Pesto Sauce

Pesto Sauce

Ingredients:

3 cups Basil leaves (or spinach)

¾ cups olive oil

2-3 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons pine nuts (or walnuts)

¾ cup Parmesan or Romano cheese, grated

4 tablespoons butter, softened

Directions:

1.     Wash basil leaves and pat dry.

2.     Place in a food processor or blender.

3.     Add olive oil, garlic, nuts, and cheese.

4.     Process with short on/off bursts, scraping down sides with a spatula until mixture is smooth

5.     Cut butter into pieces and add to mix. Process until incorporated.

6.     Warm on stove or in microwave and serve over pasta (fettucini or linguini).

** Thanks Anthony Borelli!!!!!

Crab Cakes

Crab Cakes

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Mayonnaise

2 eggs, beaten

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

½ pound lump crabmeat (I get it at Costco, very good)

½ pound uncooked large (31-40 count) shrimp, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

5-6 sun dried tomatoes, chopped (if they come in oil, rinse it off)

¾ cup breadcrumbs (seasoned or plain, your preference)

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350F.

   Combine the first five ingredients with a whisk until smooth.

Add the shrimp, crabmeat, bell pepper, and sun-dried tomatoes and fold in until well blended.

Finally, add the breadcrumbs and mix until even. You may want to add more or less, depending how “wet” you want the cakes. Form into patties about 3” round by ¾” thick. You should get around 10-12 cakes. 

    Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet on medium high. Brown the cakes in batches on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.

    Move them to a baking sheet (spray lightly with cooking spray first) and bake for 8-10 minutes. Serve with fresh lemon juice and horseradish sauce (Boars Head rocks!).

Notes:

1. Of course, fresh crabs are best, but the season is too short. 

2. I make them with 100% crabmeat sometimes when I'm in the mood.

3. I've made them with a layer of panko on the outside also. Awesome!!
4. I am now making them with a beautiful remoulade sauce I found the   
    recipe for. I am posting that as a separate recipe

Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

8 slices bacon

2 lbs. Cubed Butternut Squash (One good size squash)

1 ½ lbs. cubed sweet potatoes (3 good size ones)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 carrot, thinly sliced

4-5 cloves garlic, diced

1 ½ tablespoons diced sage

2 teaspoons nutmeg

1 ½ tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon pepper

2 tablespoons sugar

6 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 ½ cups heavy cream

Directions:

    In a deep soup pot, cook the bacon to well done and remove with a slotted spoon to a plate with paper towels.  Crumble the bacon.

    To the rendered drippings, add the butternut squash and sweet potatoes and cook on medium-high heat until they start browning and get soft, about 7 minutes. I usually split the bacon into the pot and a large fry pan, cook the squash in one after the bacon, and the sweet potatoes in the other, then add them together after they soften. It's easier.   

    Add in the onion, carrot, bacon, garlic, sage, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and sugar. Cook for another 4-6 minutes.

     Puree the mix using an immersion blender or a food processor. If you use a food processor, you may have to do it in batches. 

    Add the chicken broth and heavy cream and stir in until you reach a smooth consistency.

   Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, making adjustments with salt and/or sugar according to taste. Some folks like to garnish with parsley, diced green onions, and/or a drizzle of heavy cream.

    Serve with sliced baguette.