Easy Crab Salad
Crab salad is great by itself, on a roll, or in a wrap. The best part is, it's easy to make and can be varied.
Ingredients:
- 1 package crab meat (found at the seafood in the grocery store)
- 1 large cucumber, sliced and quartered
- 1 box grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 2-3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon olive oil (optional)
- 1 tablespoon chives
- 1/2 -1 teaspoon dill
- 1-2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
Mix the mayo, olive oil, dill, salt, chives, and pepper together. Then toss in the crab, cucumber, and cherry. Toss well, and serve by itself or in a roll or on top of some lettuce.
This can also be made into a spread. Instead of chopping, simply combine all ingredients (except the tomatoes) in a food processor and blend together. Then use as a spread or a dip. Another way to make this is add chopped celery or take away the cucumber and use celery in its place.
No matter how its made, it is a good summer recipe and great for entertaining.
Halloween Rice Krispie Treats
This is a fun way to add Halloween color and character to rice krispie treats for a party.
Ingredients:
- 1 box of Rice Krispy Cereal
- 1-2 bags of miniature marshmallows
- 2-4 tablespoons butter
- 3-4 drops orange food coloring
- 2-3 drops black food coloring
- 1 cup candy corn (optional)
- 1 cup orange sprinkles (optional)
- Orange or Black Frosting (optional)
Directions:
Prepare two batches of the rice krispie treats as directed on the box in two separate pots. While stirring in the rice krispies add orange food coloring to one and black to the other. Mix well. If desired add candy corn or sprinkles into the mixes, or mix it up. Turn one set into pumpkin, cat, or vampire faces.
No matter how it looks, it will taste great and be a wonderful addition to any Halloween table.
Squash and Zucchini Casserole
This casserole is great for summer or for a holiday side dish. For anyone who plants squash and is looking for a good casserole recipe, this one is for you.
Ingredients:
2-3 large zucchini's, washed, dried, cut into slices and then cut in half
4 summer squash (2-3 if they are large), washed, dried, cut into slices and cut in half
1 box of stove top stuffing for turkey or chicken (or even sage or cornbread)
2-3 cups cheese
1/2-1 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons butter
1-2 tablespoon seasoned salt
1/2 tablespoon pepper
Directions:
- Heat oven to 350.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Once melted, add half of the squash into the pan and sprinkle with 1/2 the seasoned salt (stir occasionally). After 12-15 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened, drain using a strainer (a noodle one will do. Then pour into a large casserole dish. Repeat this step with the second batch of squash, butter, and seasoned salt.
- While the second batch of vegetables cook, pour the bag of stove top stuffing into a food processor and finely chop.
- Once all the squash is in the dish, add pepper, cheese, sour cream, and 1/3 of the stuffing. Stir together well. Then add the remaining stuffing on top, and cook for 30 minutes.
This is a great summer or autumn side dish. If desired, add onions or celery to the stuffing or even chopped apples with some olive oil or apple cider vinegar.
Sweet Honey Tea
I know this recipe is probably out there, but here is my simple recipe for some good southern honey sweet tea.
Ingredients:
2-3 family size tea bags
1 1/2-2 cups sugar, more if desired (but don't go too crazy because it could get syrupy)
Honey
Directions:
Place tea bags in a large pasta pot of water and bring to a boil. Let boil for 10-12 minutes, then turn to low and add the sugar to taste. Let sit for about 5 minutes then take out the tea bags and turn off the heat. Add 1/4-3/4 cup honey (just depends on taste preference), and stir. Let cool for an hour in the pot, then pour into a large enough pitcher filled halfway with ice, and let sit for another hour on the counter. Once it has cooled off, place in the fridge and let chill till ready to serve (it's good hot as well).
For a fall honey tea, add a packet of apple cider to the tea after it boils and stir till dissolved. Then place 2 cinnamon sticks into the pot while it is still hot.
Stuffed Sweet Potato Apples
Okay, so Autumn is a ways out (almost 2 months out), but yesterday was one of those rainy, cool (75 degrees) summer days that made me think of the coming of autumn. As I stared at my newly planted and hopefully soon to be large pumpkin patch, the want for something with the flavor of autumn came to mind. With a sweet potato and apple, this is what I came up with:
Ingredients:
- 4 Macintosh or Braeburn apples, cored to the middle (not all the way through) with about a teaspoon to tablespoon size hole cut out at the top
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup molasses or honey
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon, plus some for sprinkling
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4-1/2 cup walnuts or chopped pecans
Directions:
 |
| Stuffed Apple |
- Preheat oven to 350. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a square baking dish.
- Bring potatoes to a boil in a large pot, until softened. Then mash in a small to medium mixing bowl. Add 1-2 tablespoons butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, half the brown sugar, half of the nuts, and half of the molasses or honey. Mix together till blended.
- Place the remaining butter inside each of the apples, along with some of the brown sugar. Then stuff the apples a teaspoon at a time with the sweet potato mix until filled. Sprinkle the remaining nuts on top, along with the molasses or honey, and brown sugar. For some added flavor, take a few pinches of cinnamon and sprinkle over the apples.
- Cook for 45 minutes to an hour, until the apple is nice and soft. After 30 minutes of cooking, drizzle some of the melted butter from the dish over the apple skins and continue cooking.
Once they are done, serve with ice cream or whipped cream and a side of apple cider or some tea. This is a great dish to get one in the mood for fall or for an autumn event.
