Crab Rangoon's...

You know you have something extra special when your Taste Tester's face and body language says it all! Recently I was spending the day baking in the kitchen and staging my food photos. We had a serviceman at the house, he couldn't help but comment on the aroma's as I was cooking & he was moving about room to room working. When I was done...I offered a few food samples to the young man....

As he was leaving, I happened to catch his response through the kitchen window. His body language was all I needed to see....the tilt of his head and his sigh of joy from the taste was all I needed to know that he was very happy with my Crab Rangoon's! Ohhhh, that was sweet, it put a small on my face!
Crab Rangoon's
    from the CattleQueen Cooks at PineCreekStyle

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
• 2 cans of crab meat, drain, rinse & squeeze dry
• 1 small jar of pimentos, drained and rinsed
• 2 stalks of green onions, sliced thin
• 24 large wonton wrappers or 48 small wontons
• 1 small onion, diced & sautéed
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• PineCreek Ranch Seasoning (here) or garlic pepper to taste
• Dash of red pepper, go lightly, you just want a touch of spicy bite

Directions:

1. Saute the chopped onions in a fry pan with butter, PineCreek Seasoning & the Worcestershire Sauce. cook until caramelized and cool
2. Mix all other ingredients together, blending well
3. Prepare the wonton wrappers for filling
4. Fold in the cooked onions to the cream cheese mixture and blend
5. Fill the wonton wrappers with the cream cheese mixture, about 1 heaping tablespoon or so and roll up. (If using the small wrappers, use a teaspoon for measurement and fold in a triangle shape
6. 6. Fry the Rangoon's in a small amount of  hot olive oil on both sides and cool on a paper towel. Keep the Crab Rangoon's hot in a warm oven...then serve. 
7. Use a Chinese hot sauce or sweet & sour of desired for dipping

This is an awesome appetizer.... Or serve as a meal with a side salad.
Full of Amazing Taste & Holiday Style...

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Crab Cakes with Dill Sauce...

I was craving Crab cakes...there was NO fresh crab to be found! SO, I used canned! This recipe turned out awesome! Best yet...everyone was shocked it was canned crab meat!!

These Crab Cakes were excellent!

Crab Cake recipe
2 cans of premium white crab meat packed in water,
 rinsed and squeezed dry
1 tablespoon of dried parsley
2 tablespoons of spicy brown mustard
1/2 teaspoon of Tabasco Chipotle Sauce
1 teaspoon of prepared garlic paste
1 cup of Bread crumbs
1 large egg
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 of red bell pepper, chopped fine
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon of garlic pepper
4 green onions, finely chopped
Olive oil for frying

Mix all ingredients together until blended.

Roll into small balls and flatten slightly for frying.

*These made be made small for appetizers or larger for serving with the main meal.

Adding the bread crumbs before mixing

Blended and ready to roll...

I used a cookie scoop to measure my portions. The balls were placed on squares of foil and then slightly flattened. You may want to place in the fridge to cool before frying. This helps them hold together better.

I gathered several sauces to compliment my guests tastes. I also made one of my favorites...

Cool Cucumber Sour Cream with Chives.

1/2 cup sour cream

 1/2 seedless cucumber

 chopped fine

 1 teaspoon of dill weed & garlic pepper to taste

Fry the crab cakes in olive oil over medium to medium high heat, browning on both sides. Keep cakes in a warm oven until all are cooked & served. You want a light golden brown on each side.

Ready to Serve...

Yummy! Serve at an appetizer or the main meal.

Everyone LOVED these Crab Cakes...
The Perfect Light Dinner Served with Style...

To my wonderful husband...
Happy 40th Anniversary
I LOVE You very much... XXX's & OOO's

"Our Ruby Anniversary"

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Classic Tuna Salad with a Twist...

Who hasn't had Tuna Salad? Oh, there may be a few...but most of us have had the traditional dill pickle tuna salad. Well...this one has a little twist on flavor...Hubby LOVED it!

 Classic Tuna Salad with a Twist...Lunch is served!

Recipe: 
1 can of White Tuna, packed in water, drain and rinse
1 large dill pickle, cut into small chunks
1/2 seedless cucumber, cut into small chunks, save some rounds of cucumber for garnish
1 tablespoon of Cilantro Pesto *(or cilantro paste in a tube mixed with a teaspoon of olive oil)
1/2 cup of mayonnaise with a small squeeze of lime mixed with it
Squeeze of Lime, see mayo above
Garlic Salt & Pepper to taste
1 slice of red bell pepper for salad garnish
Leaves of Lettuce, for the base of the tuna salad
**Toasted garlic chunks for garnishing if desired...

 Mix pickles, cucumber, tuna, cilantro pesto...season with garlic salt & pepper
Then blend in the mayo with lime. Mix well.

I then packed each serving of tuna salad into juice glasses and placed them into the fridge to cool. Cold is better when making a salad mold presentation.

While the tuna salad is getting cold, prepare your salad dish/bowl.
Layer lettuce leaves and place a bell pepper ring on top! 

 YUM...LUNCH is almost ready!

 When the tuna salad is cold, run a table knife around the glass then...

Turn the glass upside down over the bed of lettuce!

 Ta-Dah.....
Top with a cucumber round and garnish with toasted garlic

We loved the cilantro taste added to the Tuna Salad!
 Adding the cucumber with the dill pickle, was perfect....The dill pickle didn't over power the taste! 
The cilantro was mild & complimentary to the salad...
 PERFECT!
Lunch is Served with Style...

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Brown Sugar Beer Braised Salmon...

Last month I posted a salmon dinner. Our good friends had graciously shared their "just caught wild salmon" with us. 
Today I am posting the "rest of the fish"...so to speak! Ha-Ha... 

"There's Eric with Sammie!"

The recipe below is made with a Kentucky Bourbon Ale. 
 (See more info on this fine "Kentucky Bourbon Ale" posted below) 
I love this Ale blend, the taste is awesome. So, I knew it would make a wonderful sauce for the salmon. After I tasted it, I knew it had to be shared!
  Amazingly,... delicious!

**The recipe for "Bourbon Beer Brussels Sprouts" is also posted today. You'll find it in Tastefully Yours; Vintage Recipes. 
A great compliment to the Salmon dinner.

 Bourbon Beer Braised Salmon w/Brown Sugar
Say that one fast three times...LOL

1 Salmon filet (1 1/2 to 2 pounds) 
1 bottle of Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, use 2/3's of the bottle or approx. 8oz's if your bottle is 12 oz's large. (or a beer of your choice)
2 table spoons of brown sugar
1 heaping tablespoon of dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of prepared bacon jam.
It can be found at specialty stores, online or homemade. It is a reduction of brown sugar, onions and bacon cooked into a marmalade/jam compote. We were given jar as a gift from the neighbors.
 I will post my homemade version before the holidays, so keep checking the blog...
3 pieces of bacon, cut into small pieces and cooked, keep bacon fat in the pan
1 tablespoon of butter
Garlic Pepper to taste

In a smal to medium sauce pan, cook the chopped bacon until crisp. Leave the drippings in the pan. Add the bacon jam, turn burner on simmer.
In a small pitcher or bowl mix; the beer, brown sugar, mustard. Mix well, then add to the sauce pan. Next add the butter. Season with the garlic pepper. Cook until blended, doesn't take too long.

 Pour over the salmon steak, there will be excess sauce. Place in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. Then lower the oven to 350 degrees and cook for 3-5 minutes more. Remove salmon from the oven and let rest about 5 minutes before serving.
(Sugar will leave a very slight burnt smell. It's not burnt! But stay close to the oven,  and gently baste in 5 minutes with sauce. Salmon cook quick, so dinner will be ready soon.)  

 Cooked & Resting....

Dinner is served!
I like my husband's style. This was his response at first bite; 
"WoW...this is AWESOME!"

Quote, unquote...

~~~

Here's a statement about Kentucky Ale, from the side of Lexington Brewing Company's Ale container. See their website below!

From the barrels that once held the finest Bourbons in Kentucky, I present to you Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale. Each unique batch originates with handcrafted Kentucky Ale placed in freshly decanted bourbon barrels. Like a fine Bourbon that is aged to maturity in charred white oak barrels, the Ale absorbs the subtle flavors of the vanilla and oak that are so closely associated with the familiar flavor of a Kentucky Bourbon. Before removal, Ale from each barrel is sampled to ensure that the Ale is removed at the right moment, and only the finest batches are released. I hope you enjoy this unique Kentucky beverage, and remember that Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, like most things in life, are best when shared with a friend.

Cheers,

Pearse Lyons

Lexington Brewing Company

Visit their website at:

www.kentuckyale.com

Cheers with Style...

 All photograph's belong to NeeCee :)

The Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale Beer bottle and container are designed and owned by Lexington Brewing Company  

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