Tartar Sauce

1/3 cup plain nonfat yogurt (or 1/4 cup plain Greek-style nonfat yogurt)

2 Tablespoons mayonnaise

1 scallion, finely chopped (use white and green parts)

1/4 cup finely chopped sour pickles

1 Tablespoon chopped capers

If using regular nonfat yogurt, line a strainer with paper towels and set strainer over a bowl.

Spoon yogurt into the strainer and let it drain and thicken for approximately 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients.  Stir to combine.

Note:  This sauce tastes even better the next day. You may keep this sauce in the fridge in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

This recipe is from Ellie Krieger's "The Food You Crave" cookbook.

Baked Crab Cakes

One of my favorite things to order when I go out to eat are crab cakes, but so many times the cakes are actually more "filler" than they are crabmeat. I discovered this recipe for these delicious crab cakes in Ellie Krieger's "The Food You Crave" cookbook. 

These have quickly become one of my favorites and I think that they will be yours, too! Please don't be intimidated by the number of ingredients -- they are so simple and your family will be so impressed!

**** In photo above, those are sliced red pepper strips in the front of the picture that I had bought on sale and previously frozen.

cooking spray

1 large egg, beaten

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Dash of hot sauce (I use Texas Pete)

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1 scallion, finely chopped (use the white and green parts)

1 pound lump crabmeat

3/4 cup plain dry bread crumbs

1/4 teaspoon salt

pinch of black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, mix together the egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce,lemon juice, hot sauce and Old Bay seasoning.

Stir in the diced red bell pepper and scallions.

Pick over the crabmeat and discard any shells or cartilage.

Gently fold in the "clean" crabmeat, 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs, salt and pepper into the previous mixture.

Stir until well combined.

Put the remaining 1/2 cup of dry breadcrumbs in a shallow dish.

Divide the crab mixture into 8 even portions.  Shape each of the portions into a round and roll in the dry breadcrumbs to coat evenly.

Transfer the 8 crab cakes to the prepared baking sheet and flatten each cake to form a patty about 1 inch in thickness.  Spray each cake with a little cooking spray.

Bake until golden brown on the bottom, approximately 10 minutes. Gently flip the cakes over and cook until the second side is golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

Serve hot with Tartar Sauce or Cocktail Sauce, whichever you prefer.

Note: The recipe for this delicious lower fat Tartar Sauce follows in the post below!

Broccoli and Rice Casserole

1 onion, chopped

1 stick butter or margarine

2 pkgs. frozen chopped broccoli, cooked

1 small jar Cheez Whiz

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup milk

1 cup Minute Rice

Saute chopped onion in butter in skillet.

Cook chopped broccoli according to directions and drain well.

Place butter and sauteed onions in large mixing bowl. Add drained broccoli, Cheez Whiz and cream of mushroom  soup.

Stir together until well combined.

Add milk, rice and water and mix thoroughly.

Pour into casserole dish.

Bake covered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove cover and continue to bake approximately 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. 

Squash Casserole

4-5 yellow squash, sliced (approx. 3 cups of cooked squash)

1 large onion, chopped 

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup cheese

Approximately 10 saltine crackers, crumbled

3/4 cup milk

2 eggs

1 Tablespoon butter

Slice squash into thin slices.

Chop onion.

Place squash and onion in skillet with 3 Tablespoons of water. 

Cook squash, covered, until squash and onion are both tender.

Drain squash and onion and place in large mixing bowl.

Add crumbled crackers, eggs, milk, butter and salt.

Mix all ingredients together well.

Pour mixture into casserole dish.

  

Cover with cheese.

Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Mimi's Note:  Can also add some shredded cheddar cheese inside the casserole, too, if desired.

Southern Buttermilk Cornbread

My husband is a huge cornbread lover and I, on the other hand, was not a big fan of cornbread growing up. Needless to say, it was necessary for me to learn to make Buttermilk Cornbread if we were to stay married for any length of time.  I am happy to report that I did learn to make it and we are still together -- soon to be 31 years!

After many times of trial and error, this is the recipe that will put a smile on my southern man's face every time!

2 cups Self-Rising Cornmeal

1/4 cup oil  

1 egg

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 1/3 - 1 1/2 cup buttermilk (to desired consistency)

2  Tablespoons oil to grease skillet

*** NOTE:  To be TRULLY southern, replace the oil with bacon drippings -- both to grease the skillet, as well as in the cornbread mix itself!

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Put approximately 2 Tablespoons oil in cast iron skillet and place in oven to preheat.

Mix first 4 ingredients together.

Add buttermilk.

Stir until well combined. (Will be about the consistency of pancake batter.)

Remove preheated skillet from oven and tilt skillet to allow oil to coat bottom and sides of iron skillet well.

Pour batter into hot skillet.  (Skillet will sizzle as batter is poured in.)

Bake in 425 degree oven for 20 - 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and invert onto serving plate.

 

Rub butter all over top of cornbread until melted.

Slice and serve. 

My family loves it with honey.  (This is one of my taste testers.)