Baked Mini-Crab Cakes

The biggest problem with this recipe is that I only made one batch.  They disappeared faster than my kitten when the vacuum starts up.  So I'm told.  I'm not really sure where the vacuum is.  All right, truth is faster than I disappear when the vacuum starts up.

I didn't make the ones in the picture.  I don't have time for such pretty food.  I put a garlic aioli in my friend's mini-wine glass and served the cakes around it.  For that dipping sauce I just whisked together some light mayonnaise, a minced garlic clove, some lemon juice, and a splash of hot sauce.

You don't really need to chill the recipe for 30 minutes, but I like to make things ahead.  I did up to this step and brought it to my Fourth of July luxury BBQ (at Bob & Diana's, Coleen) and baked it there.  

Baked Mini-Crab Cakes

olive oil for sautéing

1/2 onion, diced

1/2 mild banana chili pepper, diced

1 Tbsp. capers

a few dashes Worcestershire sauce

a few pinches Old Bay

1 can crab

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1 small spoonful Dijon mustard

some nice chives from the kitchen garden, chopped

1 egg

Sauté onion, pepper, capers, Worcestershire, and Old Bay until onions are soft.  

Remove from heat and let cool.

In a pretty bowl, toss the crab with the breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, chives, and egg.

Add the cooled onion mixture to the crab mixture.

Cover and chill.

Scoop into greased mini-muffin tins.

Bake for 15 minutes until they start looking golden brown.

Make it a meal:  Serve ahead of you friend's marinated grilled chicken and pasta salad with side salad of cucumbers and tomatoes.

Wine:  Chardonny all the way.

Mini Mocha Muffins

So I'm having more fun with my mini muffin pan.  This time it's chocolate.  These darling bite-sized treats are wonderful.  Mix up a batch or two, since they freeze nicely.  Pop them out as company comes by.  You'll be the diva with the most-est.

And apparently, as you are mixing the egg and butter, if you put it all in the microwave to soften the butter a little and the egg solidifies a bit, it's still okay!  These came out great.

Mini Mocha Muffins

1/3 cup coffee

1 package quick-cooking oats

3 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking cocoa

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda


1/2 cup  chocolate chips

In a pretty mixing bowl, smoosh butter and sugars. 
Stir in egg yolk and vanilla. 
Stir in oats and coffee. 
Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda. 
Stir in chocolate chips.  
Fill greased miniature muffin cups three-fourths full. 
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or so.

Make it a meal:  Serve after a lovely brunch of Mini Frittatas (see recipe) and Chicken Meatloaf Muffins (See Recipe).

Wine:  Cabernet Sauvignon

                             

Easy Shrimp Puffs

 I could live on appetizers.  I just love eating tiny, bite-sized things.  These are just lovely and, as the title suggests, easy.  Divas like easy. 

They are best warm and they freeze well. 

Easy Shrimp Puffs

1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rounds

1 cup monterey jack cheese

1 scallion, chopped finely

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

a few dashes garlic powder

1/2 pound baby shrimp, cooked

Spray a miniature muffin tin with cooking spray.




Take each biscuit and split in thirds.

Press the biscuit pieces onto the bottom and up the sides of the miniature muffin tin.


In a small bowl mix the cheese, scallions, mayonnaise, garlic, garlic powder, and shrimp.



Place one tablespoon of the shrimp mixture atop of each biscuit.

Bake for 20 minutes or until shrimp puffs are golden.

Remove from pan. Sprinkle with a dash of dried parsley and serve.

Make it a meal:  Serve ahead Shrimp Burritos (see recipe).

Wine:  Chardonnay, unless you are serving these for brunch.  In that case, make it Champagne!

Shrimp Burrito

I modified this from a Taste of Home recipe.  I didn't think I could eat this like a burrito and not make a gooey mess, but I did!  Divas don't like gooey messes.  It interferes with the allure of their jewelry. 

That's why divas like bite-size finger food so much!

Beware!  These are very filling.  I couldn't finish one.  Another good reason to have a good man around--he cleans up the leftovers.
Shrimp Burrito

1 can cream of asparagus soup


3 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup milk 

1/4 teaspoon paprika 

1/4 teaspoon pepper 

1/8 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning

1 pound cooked medium or large shrimp

4 flour wheat tortillas (10 inches), warmed 

1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used a Mexican mix)


a big handful of fresh spinach

In a large skillet, combine the first six ingredients. 
Cook and stir over medium heat until cream cheese is melted and blended. 
Stir in shrimp; heat through. 
Add the spinach and cook until wilted.
Sprinkle each tortilla with some cheese. 
Spoon some filling on top of the cheese. 
Fold sides and ends over filling and roll up. 

Make it a meal:   Just add wine.  Maybe some Spanish rice, if you must.

Wine:  Chardonnay

Italian Chicken Atop Chickpeas

 This dish is low carb and so filling, it is everything a diva adores.  It all cooks on one pan.  Clean-up for my man is a cinch!

Italian Chicken Atop Chickpeas

1 pound chicken breast tenders  

dash  salt & pepper

dash paprika


1 tablespoon olive oil  

1/2   onion, sliced

1-2 garlic cloves, minced

1 glass white wine 

1 can chickpeas, drained 

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained

Fresh spinach



Season chicken with salt, pepper, and paprika.
Saute in olive oil.
Add onions and garlic.
When those are soft, add the wine.
When you are ready add the chickpeas and tomatoes.
As chicken finishes cooking, add the fresh spinach.


Make it a meal:  Good to go as is!


Wine:  Savignon Blanc

Chicken with Goat Cheese

This is a pretty great dish with minimal effort.  Goat cheese always adds a touch of elegance to any entree.  That and a bottle of wine that costs more than $10.  And since I'm an Irish diva whose man is a potato head, orzo is a welcome respite from the spud!

Chicken with Goat Cheese

1/3 cup olive oil

3 pinches parsley

2 pinches crushed red pepper

3 heaping spoonfuls goat cheese

4 boneless chicken breasts, split horizontally or smashed flat

orzo, cooked

Mix the olive oil, parsley, pepper, and goat cheese in a pretty bowl; set aside.
Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Cook chicken in olive oil until cooked through, 2-3 minutes per side.
Serve with orzo topped with goat cheese mix.

Make it a meal:  Serve with steamed broccoli unless you consider parsley a green vegetable.  Depending on how much time I want to put into dinner, sometimes I do.

Wine:  Chardonnay at any price

Jalapeno Popper Spread

My friend Karyn brought a version of this over for our no book Book Club.  I couldn't keep my fingers out of it.  Addicting!  This diva likes a little pop and this spread does not disappoint.  There is only a few ingredients and you don't have to bake it--the microwave works fine for this recipe.  This will heat things up when that unexpected guest comes over. 

Jalapeno Popper Spread

2 bricks low-fat cream cheese

1 cup low-fat mayonnaise 

2 oz. jalapenos, chopped

1 can green chilies, chopped

1 cup Parmesan cheese

Stir everything together except the Parmesan.
Put the Parmesan on top last and microwave for about 3 minutes.
Serve with crudites or crackers.

Make it a meal:  Serve ahead of Spicy Beef (see recipe) and steamed broccoli.

Wine:  Rose