S'mores in a Minute

     Do you ever get so hungry that you need a snack NOW????   You know, like when your blood sugar is dropping or it's that time of the month...That's how I felt recently and just had to have something chocolate!  So I started digging through the snack drawer and figured out a shortcut to make s'mores.  The whole process took about a minute.  What could be simpler?

This is all you need:

2 graham crackers
mini marshmallows
hazelnut spread

 

 

 

Put marshmallows on one side of a graham cracker.

 

 

                           Melt the marshmallows in the microwave for 10-20 seconds.

Remove plate from microwave and spread the hazelnut spread on the 2nd graham cracker.  Put that cracker over the melted marshmallows.  It's okay if you break the graham cracker like I did...

 

 

You end up with a gooey, delicious s'more...  This is a great after school snack the kids can make for themselves! 

Crab Stew

    
What to do with leftover boiled crabs?  Make crab stew!  It's basically a tomato gravy.  Of course, it wouldn't be Cajun without a little roux in it. 

 

Onions and bell peppers

Rest of ingredients

 

3 Tablespoon roux
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 can tomato sauce
8-12 ounces frozen tomatoes
1 chopped bell pepper
1 chopped onion
2 cups water
boiled crabs
season to taste

To prepare crabs: Take everything off of bodies like legs, shell, etc.

Brown bell pepper and onion in a little oil on medium fire.  Add can of tomato sauce and sugar.  Let cook about 15 minutes.  Add roux, water, and frozen tomatoes.  Let cook 30 minutes.  Add crabs.  Don't season until after you add crabs and taste. Gravy will be thin. 

I heat the crabs just until warm.  If you cook them too long in the gravy, the crabmeat will be mushy inside.  I prefer it to be firm meat, but either way is okay depending on your taste.  Serve over cooked rice.

Words of wisdom- there are NO neat ways to eat these crabs...  Just be prepared with PLENTY of paper towels!

Bread Pudding

     This is a wonderful way to use the extra bread you have hanging around your house.  I have used hamburger and hot dog buns, sliced bread, etc.  Of course, it is delicious with French bread.   Give it a try and see if you like it.  We even eat this for breakfast sometimes!



Bread Pudding


8-9 cups bread, cut into 1" cubes
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 cups milk (I used whole)
5 tablespoons butter
3 eggs
1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)


Cinnamon-Sugar Topping

1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon


Put cubed bread in large bowl.  Mix all ingredients together in different bowl until blended.  Pour liquid over bread as shown.  Stir until bread is covered in liquid. You can let the mix soak for about 5 minutes, but I prefer to put it right into a baking pan.  This recipe will make a 13 x 9 pan (spray with cooking spray).  Sprinkle top with cinnamon-sugar topping and bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.  I like the top to be a little crunchy!

 

 

 

 

Bread pudding can be eaten like this or on the side  add vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or top it with a caramel sauce. 

Enjoy!

Shrimp Season

    Shrimp season recently opened here...looks like it's going to be a good one!

Husband went shrimping with friend- came home with

 three ice chests full of beautiful Louisiana shrimp!

 

 

 

 First, we rinsed them while they were in the ice chest and let the water drain out. Next we had to take the heads off of ALL of this shrimp before we packaged them for the freezer.

 

My mother-in-law told me how to package them like this.  After taking the heads off of the shrimp, use a four cup measuring cup, fill with shrimp and pour that into a one quart Ziploc bag.  Seal it and then put that bag into another quart size bag.  (It's called double-bagging.)

Now that my freezer is full, I can start thinking of how I will cook them.  There are so many possibilities!  I will be sharing recipes soon....

Louisiana Boiled Crabs

     It's that time of year again...boiled crabs from Louisiana!  My husband went with a friend to the Vermilion Bay in south Louisiana the other day and came home with about three dozen crabs. That's enough for about three people....what can I say, we LOVE our seafood!

 

Don't they look delicious?

 

Here's the recipe:

3 dozen crabs
1/4 jar of Zatarain's Crab Boil
1 box salt
whole potatoes and onions - optional

Put water in a LARGE pot (fill about 1/2 way) and add seasoning.  I would add the potatoes and onions now.  How much depends on how many people you are serving.  I put three potatoes and three onions (one potato and one onion for each person).   Cover pot with lid.  On high heat, bring to boil.  When steam is coming out of the top, add crabs. Once the water comes to a boil again, cook the crabs for a full twenty minutes.  Drain the water or take the crabs out with tongs.    That's it!

 

I call these the necessities!  Oops, forgot the potatoes...

Another necessity down here: This boiling pot has a basket inside - fuel is a bottle of propane.

 

Note: If you only have a dozen to boil, you can boil them in a large pot on the stove.  That works too!

 

 

 

All things considered, this is a pretty healthy dinner...Enjoy!

Vacation Over

     My vacation has come to and end, so it's back to work.  I have been very blessed to have the opportunity to spend three weeks with my son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren on the east coast!  My son is active military (Army), still stateside. 

     My husband and I flew there, he stayed a week and had to fly back.  I decided to stay an extra two weeks while the kids were on summer break from school.  We did quite a bit while we were all together....the aquarium, the zoo, the beach.  My son and my husband got to do some fishing, caught a few fish too.  The Carolina's are beautiful!

The Aquarium

 

 

The Zoo

 

 

The Beach

 

     After my husband flew home, our big project was to get the youngest grandchild potty trained!  By the time I left, she was doing pretty well during the day.  Night training will come a little later.

     My oldest granddaughter had a list of things she wanted to do while I was there....  It included baking (she has been baking with me since she was able to sit on the counter next to me), she wanted to show me how to crochet, how to make friendship bracelets, etc. 

     We all played games, had a tea party, planted flowers, went to the park and the library.  Played in the sprinkler outside, watched movies, rode bikes.  How much fun can we cram into these three weeks!  These are the things we used to always do when they lived nearby. 

     My grandson is interested in the Avengers (and any other superhero) and Lego's.   I am so glad there are movies like that available to him.  All children need heroes to look up to!

     Saying goodbye is always hard.  My granddaughter held my hand on the way to the airport.  Don't cry.....

     I am so used to them living in the same town.  It's been an adjustment the past couple of years to have them far away.  Skype has been a godsend.  That and the fact that my Navy son is stationed here in Louisiana-  He couldn't come with us on  this trip. I do get to see him about every other weekend though!  It seems like my sons take turns living here...LOL. One moves away, the other comes back.

     The life of a military family.....

    

    


    



    

Eggplant Dressing

    One of our favorite side dishes is rice dressing.  There is a twist to that recipe if you want something with a little different flavor.  When the garden starts supplying us with more eggplant than I know what to do with, I add it to my rice dressing! 

    I am always looking for ways to sneak vegetables into our diet.  Because the eggplant is chopped so fine, no one will know it's in there!  

    I love to serve this with baked chicken (or fried), but you could serve it with whatever meat you choose.

Eggplant Dressing

1 lb. Savoie's Dressing Mix
1-2 cups eggplant - peeled and chopped
1 cup water
1-2 cups cooked rice

Put eggplant in a food processor and chop fine.  Add dressing mix and eggplant to large pot. Add water. Let cook approx. 20-30 minutes.  Add more water if needed.  Mix in rice, let heat a few minutes and serve.

Enjoy!

Note:  I will be on vacation for the rest of July.  I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!  See you in August...