  Just add some veggies or a salad on the side to round things out.

I kept the flavors similar to that of a crab cake with the use of the peppers and onion.  I knew that combination already worked so I ran with it and incorporated it into the twice baked.

The potato is very filling! So much so, that I could only eat half and saved the other half for the next day.

One reason I loved twice baked potatoes is because they can be made up to a day ahead of time, then you just have to heat them right before serving.  Add a few extra minutes to the time if they are going from fridge to oven.

They also are perfect for freezing!

Remember guys, have fun and always play with your food! Enjoy!

Comments: 2

We had some leftover rice from the previous night’s dinner and I had some chard that needed used up.  Combine the two and you’ve got a great lunch!

It was super quick to put together.  I sauteed up:

• 1/4 Onion, sliced
• 1/4 Green Pepper, sliced
• Once large bunch of chard, chopped
• Shredded carrots
• A few broccoli florets

Sauteed in some olive oil with a pinch of salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, chili powder, and garlic powder.

Added in the leftover rice at the end and cooked just long enough for it to heat through.

Spooned in bowls, topped with a bit of shredded cheddar and a few dashes of hot sauce.

Perfect warm lunch and super easy to put together.  Could be assembled the night before or early in the morning to take to work.

The only thing I had to chop was the chard. I already had shredded carrots on hand ready for weekday salads.  I had sauteed onions and peppers leftover from dinner a previous day and I had broccoli in a bagged, prepped and ready to go.

The idea was to use up what I had on hand to make a quick meal.

You can also add in some extra protein by adding in beans or some scrambled eggs.  If you have leftover meat or fish from dinner the night before, you could add that too. Whatever you like and whatever you have on hand is the concept for this dish.

It’s a great way to utilize leftovers and to make a quick filling meal.

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!

Comments: 6

Homes all over will smell like kraut that day and grocery stores have sales on the stuff starting a few weeks before New Year’s.

It’s just not New Year’s if you don’t have pork and kraut. Scott embraced this tradition with open arms.  Not really surprising since his previous tradition was boiled cabbage and ketchup.

Um.

I would wager a guess and say that this dish is probably a little tastier than that.

It’s also made with beer, onions, and peppers. Plus being tossed in a crockpot.  Winner!

Andrea’s Country Ribs With Sauerkraut

• 4-6, Country Style Pork Ribs
• 1 32oz Jar of Sauerkraut, drained (but not rinsed!)
• 1 Onion, sliced thin
• 1 Green pepper, sliced thin
• 1TBSP Brown Sugar
• 1C Dark Lager Style Beer (I used Great Lakes Eliot Ness)
• Big Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
• 1tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2tsp Smoked Paprika

In the crockpot, add in beer and brown sugar, and stir.  Then add in the kraut, onion, and pepper along with the spices, then mix.  Place ribs in crockpot on top of the kraut mixture.  Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours.

Serve immediately!

Typically this dish is served with a large helping of mashed potatoes on the side and the kraut mixture on top.

If you don’t have any beer or would like to use something else, I would recommend some beef stock.

You could swap out the ribs for a pork butt roast.  Once that’s cooked, just shred the pork into the kraut mixture.  Would be great for a party or game day because you could serve this as sandwiches.

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!

Comments: 2

Everyone else is starting to post holiday cookie recipes and I’m over here still talking turkey.

This is my last leftover post and then you are free to put Thanksgiving behind you.  Or if you’re like us, you’ve got leftovers in the freezer and might be pulling them out soon to make this.

It was two days after Thanksgiving and I wanted to use up a little bit more turkey before it was wrapped up and placed in the freezer.  I thought of making sandwichs and I knew soup was right out.

I wanted something fun and a little different.  Plus it was a game night and game foods started running through my head.

I finally settled on nachos!

Turkey nachos, easy, different, and fun to eat.

Andrea’s Turkey Nachos

• Leftover Turkey, cubed or shredded
• 1/2  Red Onion, chopped
• 1 Green Pepper, chopped
• 1 Carrot, shredded
• 1 Can Pinto Beans, drained and rinsed
• 1C Frozen Corn
• Salt
• Garlic Powder
• Chili Powder
• 2C Your Favorite Salsa
• Shredded Cheese
• Tortilla Chips

Preheat oven to 400 Degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with nonstick spray or olive oil.  Put a layer of tortilla chips on the baking sheet.

In a sautee pan, add in about 1/2TBSP olive oil and heat over medium heat.  Add in the onion, pepper, carrot and season with a little salt, garlic powder, and chili powder (amounts are to your taste).  Sautee for about two minutes.  Add in the turkey, beans, and salsa.  Heat until everything is heated through.

Remove mixture from heat and pour over the tortilla chips.  Sprinkle the top with your favorite cheese and place in oven.  Bake about 10 minutes, just until the cheese is melty and bubbly.

Remove from heat and serve with guacamole and sour cream!

Perfect way to get out of the Thanksgiving leftover rut and simple enough to put together that you aren’t slaving away in the kitchen.  Again.

I used pepperjack cheese and chihuahua cheese.  Nice and creamy melty goodness!

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!

Comments: 2

Bourbon.

For Thanksgiving this year, I decided to go with a Southern inspired meal.  Mashed potatoes and stuffing were standard but I made collards for a side dish and wanted to make my turkey have a bit of a Southern flair to it.

I went back and forth on what to use in the brine.  Finally it occurred to me that bourbon would probably be really tasty when used in a brine.  It’s sweet, smooth, and it’s made in the south.

I put the brine together the day before Thanksgiving and it smelled amazing!  And a little boozy. Happy Holidays!

Andrea’s Bourbon Brined Turkey

1, 12-14lb Turkey

Brine Foundation:

• 2/3C Bourbon, I used Knob Creek
• 3 1/2C Chicken Stock
• 4C Hot or Boiling Water
• 1C Kosher Salt
• 1/2C Brown Sugar, Packed

Additional Seasonings and Ingredients:

• 2 Fresno Peppers, sliced in half
• 2 Cherry Peppers, tops sliced off
• 1 Large Onion, chunked
• 3 Carrots, chunked
• 3 Ribs Celery, chunked
• 1 Large Sweet Apple, cut in half
• 1/2TBSP Poultry Seasoning
• 2TBSP Garlic Powder
• 2TBSP Chili Powder
• 1TBSP Smoked Paprika
• Additional Water

Roasting Ingredients:

• Carrots
• Celery
• Onion
• Olive Oil
• Garlic Powder
• Chili Powder
• Smoked Paprika
• 1/2C Bourbon
• 3C, Chicken Stock

In a large bucket, add in the all of the ingredients for the brining foundation.  Stir and allow to rest so the salt and sugar dissolve.  Make sure the turkey is cleaned, neck and giblets removed.  Rinse and pat dry.

Once the salt and sugar are dissolved and the liquids are cooled, add in about 4 more cups of water along with the additional ingredients.  Stir.  Add the turkey into the brine, breast first and legs towards the top of the bucket.  Remember, the turkey should be vertical in the bucket.

Fill bucket with cold water until the turkey is completely covered and submerged.

Store in a cold place, like your fridge.  Brine turkey for 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 350.  Remove turkey from brine, rinse and pat dry. In a roasting pan, add in the liquids and stir.  Add in the veggies and then place the turkey in the pan.  Allow to sit for at least 1/2 an hour before roasting.  Rub turkey with light olive oil and sprinkle with a little bit of garlic powder, smoked paprika, and chili powder.

Fill the cavity of the turkey with onion, carrots, and an apple.  In the roasting pan, roast turkey at 350, basting every half hour, until the internal temp of the turkey reaches 163F.

Remove turkey from oven, tent with foil and allow to rest for half an hour.  Carve and serve!

The chili powder will make the skin on the turkey roast to a very dark color.  It’s not burnt, just a deep brown!

This was hands-down the best turkey Scott and I have ever had.  We barely talked to each other during dinner because we were too busy making comments about the tenderness and flavor of the turkey.

It was sweet and succulent.  The juiciest turkey I have made to date.  Even leftovers the next day were amazing.  We declared this a winner and will be the brining choice for the next several Thanksgivings.

The bourbon flavor isn’t super strong.  It’s just enough to give the turkey a smooth buttery flavor and keep it moist through cooking.  Next time when I make this, I’ll add in more peppers to the brine and as I roast it.  I want a little bit of kick at the end just to give it a twist.  I might bump the bourbon up to a full cup as well.

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!

Comments: 6

When Scott and I were dating, I would order this soup as a starter whenever I saw it on the menu.  It wasn’t the best “date” soup to be eating but Scott never minded me slurping away or when I had cheese dangling from my chin.

He’s a keeper!

Once I started making it at home, I stopped getting it out at restaurants.  For some reason I have not made this soup in ages and recently decided that I needed to change that.

My version is not traditional at all but it gets the job done.  When I’m craving French Onion soup, this is where I turn.

Andrea’s French Onion Soup For Two

• 1QT Beef Stock
• 1/3C Merlot (or another dry red wine)
• 2-3TBSP Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 1/2 Medium Onion, sliced thin
• 1 Large Shallot, sliced thin
• 2C Frozen, chopped greens
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Large Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
• Dash of Sage
• Sprinkle of Garlic Powder
• Olive Oil for sauteeing, about 1-1 1/2 TBSP
• 1/2 of a baguette
• Olive Oil for baguette, about 1TBSP
• Swiss Cheese Slices, about four thick slices
• Chopped Parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Slice baguette on an angle and place on a baking sheet either lined with parchment paper or silipat.  Brush slices with a bit of olive oil and place on baking sheet.  Slide baking sheet into oven and bake until the slices are toasty and golden in color.  May take between 7-10 minutes.  Keep an eye on them so they do not burn.

Heat a soup pot over medium heat and add in the olive oil.  Once that is heated, add in the onion slices and the shallot.  Stir, add in salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Stir again and reduce heat to medium low.  Cook onions and shallot for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  They will soften and start to caramelize.  Once they have reached a nice light brown color, add in the sage, garlic powder and stir.  Add in worcestershire sauce, and stir. Cook for two minutes. Add in the merlot and stir.  Let cook for about three minutes.  Then add in the beef stock and bring up to a simmer.  Simmer the soup for about 20 minutes.

While the soup is simmering, prep your soup crocks.  Brushing the tops of them with a bit of oil will help keep the cheese from sticking too much to the outside.

Once soup has simmered, ladle soup into the soup crocks.  Add in a few of the toasted baguette slices and top with slices of swiss cheese.

Place crocks on a baking sheet and very carefully place in the oven.  Let heat just until the cheese is melty and bubbling.  About 5-10 minutes.

Very carefully remove from oven and very carefully place soup crocks on a small serving plate.  Sprinkle tops with chopped parsley and add a few more baguette slices on the side.  Serve immediately and enjoy!

It was a cold Saturday afternoon and this soup made the perfect lunch.  It was warm and very filling!

Swiss cheese isn’t traditional but it was what I had on hand at the time.  I have made this with a lovely aged provolone as well, which gives the soup a nice little sharp bite to it.  The swiss was very creamy and melted perfectly over the crock.

The addition of the greens is because I wanted this soup to have a vegetable added to it, but not something that would over power or take away from the main flavor.  The greens gave it a little more umph and a little more balance.

Parsley on top just because it makes for a nice garnish!

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!

Comments: 4

I had some crab that needed to be used and it occured to me that I could make a sort of crab and corn chowder.  I pondered over this for a few days until I had a set idea in mind.  Then I put it into motion and came up with a chowder that just might be one of my favorites.

Andrea’s Spicy Shrimp and Crab Corn Chowder

• 8oz Lump Crab Meat
• 2C, Frozen cooked shrimp (if using fresh, about 10-12 peeled and deviened shrimp)
• 1/2 Large Onion, chopped
• 2 Carrots, peeled and chopped
• 2 Ribs Celery, chopped (if you have some of the leafy hearts, use those)
• 2 Jalapenos, seeded and chopped
• 3 Slices of bacon, chopped
• 3 Ears of Corn, corn removed, keep the cobs (or 3C frozen corn)
• 1 1/2 QT of Chicken Stock
• 1tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2tsp Chili Powder
• 1/2tsp Smoked Paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Hot sauce

In a large soup pot, add in a little bit of olive oil, about 1/2 TBSP and heat over medium heat.  Add in the bacon and cook for about 2 minutes.  Let it start to crisp up.  If the bacon produced a lot of fat in the pan, you can discard some of it.  Completely up to you!  Next add in the onions, peppers, carrots, and celery.  Stir and season with seasonings.  Sautee for about 5 minutes until the veggies start to soften and break down.

Add in the chicken stock and the corn.  Also add in the cobs.  Bring up to a simmer and cover. Allow to simmer for about 30-45 minutes.  Remove cobs from the soup. With an immersion blender, blend up the soup unti everything is broken down and it starts to thicken up just a bit.

Stir and add in the crab and the shrimp.  Bring back up to a simmer and simmer for about 5-7 minutes until the crab and shrimp are heated through.  Add in a few dashes of hot sauce, to your taste.

Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Keep the hot sauce handy because you’ll want to add in some more at the table! Along with some oyster crackers of course!

This soup completely blew my mind.  By keeping the cobs in while it simmers that helps to really bring forth the corn flavor and sweetness.

The bacon isn’t overpowering, it provides just enough smokey goodness to the background.

The crab and shrimp are also a bit sweet which really pairs well with the corn.  However by adding in that extra hot sauce, the sweetness isn’t overpowering.  The hot sauce also provides a nice heat that builds up the more you eat.

This isn’t a super thick chowder, it’s right between chowder and soup.  Creamy texture but not a real heavy chowder consistency.

This makes enough for four big servings.  If you’ve got leftovers, you’ll want to eat them the next day.  Seafood doesn’t keep very long in the fridge. And just like with most soups, this one is even better the next day!

What’s your favorite kind of chowder?

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food!  Enjoy!

Comments: 6

I sadly did not get a chance to have my Grandmother’s version of this dish but like with everything she made, I’m sure it tasted amazing.

My first experience with this dish was several years ago, and came from a little food booth at a craft show.  I was visiting my mom and we attended a craft fair over in Washington, PA. There was a Polish food booth there and you know I beelined right over as quick as my legs would take me.

Haluski was on the menu and I gobbled some up!

Basically the dish is sauteed cabbage and onions in butter and then tossed with some egg noodles.  Very traditional means that the egg noodles are homemade, but now a days most people use store bought egg noodles.

I kick mine up a notch by adding in some peppers, lots of garlic, roasted potatoes, and kielbasa.  I also use whole wheat egg noodles.

Scott likes to refer to this dish as Polish In A Pot.  Clever fella.

Andrea’s Haluski, aka Polish In A Pot

• 1 Very Large Head of Cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
• 1 Large Onion, thinly sliced
• 1-2 Peppers, red or green, thinly sliced
• 1 Link of Kielbasa, chopped
• 1, 12-15 oz Package of Whole Wheat Egg Noodles
• 1/2lb red skinned potatoes, chopped
• Red Pepper Flakes
• Kosher Salt
• Ground Black Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Olive Oil, 2 TBSP, plus some for potatoes and kielbasa
• Butter, 1/2-1TBSP

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a large baking sheet with olive oil or nonstick spray.  Wash and cube up the potatoes. Make the cubes small, about bite sized.  Toss with some olive oil (about 1/2 TBSP) and sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Place in oven and bake for about 20-25 minutes until browned and crisp on the outside. Remove from oven when done.

In a very large pasta pot, bring water to boil and cook the whole wheat egg noodles according to package directions.  You want them to still have some bite to them.  Drain and set aside.

In a very large skillet, add in the olive oil, about 2 tsp and heat over medium heat.  Add in the chopped kielbasa and cook until kielbasa is crisp and browned around the edges.  Remove from skillet and set aside.

Add in 2 TBSP of olive oil and butter into the skillet and continue to heat over medium heat.  Add in the cabbage and toss till it’s coated with the oil and butter.  Satuee for about two minutes.  Add in the onions and peppers, toss. Sprinkle with seasonings, light on salt and then as much garlic, pepper, and red pepper flakes as you want. Continue to satuee and tossing until the cabbage is fully cooked through and soft.

If you feel that the bottom is getting a bit burnt or needs more moisture, add in no more than a 1/4 of either chicken or vegetable stock.  When veggies are cooked, add in the potatoes, and pasta.  Gently combine.

Serve immediately!

This makes a HUGE batch of haluski which is good because you want leftovers.  It tastes even better the next day!

You might be thinking that it seems like a lot of oil for the dish but keep in mind this noodle dish has no “sauce”.  The veggies are what help to coat the noodles and provide flavor.

I like my super peppery and super garlicky, so I use a bunch of those seasonings.  Your tastes may vary, taste as you go along to get the right flavor for you.

You can keep this dish vegetarian friendly by omitting the kielbasa, and using veggie stock if needed.

While my adjustments certainly aren’t traditional, it does help to bring the dish up to meal status and provide some extra veg love.

I think my Grandmother would have approved and for me, that’s all that matters.

Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!

Comments: 7

I went back and forth about stuffing it because I wasn’t quite sure what I wanted to stuff it with, rice or…?

If I had had goat cheese on hand, I would have made a rice concoction.  Since I didn’t, I decided to go with stuffing to stuff the squash.

I used my apple stuffing recipe to keep things very fall-ish feeling.

I cut the squash in half and removed the seeds.  I saved those though because I can roast them!

I preheated the oven to 400.  I filled a baking dish with a little bit of water to create a steam.  I put butter on the exposed squash and sprinkled it with a little all purpose seasoning (similiar to poultry seasoning).

I roasted the squash for about 20 minutes and then flipped it over for another 15 or so.

While that roasted I made the stuffing.  When everything was done, I put the stuffing on top of the squash and called it dinner.

They are not kidding when they call this squash sweet.  Goodness!  It is crazy sweet, like I felt my teeth curl up, kind of sweet.

Scott loved it, I could only handle so much of the sweet before I tapped out.

The texture is amazingly buttery though and oh so creamy.  This would make an excellent casserole or pie.

Next time, I’m definitely going to try and make a rice mixture to go in it.  One that’s really savory and maybe a little spicy to combat all that sweetness.

Have you ever had a sweet dumpling squash before?  Do you eat much squash in the winter?

Comments: 4