Crab Tacos

My family loves crab meat for crab cakes, tacos, seafood lasagna, cocktail appetizers, stuffed in mushrooms, and so many other varieties of dishes. I decided to try a new crab taco with ready-made shells. The salsa and the crab meat has a little bit of kick with the addition of jalapenos but once put together, you can not taste the heat unless you literally bury the food in salsa. I was perusing the Sunset Magazine for garden ideas and ran across this recipe. The only piece of advice that I can give you is to make sure that you use fresh crab meat because you will be able to taste the difference. I love the addition of avocado slices and wish that I had thought of this a long time ago.

Crab Tacos
Ingredients:
4 Toma tomatoes
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 large jalapeno chiles, halved, seeded, and sliced, divided
1/2 c. fresh cilantro leaves, divided
3 T. fresh lime juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 t. olive oil
1/2 c. chopped onion
8 oz. shelled cooked crab
8 taco shells or soft tortillas
1 c. Iceberg lettuce, thinly sliced
1 c. shredded Jack or Cheddar cheese
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1/4 c. chopped green onion

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Put tomatoes, garlic, half of the jalapeno, 1/4 c. cilantro, and the lime juice in a food processor and pulse a few times to chop. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set salsa aside.
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Saute onion and remaining jalapeno until soft, 4 minutes. Add crab and cook just until crab is warm, about 2 minutes.
Put taco shells or tortillas on a baking pan and warm in oven, about 3 minutes. Arrange on a platter and fill with crab mixture, dividing evenly. Top crab with lettuce, cheese, and avocado. Sprinkle tacos with green onion and remaining 1/4 c. cilantro. Serve immediately, with salsa on the side or on top.

White Lightening Sangria

I thought I would share a sangria that is not too strong and can be adapted to any white wine of choice. I thought I was being clever and invited my daughter's boyfriend over Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to see if they spent too much time together. . .well, that they may get on each other's nerves and nobody would be as hurt if things didn't mutually continue? How is that for politcally correct? It didn't work. I thought I would have Ashley and Devin cook lunch (spaghetti and meatsauce with garlic bread) and they did great. I am bumming because Ashley is not quite 17 (1 1/2 months to go) and Devin is 21. I am not sure how there meeting happened but Ashley goes no where without me either being in the vicinity or knowing exactly what is going on and for how long they will be at this specific place. Anotherwords, I am scared out of my skin. Devin has been respectful, thoughtful, and has not tried being overly mushy with Ashley. This does not mean that I am not running up the stairs everytime the house gets overly quiet ~ for longer then 5 minutes =). I can't even concentrate to blog and I miss blogging but now I have college finals again and my eye is twitching. I actually ended up thinking that Devin has a few positive points in his favor by the time this weekend was over. . .begrudgingly. . .and that was NOT the intension at all. I also felt bad because he does seem to feel comfortable and happy when he is over at our house, which makes me wonder about his own home life. I now know that he absolutely adores peanut butter cookies and rootbeer floats. The fact that he also likes to cook isn't bad either since Ashley likes top ramen out of the package (uhmmm, not cooked) and bagel bites, FF's, pot stickers, and chocolate milk. Of course, nothing homemade. . .that would be just terrible. Okay, I may have shown a few of those traits growing up since I came from the same background of everything homemade and next-to-nothing store bought. . .including bread. I just wish the age difference wasn't so HUGE. When they are this young, the age does make a big difference. Okay, I am going to stop this whole conversation but this is how the white lightening sangria came into my kitchen this weekend. . .stress. I wanted something to relax me and this sangria was fun, fruity, and delicious. Because I made this twice this weekend, I would also like to state that the second time I doubled the recipe and for some reason the sangria was WAY TO STRONG! Add more juice and the full amount of sugar or just make as stated in the recipe. Having fruit in the wine glass, okay. . .I love mandarin oranges, pineapple, and grapes. . .was a nice touch that added color. I will make this again when I think I need to destress a little =D.
White Lightening Sangria
1 bottle (750) white wine what ever you like Riesling, Chablis, ect
1/2 cup Vodka
1/2 cup white grage juice
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cupsliced white grapes (seedless)
1 tangerine sliced
1/2 pineapple sliced
1 cup club soda or citrus soda

Directions:
1. Pour wine and vodka in the pitcher and add sliced grapes, tangerine, and pineapple. Next add sugar and stir gently. Chill mixture for at least one hour.Add club soda or citrus soda just before serving.

Individual Baked Omelets

Well, I am back! I feel terrible because I haven't had to stay away from blogging this long since I learned how to blog! I miss checking everyone's cooking/baking adventures out but you know? I have learned that this is what I really enjoy. . .my outlet for just a little while in the early evening. Taking care of family takes precedence and now the crisis seems to have subsided a little.

Well, I have been looking for an apron for the last 6 months, easy, and they are just so expensive for your basic no-frills plain apron. The cheapest I found was 20 dollars. Then I go to Sur La Table for the first time and get bowled over with just how many amazing cooking and serving toys this store has (drool marks from one end of store to the other). I found this apron that has a plain floral print, nothing fancy, and they wanted 30 dollars! I couldn't believe it! So guess what? I went to JoAnns Fabric and did some shopping. I came home with enough fabric to make 3 aprons. Oh yes, the honesty thing. . .uhmmm, I also found that JoAnns' was having a sale on all flannel fabric and they had over 100 prints at $2.00/yard so I bought 6 yards for 2 different prints. Now the clincher. . .I don't know how to sew very well but I have been practicing this weekend =). Today, I did 2 whole pockets for the apron. Lace and all. I am still admiring them. It's okay to chuckle, I understand. But people have to start somewhere, right?

For breakfast I wanted something new so I went to my faithful Pastry Queen cookbook and made Rebecca's Individual Baked Omelets. They were delicious and the options for mixing flavors up are endless! I am so trying mushrooms with the rest of the ingredients next time! I just found this Polish Deli in Seattle where they make their own aged bacon. I think they have over 20 varieties. Delicious with the most amazing aroma! I don't even know how to put into words the feeling of euphoria when walking into this wonderful place.

For the omelets I used the Texas size cupcake pan with liners for easier clean-up. Huge flavor packed in a little package!

Individual Baked Omelets

Ingredients:

2 T. unsalted butter

1 Medium russet or red-skinned potato, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch dice

1 small yellow onion, diced

1 t. salt

1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped into small pieces

1 fresh tomato, seeded and finely chopped

6 large eggs

1/2 c. heavy whipping cream or half-n-half

1/4 t. freshly ground black pepper

Dash of hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter 6 Texas-size muffin cups of line them with muffin wrappers. Melt the butter in a medium skillet set over medium heat. Add the potato, onion, and 1/2 t. of the salt; saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the red pepper and saute for 15 minutes longer, continuing to stir occasionally. Taste to make sure the potato is cooked through; if not, cook for a few minutes longer, until the potato is fully cooked but not mushy. Remove the vegetable mixture from the heat and stir in the bacon and tomato.

Whisk the eggs, cream, remaining 1/2 t. salt, the pepper, and hot sauce together in a large bowl. Stir in the vegetable mixture. Pour the egg mixture evenly into the muffin cups. (The egg mixture may almost reach the top, which is okay.) Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. Lightly shake the pan; if the omelets look or feel runny in the middle, bake for 5 minutes longer, until firm. Serve warm.