I realized when I wrote about Old Bay Crackers that I had never posted about crab dip. How could that be?! I am constantly writing about crabs and Old Bay, therefore this is a giant oversight. Although, if I’m honest this recipe is basically the inside of crab grilled cheese only with less cheddar and more cream cheese. Still delicious, obviously.

Crab dip is seriously easy to make, but because it’s crab it has a special fancy feeling. Sure, crab is a bit expensive but all the other ingredients are cheap so making this shouldn’t break the bank. I love making crab dip for parties because it’s the kind of thing people are excited to nibble on. It’s also great if there are leftovers because then I get to take it to work for lunch. And let’s be honest, isn’t it a great feeling when you get excited at work because of what is in your lunch?!

Making crab dip is seriously the easiest thing. You mix all the ingredients together in a bowl then bake it in a small-ish dish and that’s it. That’s it! Just a little stirring and time and you will have bubbling, warm, cheesy, crab dip. It’s so easy, and so tasty, you really could make this any time and not just for a party. And it’s just so… snackable. I had it on the counter with cut up bread next to it and every time Ryan or I passed by we’d just scoop up a little bit.

But, will you allow me to nitpick for a moment? I really wish that I had orange cheddar cheese. That might sound crazy, but hear me out. Orange cheddar cheese is the cheese of my youth and the color feels familiar. Here in London, cheddar cheese is absolutely delicious and perfect, but it’s white. Flavorwise it’s often the same, but I think the orange cheese gives an aesthetically pleasing color contrast.

Want to know why cheddar is orange? Grass fed cows can get beta-carotene through the grass that they eat. That can make their milk look a little yellow or orange, and that color gets transferred to the cheese. People began to realize that yellow/orange cheddar tasted better (and could fetch a higher price) so some cheese makers started dying their cheese with various food colorings to trick people. Today American cheddar is still being dyed orange and somehow it’s gotten carried too far because it’s way too orange. If you’re curious, you can read more about this here and here.

Regardless of your cheese color, this is guaranteed to be a hit. Serve with crackers or slices of a baguette.

Messy level: So clean. For prep you’ll need a knife, cutting board, bowl, and spoon – and all of that can be put in the dishwasher. Bake the dip in a dish you’re happy to serve from and that’s one less dish to use. Really, this dip is hassle and mess free.

Crab Dip

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

35 mins

 

Serves: fills an 8x8 pan

Ingredients

• 8 oz crab meat
• 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese (plus a little more to sprinkle on top)
• 8 oz cream cheese (I recommend chive cream cheese)
• 3 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 small white onion, finely chopped
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Old Bay (plus a little more to sprinkle on top)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C
2. Put all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix until everything is well coated.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings are fits your preferences.
4. Pour everything into a 8x8 inch dish and spread it out so the dip is about 1 inch thick. Alternatively you could use a smaller or larger dish depending on what you have. If you use something smaller add a little more cooking time. If you use something larger decrease your cooking time.
5. Sprinkle a little extra cheese and Old Bay on the top.
6. Bake for 30 minutes. It should be bubbling with a slightly darker crust on the top.
7. Let cool for a few minutes so you don't burn your tongue!
8. Serve with crackers, bread, or a spoon!

3.3.3077

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Traditionally my favorite thing to do for my birthday is to go out for a crab feast. When my parents still lived in Maryland I’d go over to their house, we’d cover the table in newspaper and dump the crabs, corn, and French fries on the table and go to town. Pair that with a cold beer and it was perfect summer evening celebration.

And, I’m sure I could’ve figured out a way to do that here in London. I’m sure I could have found a place that sells crabs. Or I could have found a fish monger to sell me crabs and I could’ve made them at home. But I didn’t do any of that, instead I decided to try to pack the flavors of a crab feast into one bite. One delicious bite of a cracker.

I got the idea a few weeks ago when I was shopping with my friend Sarah at Waitrose. Sometimes on Wednesdays she and I go to Waitrose so she can buy a sandwich before dance class and so I can buy ingredients for dinner. The thing is, Waitrose has such beautiful displays, foods and packaging that sometimes we wander around just looking at all the pretty stuff on offer. So she was looking at coffee and I was looking at crackers when I saw a box called Miller’s Ale Beer Crackers. Needless to say, I bought it.

But, the box got my creative juices flowing. A beer cracker? What would be good with that… cheese, Old Bay, crab… everything I love in one delicious bite. Yes. This cracker recipe doesn’t actually include any crab, but I think that’s ok – in fact maybe even preferred. I prefer it that way because you can use these crackers with crab dip. And really that’s the best option, because crackers either need to be topped with cheese or dipped in something. Also, crab dip is the best.

However, I did shape some of the dough like crabs using a tiny crab shaped cookie cutter I bought on Etsy. They look like a tiny crab army on the baking sheet and the finished product made both Ryan and me chuckle. For me personally, the crab shape is even more perfect because sometimes my birthday’s star sign is a Cancer (sometimes it’s a Gemini – it’s on the cusp) and crabs are the Cancer symbol. I also made some circles since those were better for topping with slices of cheese. Any shape you use they will hold their shape, but the dough will puff up a bit.

Adapted from Evil Shenanigans

Messy level: A really simple recipe because you only need one bowl for the preparation. It’s only messy when you roll it out because your counter will get floured and a bit sticky.

Cheddar & Old Bay Crackers

 

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Prep time

2 hours 30 mins

Cook time

12 mins

Total time

2 hours 42 mins

 

Serves: 3 dozen (depending on cutter size)

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons/113 grams butter
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ tablespoon Old Bay
• 1 cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese (use small holes on a box grater)
• 3 tablespoons cold beer, plus more if needed (I used Sam Adams Boston Lager)

Instructions

1. Take the butter out of the fridge and cut it into cubes. Put the butter in a bowl and pop it back in the refrigerator. Leave it there until you're ready to use it. [Note: You want the butter cold, if you cut it right before using it your hands will have warmed it up]
2. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, and Old Bay.
3. Add the shredded cheese to the flour mixture. Mix until the cheese is well coated
4. Add the cubed butter to the mixture. Using two knives (or a pastry blender) to cut the butter into the flour. Cut the butter up until the mix sand.
5. Pour in the 3 tablespoons of beer. Use your hands to mix everything together until you have a ball of dough and no dry flour bits remain. If it seems too dry add more beer just a teaspoon at a time.
6. Once you have a smooth ball of dough flatten it into a rectangle. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and store in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
7. When you're ready to bake, take the dough out of the fridge about 10 minutes before to soften it a bit.
8. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.
9. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
10. Lightly flour your work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is about an ⅛" thick.
11. Using the cookie cutters of your choice cut out your crackers.
12. Place the crackers about 1" apart on the prepared backing sheet. Poke each cracker with a fork at least once. If you can be decorative about it go ahead.
13. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until puffed and the edges are just lightly darker than the rest of the cracker.
14. Let cool then serve with slices of cheese or your favorite dip.

3.3.3077

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In addition to learning more myself, I’d like to help other people learn how to cook. To me, that means not just sharing recipes, but giving the tools that help with the basics. At the beginning learning to cook can be overwhelming. Where do you start? There are so many tools, techniques, and vocabulary. So, I wanted to provide some tools to help beginner cooks.

To me a beginner recipe is a combination of three things:

1. Has familiar and inexpensive ingredients
2. Doesn’t require complex techniques or tools
3. Doesn’t take all day to make

A beginner recipe may not have all three of those thing, but some elements of those makes a great starter meal. Now in addition to recipes, you have to have the right tools and seasonings. You can go wild in a kitchen store (and believe me I love to do that), but you can do a lot with just a few basics. Here’s what I think you need to get your kitchen started. Below are 10 kitchen essentials for beginners. Five are recommendations for tools and five are recommendations for herbs. Enjoy!

1. A medium sauce pan – The one in the photo is a 2.5 quart Calphalon non-stick Sauce Pan. This size is a good one because you can use it to make pasta, sauces, or heat up a can of soup. Bump up to a 5 quart if you want to make lots of pasta or chili. There are lots of types of pots: non-stick, cast-iron, stainless steel, and beyond. I think non-stick is a good low maintenance, easy to use pot – but go to the store and see what feel right to you. Lastly, you don’t have to spend a ton of money, but don’t buy the cheapest thinnest pan either. If you do that your food will burn before really being cooked through. And finally, having a lid is important too!

2. A medium frying pan – This is a Calphalon Nonstick 10-Inch pan. I think between 10 and 12 inches is perfect for doing just about everything you need – for stir fries to pancake you can do everything. The same advice above applies here. Go to the store, price compare, see what material you like best, but don’t by the cheapest thing.

3. A cutting board – You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a nice one. I like this plastic one because you can throw it in the dishwasher. Also it has grippy feet at the bottom, so it won’t slide around and you won’t cut your finger off. Again, you can get board from all kinds of materials but plastic is an inexpensive starter option. Just make sure you don’t get one that bends or slides too much.

4. A wooden spoon – Perfect for stirring and won’t scratch you pans. You really only need one, but I like these two. The regular spoon is good for serving and the flat one can be used in place of a spatula is you need it.

5. A large knife – Mine is a Zwilling J.A. Henckels 10-Inch Chef’s Knife. This is something you should spend a bit of money on because you’ll only need one and if you take care of it, it will last a long time. A big knife is important because you can use it to do tough jobs like cut butternut squash or tiny jobs like mince garlic. There are lots of types of knives, go to the store, ask questions, hold them, see what you like. Just make sure the metal goes all the way into the handle – it will make it much sturdier. Ryan and I used to cut everything with a steak knife whose blade bent backwards if you cut something too firm. It’s dangerous – so get a good knife.

It’s easy to stock you cabinet full of spices, and some of them you might only use a few times. I do think there’s something to be said for diversifying your spice rack, but why by turmeric or ginger if you don’t know if you like them? You can do a lot with a few spices, and then expand you collection as your confidence and ability grows.

6&7. Salt and Pepper – You will use these for practically everything. When in doubt, season with salt and pepper and you will make your food more tasty. You need salt for pasta water, for eggs, for chicken, for everything. Pepper is just as important too. I recommend buying a pepper grinder with a whole pepper corns because it makes for a better flavor and texture. You can buy this kind of pepper mill already stocked with pepper in your spice aisle.

8. Garlic powder – For a little flair, add garlic powder. Once you have salt and pepper, garlic will take you to the next level. Add it to a roasted chicken or to fish and you’ve got a better depth of flavor.

9. Chili flakes – I think a little heat can add a lot to a dish. Sprinkle it on plain pasta with butter, or in tomato sauce, or on your pizza and you’ve got some more complex and exciting flavor.

10. Wild card – The wild card seasoning is one seasoning that you really like. For me, it’s Old Bay. It’s the seasoning that I put on everything (potatoes, pop corn, broccoli) and I think it makes everything better. So what do you like? Curry? Cajun spices? Taco seasoning? Think about your favorite foods. What flavor do they have? That’s the seasoning you should buy for your personal wild card, and you can make it your signature.

Ok, so I hope that helps you stock you kitchen. Later this week I’ll post a simple and delicious beginner salmon recipe using many of the tools and seasonings from this post. Stay tuned!

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I’m planning a trip to go to Dorset next weekend with my friend Sarah. Dorset his her hometown and I’m really excited to get out of London, see a new area, and learn about where she grew up. But, thinking about her hometown made me a nostalgic for my hometown. I grew up in Maryland, just outside of Baltimore. I haven’t lived in Maryland since 2008, but I still feel a strong pull to my home state.

Maryland might be a small state, but it’s got a lot going on. Maryland has lots of waterside vacation spots from the Chesapeake Bay, Deep Creek Lake, and Ocean City. Sure, Ocean City isn’t the fanciest or classiest beach, but it’s a beach and that’s awesome. Maryland is the home of the Star Spangled Banner, major sports teams, the Wire, and Hairspray. Yeah, the Wire makes Baltimore seem a  little scary, but that show was amazing.  If you haven’t seen it go out and watch it immediately. Maryland has busy cities like Baltimore and picturesque ones like Annapolis. And finally, Maryland has a sweet flag, an awesome accent, one-eyed Natty Boh, and most importantly for me delicious food. See, I told you Maryland has a lot going on.

But most famously, Maryland is known for crabs. Steamed crabs, crab cakes, crab bisque, and crab dip…yum. All of it delicious. And then I got the idea for crab grilled cheese – which might possibly my perfect dream food. This sandwich has lots of cheese, Old Bay, crabs, and buttery bread. I’ve never put anything in grilled cheese besides cheese before – and now I’m not sure I can go back to plain grilled cheese.

This item is the kind of thing that I’d find on a menu of a fancy-ish, trendy-ish, dinner. It would cost like $12, and I’d think, “that’s a lot for a sandwich at a dinner,” but then I’d do it because I had to know. Then I’d order it, and maybe it wouldn’t be as cheesy, gooey, or as full of crab as I wanted. I’d scarf it down anyway, still enjoying it, and then wish I had more and feel sad.

Don’t worry, I’ve solved that hypothetical problem. Now I can make this perfect sandwich at home. When Ryan and I scarf down the first round too quickly, I can just make a second round and stack the ingredients higher. Ryan and I ate two sandwiches and afterwards he asked if there was more crab in the fridge. Yes, yes there was. So there will be more sandwiches this week. Are you jealous yet? If you’re still not sold, Ryan said this was the best thing I’ve ever made. Yes, he’s my husband and has to say nice things, but c’mon. That’s high praise.

A few notes on method. I used sour dough bread which I loved. The bread absorbs the butter and get perfectly golden and really crispy – which is delicious and good for the structural integrity of the sandwich. (Or more specifically, it won’t flop about as you hold it or bite it) However, if you have regular old sandwich bread in the house, use that – it’s what I’d use for an ordinary grilled cheese.

Second, how do you butter your grilled cheese? My friend might not remember this, and I don’t know why I do, but years ago when we lived together, I was talking with my friend Shadur about grilled cheese and she said she buttered the bread, and I said I buttered the pan. We both looked at each other shocked, both of us thinking “why on earth do you do that?” I don’t think it ever occurred to us that there was another way to butter the bread for grilled cheese. I think buttering the bread is most efficient and makes the pan less dirty. However, I still butter the pan because then I can go crazy with the butter, reapply butter easily if I need to, and because sometimes buttering bread rips it up. Do what feels right to you, it’s no biggie.

Messy level: Because of all the stuff you’re adding, this is messier than a regular grilled cheese. You’ll need a bowl to prep your sandwich insides and a skillet. There’s lot of opportunity for the sandwich to ooze out – which leads to a bigger mess – but in this case I also think it makes the food more delicious.

Crab Grilled Cheese

 

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Author: Cooking is Messy

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ½ cup crab meat
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1½ teaspoons Old Bay
• pepper, pepper to taste
• 1 heaping teaspoon mince green onions
• ¼ cup shredded Gruyere, plus more for sprinkling
• ¼ cup shredded Cheddar, plus more for sprinkling
• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• 4 slices sourdough bread

Instructions

1. In a small bowl (the one you use for cereal is fine), mix together the crab meat, mayonnaise, mustard, Old Bay, a bit of pepper, and the green onions. Mix it well, then taste, and adjust as you see fit. (Most prepared crab meat is cooked so you can taste it)
2. Mix the Gruyere and Cheddar to the crab mixture. Mix until everything is coated.
3. Now take your bread. On two slices, sprinkle a little extra Gruyere. (The cheese is your glue to hold it all together)
4. Top each of those two slices with half of the crab mixture.
5. Top the crab mixture with a little extra Cheddar.
6. Place the second piece of bread on top. Press gently to squish it all together.
7. In a large skillet on medium to medium-high heat, melt 1-1½ tablespoons of butter.
8. Once the skillet is nice and hot, add the sandwich. Cook until the bread is golden brown. This will take a few minutes, and it's ok to lift it up and check it.
9. Lift the sandwich out of the skillet and melt the rest of the butter. Flip the sandwich and put it back into the skillet with the untoasted side down (golden brown, cooked side up).
10. Cook until the cheese is melted and the second side is golden brown. Adjust the heat as you go if you feel the bread is getting dark too quickly.
11. Remove from heat, cut in half, and serve.

3.2.2925

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I have a strong sweet tooth. I love cookies, candies, and more cookies. But, that’s not so great for my teeth and my health, so sometimes I gotta pick something slightly healthier. So today, here’s a recipe that highlights two of my favorite savory flavors.

I’m originally from Maryland, the home of Old Bay. If you’re not familiar, Old Bay is a spice seasoning usually put on crabs and other seafood. But I think it’s good on everything. I always put it on broccoli and roasted potatoes. It’s good in bloody Mary’s and on popcorn. Old Bay will do the trick for any recipe where you want a little salt and a little zing. I’ve even read about Old Bay in sweet recipes. In Maryland there is Old Bay ice cream and Old Bay chocolates! When I’m in DC next month, I’m going to have to see if I can get my hands on some of those. But, all of that gushing is to say that Old Bay is a really important flavor for me, and when in doubt, Old Bay is my secret ingredient.

My family is also from Puerto Rico so I grew up with that Caribbean flavor palate. Rice, beans, and plantains are my comfort foods. Seriously, when I was homesick in college I would go home and ask my parents to make me rice and beans. There’s something about the way they make beans that’s better than how I make beans. They say, “I just added sofrito,” but I think they are holding out on me. I especially love plantains. If you haven’t had a plantain before they look like bananas but are larger, starchier, and you don’t eat them raw. Plantains are delicious when soft and sweet, but also really great as chips when they are crispy and savory.

So, today’s recipe is a love child between the flavors of my youth. It’s Maryland-Puerto Rican fusion. I wonder if that exists already? Also, I wonder what a whole Maryland-Puerto Rican fusion restaurant would look like? I’m getting off topic. This love child, to me seems almost like an obvious combination. Crab chips flavored with Old Bay already exist and are delicious. Plantain Chips already exist and are delicious. So why shouldn’t the two be combined. Well now they are. You’re welcome world. Make these, eat, share them, and be happy.

Before diving in. There are a few things you should know about plantain prep. First, they don’t peel like regular bananas. Take a sharp paring knife and cut the ends of the plantain. Then, score the plantain on four sides. You should now be able to peel the skin off. If the skin is being difficult use your knife to help you. Scrap off any skin that is being stubborn and staying stuck to the fruit. Also, don’t worry about cutting these two thin. If you’ve ever tried to make baked potato or beet chips, you have to make paper thin cuts. Not necessary here! Cut of about 1/8″ will work well and you’ll have perfectly crunchy chips.

Messy level: One spoon! Three ingredients that you mix in a bowl. What could be easier? 

Old Bay Plantain Chips

 

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Prep time

5 mins

Cook time

25 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Cooking is Messy

Ingredients

• 1 plantain
• 2-3 teaspoons olive oil
• 2-3 teaspoons Old Bay

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.
3. Peel the plantain and cut it into ⅛" coins. Don't worry about cutting everything perfectly, just cut them pretty thin.
4. Put the plantains in a medium bowl. Pour in the olive oil. Start with 2 teaspoons then stir to coat. If you feel like the plantains aren't well coated, add the third teaspoon. Sometimes I felt like 3 teaspoons (which equals 1 tablespoon) was too much, but sometimes 2 wasn't enough. Go with your gut.
5. Once everything is coated, then sprinkle on the Old Bay. Stir again until everything is nicely coated.
6. Lay them on a single layer on the baking sheet. If you feel like the plantains need more Old Bay, go ahead and sprinkle some more on.
7. Cook for 20-25 minutes, and turn them halfway through.

3.2.2925

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When I made corn chowder, I told you that I liked to go to Zumba on Mondays. That means Monday dinner kind of gets short changed because I need something light and quick. This recipe fits the bill. Last Monday, I made this simple chicken dinner with broccoli and rice. As we were eating it I said to Ryan, “this is college Mariel dinner,” and he chuckled and nodded.

This was the meal I made all throughout college. It is the first real meal I ever knew how to make. It is probably the first meal I ever made for Ryan. In college I would’ve made this with defrosted frozen broccoli and a box of Near East rice pilaf, but over the years I’ve stepped up my game and now I can make everything from fresh ingredients.

I haven’t shared this recipe on the blog before because it didn’t seem very special. It seemed so straightforward, who would need this recipe? But the truth is my mom wrote this down for me when I was in college and didn’t know how to cook anything. She was writing down recipes for me in a spiral notebook and I felt like everything she was writing was too fancy (liked baked salmon filets). So I asked her, “how do I make just plain-ass chicken?” And this is it, plain-ass chicken.

This recipe is a great beginner recipe. It’s perfect for college students, busy people, people with few kitchen appliances, and people who want to learn to cook. Here are four other reasons why this meal is awesome.

1. It’s fast. The whole thing will take you 45 minutes. Yes, 45 minutes is longer than it takes to defrost a pizza, but it is faster than it takes to defrost a lasagna and can sometimes be faster than delivery.
2. It’s cheap. All the ingredients costs me less than £10. It serves two and you’ll still have rice and stock left for a future meal, so really cost per person is even lower.
3. It’s made of all whole, fresh, normal ingredients. So you can feel good about making a quick dinner with all ingredients you can pronounce.
4. It’s going to teach you three valuable basic cooking skills: how to make rice, how to steam vegetables, and how to cook chicken. Learn the basics and you have the foundation to make all kinds of more complicated stuff in the future.

Now a few notes on preparation. The only special equipment I recommend is a vegetable steamer. I like steaming vegetables because it is healthy and quick. Also, for beginner cooks you’ll be making everything on the stove which is good because it will be easy for you to keep your eye on everything. Also you can steam all kinds of veggies, green beans, asparagus, whatever you like. The vegetable steamer I use is pictured below. I like it because it’s easy to clean and store. It’s kind of floppy though so using the handles to remove the vegetables and steamer is a bit hard. If you aren’t going to steam your veggies, then I recommend roasting them. You can find my favorite roasted broccoli recipe at the Amateur Gourmet’s blog.

We’re going to be using boneless skinless chicken breasts. They don’t often get a lot of love because chicken with bones and skins have a bit more flavor. But boneless skinless is cheap to buy, easy to prepare, and quick to cook. You want to make sure that your chicken breast is uniform in thickness. The reason for this is that the thinner side can cook and dry out before the thicker side is even cooked. To even your chicken you can hammer it with a meat mallet. I don’t have that so I’ll sometimes use the bottom of a sturdy glass. You could also cut your chicken breast lengthwise, giving you pieces of even thickness. This is the method that I like, also because it also cuts down on cooking time.

Last note, for seasoning I used adobo and Old Bay, because that’s what I like. You should use what you would like. Don’t know what you like? Garlic powder, salt, and pepper are always a good choice.

Ok, now let me take you back in time to Mariel’s college days.

Messy level: This recipe is really easy and there isn’t much opportunity for spills or splatter. Still, you have to use three pots so that’s almost a full sink of dishes. Overall though, clean prep and easy clean up.

Easy Beginner Chicken Dinner

 

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Cook time

45 mins

Total time

45 mins

 

An easy recipe for a beginner's chicken dinner

Author: Cooking is Messy

Serves: 2

Ingredients

• ½ cup white rice
• 1 cup chicken stock (you can use water, but stock is more flavorful)
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• adobo (or your preferred seasoning for the chicken)
• 1 medium head of broccoli
• Old Bay (or your preferred seasoning for the broccoli)

Instructions

1. Start with the rice. Put the rice and stock in a medium sauce pan. Heat on high on a back burner (since you're going to set it and leave it). Bring to a boil. Once it boils, lower the heat to low. Cover the pan, let it simmer until all the liquid is absorbed. This takes usually 35-40 minutes, but check your packaging. [Beginner tip: to check for doneness, lift the lid, and use your spoon to push aside a bit of rice to see the bottom of the pan. Is there liquid? If so, not done]
2. Now prep the chicken to make the breasts even (see note above) Season generously with adobo/seasoning of your choice. Set aside.
3. 
4. Wash the broccoli. Cut into little florets.
5. 
6. In a medium saucepan put about ½ inch of water in the bottom. Put the steamer on top of it. Make sure the water doesn't come up over the steamer.
7. Put the vegetables on top of the steamer. Sprinkle with Old Bay or the seasoning of your choice.
8. 
9. Cover the broccoli. Cook on medium-high for about 10 minutes. [Beginner tip: At about 7 minutes, lift the lid and take out a piece of broccoli and test it to see if it tender enough for your liking. Turn off the heat when you feel it is cooked enough]
10. Put a little oil in a skillet. Heat the pan on medium-high.
11. Flick a little water into the pan. If it does nothing, your pan isn't hot enough. If it pops and sizzles aggressively then it is too hot. If it just jumps a little, you're ready.
12. Lower the heat to medium. Add the chicken. Cook on one side for about 3-5 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side for 3-5 minutes. Chicken should be done at about 8 minutes. [Beginner tip: Make a small cut into the chicken breast. Still pink? not done. Increase the heat if it's taking forever, lower the heat if you feel it is browning too quickly]
13. Turn off the heat and serve.

3.2.2807

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I recently came by a recipe for Bloody Mary soup in a magazine and I was really excited about it. I love Bloody Marys, but it isn’t always appropriate to have one. Soup, though, I can have any time of day. But when I made the recipe it came out really thick. The recipe called for pureed beans and celery, which gave it a chunky and stringy texture. I was not a fan. So I decided to try my hand at making a soup recipe all my own. I’ve never made up a soup recipe before! I did a bunch of research, used a bunch of recipes as inspiration, tinkered a bit, and then I came up with something brand new that I really liked.

Let me warn you by saying I like Bloody Marys really spicy. I love this soup because the initial taste is sweet and full of tomato flavor, but then quickly the heat starts to tingle in the back of your throat and then rushes forward into your lips. It’s wonderful. Although, I didn’t give Ryan any warning when he tasted it and his eyes popped out a little bit. But I love spicy flavors in a soup. For me, they are a cure all. I think it will help clear your sinuses when you’re sick or can pep you up when it is cold and dreary outside. I also think Bloody Marys are a great hang over cure. I mean, not that I’ve ever been hungover. But if you were hungover, I think this would be both soothing and invigorating. If you were having a wild holiday party, make a batch the night before, then in the morning heat the soup, line cups with Old Bay, pop in a celery stick and you’ve got warming morning cocktails to serve your house guests.

Now if you’re not into spice, don’t worry! In the instructions below I’ll be sure to tell you how to adjust the seasoning to fit your palate. That’s the great thing about cocktails, right? You can fix them to suit your taste!

Since I’m from Maryland, I love Old Bay and will put it on everything. I put it in the soup in place of some salt, I sprinkled it on top for seasoning, and I lined the rim of the bowl. If you don’t have Old Bay, no worries. You can use some salt to season instead. Finally, if you want an added kick, consider adding horseradish cream. I like it because it adds spice from the horseradish and simultaneously eases the spice because of the cream. If you’re not interested in the cream, the soup is still excellent without it. Ok, now you’ll be ready for all your weekend partying. You’re welcome.

Soup recipe inspired by delicious magazine and Mark Bittman’s winter tomato soup. But I think it’s mostly mine and I’m really proud of that. Horseradish cream from BBC Good Food.

Messy level: I don’t have an immersion blender, so for me, this recipe is a three spoon mess. I used a tray to roast the tomatoes, a blender to puree the tomatoes, and a pot to simmer the soup. That makes a lot of things to clean and a lot of opportunity for spills. If you have an immersion blender, then you’ll have a little less clean up.

Bloody Mary Soup with Old Bay

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

1 hour

Total time

1 hour 15 mins

 

Serves: 4-6 bowls

Ingredients

• Soup:
• 5-10 garlic cloves (use less if you want less intensity)
• 800g/28oz canned, whole peeled tomatoes
• olive oil
• 1 tsp coarse salt
• ½ tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp Old Bay
• 1-2 tsp chili flakes (I used 2 tsp, use less if you want less heat)
• 2-4 cups chicken or vegetable stock (use more stock if you want to dilute the heat)
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• juice from ½ lemon
• Tabasco sauce (optional)
• celery stalks (optional garnish)
• vodka (optional)
• Horseradish Cream (optional):
• 1 tbsp horseradish
• 4 tbsp of crème fraîche
• salt and pepper
• juice of ½ a lemon

Instructions

1. Heat your oven to 350°/180°.
2. Pour some olive oil on a baking sheet.
3. Take the garlic cloves off of the bulb, and cut a little bit off of the top. Don't peel them. We'll pop them out of their skins easily after roasting. Put the prepared garlic on the baking sheet.
4. Drain the canned tomatoes. Reserve the liquid.
5. Cut the tomatoes in half.
6. Put the tomatoes on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the tomatoes with more olive oil. Season the tomatoes with salt, celery salt, Old Bay, and chili flakes.
7. Roast in oven for 20-30 minutes. The tomatoes are ready when they have started to dry out and get a little bit dark and brown in spots.
8. Remove from the oven. Add the tomatoes to a blender (add to directly to a pot if you have an immersion blender).
9. Let the garlic cool a bit so you can touch it. Pinch the bottom of the garlic and it will shoot up through the top (where you cut before) and it will be easily free from its skin. Add the garlic to the blender.
10. If there are crunchy bits on the baking sheet pour a little stock on them. Use a spatula to scrape them off. Pour the crunchy bits and the stock into the blender. (The crunchy bits are yummy caramelized tomato juices)
11. Add the reserved tomato liquid to the blender. Blend until mostly smooth.
12. Heat the tomato puree in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in 2 cups of stock, the lemon juice, and the Worcestershire sauce.
13. Taste. Too spicy? Add more stock. Not spicy enough? Add Tabasco sauce ¼ tsp at a time.
14. Simmer for 20 minutes so all the flavors can mingle together.
15. While the soup is simmering, prepare the horseradish cream. In a small bowl mix the horseradish, crème fraîche, salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
16. Serve the soup in a bowl, top with a dollop of cream. Pour in a splash of vodka if you like. Garnish with a stalk of celery and a sprinkling of Old Bay.

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This post is part of Our Growing Edge, a monthly blogging event to encourage bloggers to try new food related things. Jules from The Kiwi Diaries is the host for this month’s event.

If you have a blog and you are eating or cooking something new this month, you can get more information here about how to join.

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On Monday I was in Baltimore for the American Alliance of Museums‘ annual conference. Before I get to the recipe, allow me to dork out on museums for a bit. I felt so lucky that I got to attend, because registration is a little expensive by my standards. But, my job is awesome and let our department share time at the conference. It was wonderful to be surrounded by people excited to meet each other and learn about new museums. In the presentations I learned interesting advice to use at some undetermined point in the future, I listened to energizing recollections of first-museum-visits, and I heard inspiring stories  that I could not wait to take back to the office and immediately apply to my current projects. I also had a museum related celebrity sighting. Across a hallway I saw Nina Simon, which I’m sure means nothing to most of you. But if you’re a museum geek then you know she’s kind of great and well-known. And so I saw her and in my head was all, “gasp! It’s Nina Simon!” But I couldn’t think of anything to say except for, “I read your book,” so I left her alone to enjoy the conference. And overall it was awesome. Three years ago I left my home base to move to New York and get a degree in Museum Studies, and so it felt gratifying to actual be a professional, with an actual job, who can actually use the information I learn. Awesome.

But enough about museums. Another reason Monday was great was because I was in Baltimore. I love Baltimore. Baltimore is my  hometown. I grew up just north of the city. I attended school in Baltimore for 11 years. I celebrated birthdays and rang in many New Years at the Inner Harbor. I root for the Ravens, no matter where I’ve lived. And I got married in Baltimore. I’ve always had an affinity for Baltimore, but I’ve become a little crazier in the last few months. My parents recently moved to Connecticut, and as a result I’ve become a bit nostalgic for my younger days and a little fierce about holding on to my Baltimore identity.

And one of the ways I identify with Baltimore is through food – both the good and the less-good. To start with the less-good, Ryan and I were in North Carolina last month at a beer festival, when a giant Natty Boh (National Bohemian) mascot walked by. “I NEED A PICTURE!!!” I yelped. I ran after him, pushed through the crowds and made Ryan snap a picture. There’s a drunk weirdo in the background, but it’s my picture with an “important” Baltimore icon. I also love Berger cookies, which if you haven’t had one, you should drive to Baltimore and try it now. Unless you don’t like chocolate, then you probably have larger problems to deal with. Also, if you live in Arlington, the Italian store on Lee Highway sometimes sells them. Basically Berger’s are short bread cookies drenched in creamy chocolate fudge. Sounds awesome right? I was recently at my 10-year high school reunion and a server came out with a plate and the alumni swarmed and devoured. Ryan looked me like, “they’re good, but they’re not that good.”

But what Baltimore is best known for, is Old Bay and crab cakes. Old Bay is my go-to spice. Last week I was helping my friend Charlotte prepare dinner and we had this conversation:

Charlotte: I have all these fancy spice mixes. What should I put on the tater tots?

Me: Old Bay

Charlotte: That’s not one of the fancy spices. But ok.

I will put Old Bay on lots of things. Broccoli, french fries, eggs. I’ve even been pondering a way to make my own recipe for Old Bay steamed shrimp sushi. So, as I left Baltimore and drove home, I wanted to hold on to the day’s good feelings. I decided to make some crab cakes with lots of Old Bay. Isn’t Ryan lucky that my whims and nostalgia result in crab cakes?

Now, just like when you make burgers or meatloaf or sauce, it’s all about the balance of seasonings. And so below is what I did, and what I thought tasted good. Feel free to change the proportions or leave things out as it appeals to your tastes. The great things about crab meat though is that when you buy it at the grocery store it general comes in the tin and it’s already steamed. I recommend mixing the crab and seasonings first then do a taste test. If you like it, move on to adding the eggs and bread crumbs. If you don’t like it, add until you get a flavor you like. Without further ado, here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 pound crab meat

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 – 1 1/2 tsp of Old Bay

1 tbsp mustard powder

1 1/2 tsp dried parsley (you could use fresh too)

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp mayonnaise

1 egg beaten

2+ tbsp bread crumbs

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl mix crab meat, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Old Bay, mustard powder, parsley, salt and mayonnaise together. Once it’s thoroughly mixed do a taste test.

2. Mix in the egg and 2 tbsp bread crumbs. If it seems too liquidy add more bread crumbs one tbsp at a time. What you want is a patty that will hold together well when you put it in the pan and when you flip it. You can add a lot of bread crumbs, but it’s a crab cake, so obviously you want it to be more crabby. If you think it’s getting too dry, you can add some more mayo.

3. Form patties. I made 5 big ones and 1 small one.

4. If you have time, let the patties set in the fridge for 20 minutes.

5. Heat a pan on medium. Fry until golden brown on each side. This takes less than 10 minutes total. You can also broil them in the oven until golden brown. If you’re feeling like your patties are still too sticky, you can lightly coat each side with flour. Just put a tbsp of flour on a plate and plop the patty on the plate. This will help the patty dry out a bit and stick together in the pan.

Messy Level: Low. The only messy part is making the patties because it makes your hands sticky. But, it takes very few dishes and utensils to make so there’s  little clean up after.

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