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Killer App: Maryland-Style Crab Dip

partysugar — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:50:13 -0800

You know I'm a huge fan of dips and for my mom's recent birthday party, I decided to make her this insanely addictive crab dip. She was born in Maryland and loves crab, so when I found the recipe in The New Thanksgiving Table, I knew it would be the perfect start to a dinner that celebrated her. It would also make a nice beginning to any upcoming occasion be it Thanksgiving or a holiday cocktail party. Unlike some crab dips, the natural flavor of the crab is not overshadowed by cheese and mayonnaise. Although these are ingredients in the dip, they don't over power the shellfish, instead they subtly highlight and enhance the plump and meaty chunks of crab. The lemon panko topping adds a deliciously light and crunchy texture to the dip. I'll definitely be making this luscious and easy crab dip again. You should give it a try; get the recipe now and read more.

Warm Maryland Crab Dip With Lemon Panko Topping
Modified from The New Thanksgiving Table by Diane Morgan

Ingredients

For the dip
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions, including green tops
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1 pound fresh lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and well drained
For the topping
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or other unseasoned bread crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
pinch of salt
crostini, for serving

Directions

In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute for about 2 minutes until soft but not browned. Remove from the heat.
Add the cream cheese, cream, mayonnaise, mustard, and lemon juice. Using a rubber spatula, stir to combine, then fold in the green onions, parsley, salt, and Old Bay. Fold in the crabmeat, breaking up any large chunks with a fork. Transfer the crab dip to a shallow baking dish. Set aside.
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425°F.
To make the topping, in a small skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the panko and toast, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes until the crumbs are golden brown and crisp.
Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and salt. Scatter the topping evenly over the crab dip.
Bake until heated through and bubbly at the edges and the topping is golden, 12-15 minutes. Serve warm with the crostini.

Serves 8.

Do ahead: The crab dip, without the panko topping, can be prepared 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before baking. The panko topping can be prepared up to 1 day in advance. Transfer to an airtight container and store at room temperature. Scatter the topping over the crab just before baking.

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On Thanksgiving, Nothing Beats Classic Pumpkin Pie

partysugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:30:43 -0800

As much as I love experimenting with alternative pumpkin desserts like pumpkin layer cake and mini baklava pumpkin tarts, sometimes nothing is better than the beloved standby, classic pumpkin pie. This year I tried out an old-fashioned style recipe.

The delicious crust is flaked with pecans, and the filling is a mixture of pumpkin puree, molasses, and sour cream. The resulting pie is silky with a rich pumpkin flavor that's not too sweet. Rum-spiked whipped cream is an ideal and necessary topping that takes this pie over the edge. To take a look at the recipe, read more.

Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Pie With Pecan Pastry Crust
From The New Thanksgiving Table

Ingredients

For the crust:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and finely ground
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) ice-cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup ice-cold solid vegetable shortening, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons ice water
For filling:
3 1/2 cups or 2 cans (15 ounces each) unsweetened pumpkin puree
7 large eggs, lightly beaten
2/3 cup unsulfured molasses
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups sour cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons milk
sugar for sprinkling
For topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum or one tablespoon pure maple syrup

Directions

Make the crust: Combine the 2 1/4 cups flour, the pecans, salt, and granulated sugar in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Scatter the butter and shortening pieces over the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the sour cream and water and process for a few seconds, just until the dough begins to form. Do not over process. (To make the dough by hand, place the dry ingredients in a large bowl, and use a pastry blender or 2 knives to cut the butter and shortening into the flour mixture. Add the sour cream and ice water, and mix just until the dough comes together and forms a mass.)
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface, gathering all the loose bits, and form into a disk about 1-inch thick. Cut the dough into 2 pieces, wrap each piece in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
Have 2 9-inch pie pans ready. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out 1 piece of dough into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Dust the work surface and dough with a little more flour, as necessary, to keep the dough from sticking. Roll the dough around the rolling pin, lift it over the pie pan, and unroll the dough over the pan. Adjust to center the dough, then press it into place, Trim the excess dough by running a knife around the edge of the pan. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Refrigerate the pie crusts while you make the filling.
To make the filling: in a large bowl, combine the pumpkin, egss, molasses, granulated sugar, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Blend in the sour cream and heavy cream. Whisk until smooth and no white streaks are visible. Set aside.
To assemble the pies, divide the pumpkin filling between the chilled pie shells. Use a pastry brush to brush milk on the edges of the pastry. Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake the pies for about 40 minutes until the filling just begins to puff at the edges and the center no longer jiggles when gently shaken. Turn off the oven and leave the pies, undisturbed, in the oven with the door ajar for 20 minutes. Transfer the pies to wire racks and let cool completely.
Meanwhile make the topping: In a medium bowl, combine the cream, confectioners' sugar, and rum. Using a whisk or electric mixer, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Slice the pies into wedges, top with whipped cream and serve.

Makes two 9-inch pies.

Make ahead: The pie dough can be made, wrapped tightly, and frozen up to 3 weeks in advance. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling it out. The filling can be made up to 1 day in advance. Place in a covered container and refrigerate. The whipped cream can be prepared up to 4 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. The pie is best when baked the day you are planning to serve it.

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Check Out the FitSugar Community Page

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 23:28:51 -0800

Leading a healthy life is always easier when you know you're not going it alone. Strong communities help build strong people. So come and check out the new FitSugar Community. It is vast and varied, offering a little something for everyone.

For all the health foodies, there's the Healthy Recipe Group for sharing and finding recipes that won't break the caloric bank.
If you're all about competition, then join the Race Day Training Group for tips and tales on racing adventures.
Share your personal reviews of fitness gear in Good Gear / Bad Gear.
If you're trying to shed a few pound, join Weight Loss Support for a community of folks facing similar daily challenges.
There's even a group for all you yogis - Yoga Stretch and Tell.

If you can't find a group that addresses your needs, please start your own. Plus there's polls and all sorts of blogs to get lost in or inspired by. Come on over and check it out.

Healthy Ways to Deal With Thanksgiving Leftovers

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:00:37 -0800

Thanksgiving never seems to be a one-day affair, at least not the food part. Properly stored, leftovers can last up to four days, beckoning you to eat more, more, and then some! This Thanksgiving, resist the urge to overindulge by finding healthier alternatives for your T-day leftovers. Here are a few of our ideas - share your own in the comments section below.

Get rid of them. Buy some inexpensive containers before your meal to pack up leftovers for guests and send friends and family home with the most decadent dishes.
Make a healthy salad. Turkey is packed full of protein and tastes great on a salad. Use leftover cranberry sauce to make a healthy dressing - mix a dab with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Make a turkey curry. Turkey is great in a curry because it easily soaks up the flavors of a sauce. Try using turkey instead of the tofu in our Indian-Spiced Chard recipe.

For more healthy leftover ideas, read more.

Make turkey stock. I always like to have broth or stock on hand because it adds a ton of flavor to my cooking and can be the base of a variety of dishes. Storebought broth usually has a ton of added salt, so I think it's best to make your own. Save the carcass of the bird and break it up into a large stock pot, then add mirepoix, garlic, and savory herbs. Cover the entire mixture by at least two inches of water and let simmer for five hours. If the water level falls below the ingredients, add more liquid to the mix. Cool quickly, store in the refrigerator, or freeze.
Use turkey stock to make a delicious soup. Cut up any extra veggies you have leftover from your T-day meal or ingredients, add some barley or brown rice, throw it in your stock, and you've got a simple, tasty soup.
Puree leftover vegetables. Healthy vegetable side dishes are great to have after Thanksgiving, but give them new life and puree them. A veggie puree can be the base of a soup or pasta sauce. Veggie purees can also add moisture to baked goods.
Make an open-faced sandwich. Everybody loves the day after Thanksgiving sandwich. Make your sandwich healthier by only using one slice of bread.

Southern (Indian) Thanksgiving

Yum Community — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:30:42 -0800

This story was written by member courtneyd and comes from the Kitchen Goddess group in the YumSugar Community.

For a few years now I've wanted to try to marry the traditional Southern Indian food my husband grew up enjoying with Thanksgiving as I know it (Southern girl with a love of spice and heat). So this year I did a trial run of a tandoori-style turkey made in the oven.

By next year I hope to build my own tandoor, or at least grill this guy, because it needs a little more heat to crisp up properly. Even so, the meal turned out great! Tandoori turkey, tamarind gravy, creamed saag, masala mashed potatoes, and Whole Foods' naan, which has a slight dinner roll texture, so it works out perfectly for this blended meal. The tamarind gravy was an original creation (that I cannot believe turned out properly, it was sooooo good), and the other recipes were either inspired by or taken directly from The Food of India from Whitecap Books. I love their "food of" series, and my husband is impressed with the Indian recipes.

For the turkey, I followed the instructions from November's Martha Stewart Living to spatchcock a turkey and cooked according to their instructions after marinating for about 7 hours. Not including the marinade time, this meal came together in about 2 hours on a Friday night. Also, we discovered New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc complements Indian food perfectly.

To get her recipes for this Southern Indian feast, keep reading.

What Are Your Thanksgiving Plans?

SavvySugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:30:26 -0800

You may be worried about your stuffing and pumpkin pie recipes or finding a festive Thanksgiving outfit, but airlines, airports and transportation services are gearing up for one of the busiest weeks of the year.

In fact, according to the US Department of Transportation, the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holiday periods are officially the busiest long-distance travel periods of the year. During the six day Thanksgiving travel period, the number of long-distance trips (to and from a destination 50 miles or more away) increases by 54 percent compared to the average number the rest of the year.

Will you be staying put, leaving on a jet plane or driving to your Thanksgiving destination?

Delilicious: Leaf Us Alone Brussels Sprouts

LilSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:30:18 -0800

Your little sprout can help you bake up this healthy side dish for your holiday meal. Chef Lisa Barnes claims, "Although they are one of my favorites, I realize Brussels sprouts are not welcome by many. I think they get a bad rap because they are usually boiled, bland, and still rock hard in the center. Peeling the leaves and discarding the center core makes for an entirely different taste and texture. And yes, you and your kids may even have a new green favorite. Note this takes time and patience, but little hands make great peelers."

For the delicious and kid friendly recipe, just read more.

Leaf Us Alone Brussels Sprouts
From Petit Appetit: Eat Drink and Be Merry

Ingredients

1 pound Brussels sprouts
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil.

Cut off bottom stem or core of each sprout. Carefully peel away the leaves until it becomes too hard to peel. Cut off bottom core again and peel more layers. Continue cutting and peeling until it is too difficult to peel apart.

Place leaves in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice and stir until all leaves are coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir again.

Spread leaves onto prepared baking pan in a single layer. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes, until leaves are cooked and start to crisp with golden edges.

The author, Lisa Barnes, says, "I brought these to the table to peel while my children were having a snack. It must have looked interesting as both my four year old and 18 month old starting peeling, too. I told them they were Brussels Buddies. My son just kept telling his dad 'We’re only eating the skins.' ”

*Makes 6 servings

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Happy Hour: Twilight

partysugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:13:04 -0800

Well, folks, the moment everyone's been waiting for is here. The second movie in the Twilight series, New Moon, finally comes out today. Whether you're dying to see it or excited that the hype surrounding it will die down, there's only one way to celebrate - with a cocktail! Not just any boring old drink, but an aptly named concoction created by one of San Francisco's illustrious bar owners, Jon Gasparini. A couple of weeks ago when Jon (of one of my favorite bars, Rye) tweeted about a new cocktail called Twilight, I knew I needed the recipe.

Jon describes it as having a beautiful color and balance, and I couldn't agree more. The complex gin and Prosecco drink is easy to put together and elegant enough to serve at a Thanksgiving dinner or holiday soirée. To get his recipe, read more.

Twilight
From Jon Gasparini of Rye

Ingredients

3/4 ounce creme de violette
1 1/2 ounces gin
dash orange bitters
dash simple syrup or agave syrup
1 ounce Prosecco or other sparkling wine

Directions

Combine the violette, gin, bitters, and sweetener in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Strain into a chilled Champagne coup and top with the Prosecco.

Makes 1 drink.

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Savory Sight: Gorgonzola, Apple, and Bacon Mac-n-Cheese

Yum Community — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:30:15 -0800

This story was written by member jadenirvana and comes from the Savory Sights group in the YumSugar Community. I made Yum's insanely good mac 'n' cheese recipe in some ramekins my mother in law gave me for creme brulee. The little tart-size dishes made the meal extra cute, and I substituted bacon for walnuts for extra yumminess. The combo of sharp gorgonzola, crisp apples and rich bacon was so good, literally one of the most delish things I've ever tasted, and I never would have thought of it on my own. How do you do it Yum?

Have you eaten an awesome meal? Join the Savory Sights group, upload your photos and a description of the experience, and it could be featured on YumSugar! If you are new to the YumSugar Community, here's a detailed guide to posting to groups.

Happy Hour: Sour-Cherry Gin Slings

partysugar — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:00:24 -0700

A year ago I saw this cocktail in Food & Wine. I wasn't much of a gin drinker, but thought it would be delicious with vodka. I printed the recipe and like many recipes, it was forgotten, left untouched in a stack of recipes I once considered making. Recently, I developed a newfound love for gin and all of a sudden, I couldn't stop thinking about the sour-cherry gin slings.

When a friend asked me to make a specialty cocktail for a party, I jumped at the chance to experiment with gin and cherries. I used New Amsterdam gin and bing cherries, though any variety of spirit and fruit is suitable. The resulting concoction is delicious - it's tart, sweet, and refreshing; easy to drink but potent. If you're not a gin fan, don't worry, it's actually divine in this drink. Get the recipe