BETTY'S CHESAPEAKE BAY CRAB CAKES

When we lived in Virginia Beach on an inlet from the Chesapeake Bay, we could - and did - catch blue crabs right off our dock.  While they made great eating just boiled with Old Bay seasoning, they were even better made into crab cakes.  I mean real crab cakes with lots of lump crab meat and very little else.  Here's my recipe:

CHESAPEAKE BAY CRAB CAKES


1lb.  backfin crabmeat
4  tablespoons fine, dry breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
I cup mayonnaise
I teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
4 tablespoons red pepper, finely chopped and sautéed in 1 
   tablespoon butter until softened
1 tablespoon lemon juice
6 drops Tabasco, or to taste
1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

1 to 1½ cups Panko bread crumbs

Oil for frying

In a medium sized bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, parsley, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper, lemon juice, Tabasco and Old Bay and then fold the crabmeat in gently.

Dip in Panko  

.
Form into 6 cakes and fry for about 5 minutes on each side or until nicely browned. You may also make these an hors d'ouevre by using just 2 tablespoons of the mixture per cake.

(Leftovers reheat beautifully and they can be frozen)

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Mom's Meatloaf (Quick and Easy)

Mom's Meatloaf-A family favorite for more than 50 years!

1 lb. ground beef or beef and pork mixture
2 slices bread, crusts removed and cut or torn into small pieces
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup diced onion
1/2 teaspoon each: pepper, dry mustard, celery salt and garlic salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Ketchup

Combine milk, egg and seasonings in a small bowl, stir in onion and add bread cubes.  Stir to combine.
Add to meat and mix gently.
Shape into loaf and transfer to a small roasting pan.
If desired, make indentations and fill with ketchup.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

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Caeser Salad (Revised)

Betty's Favorite Caesar Salad

This is our favorite Caesar Salad dressing. Perhaps not entirely authentic, but it works for us!

1 egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon anchovy paste, or 3-4 anchovy fillets
1 clove garlic, grated
4 or 5 drops fresh lemon juice
4 or 5 drops Worcestershire Sauce
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano plus a few shards grated
Freshly ground black pepper
Garlic Croutons


Place all ingredients except olive oil and cheese in a mini-processor and blend for a few seconds. Add the olive oil and blend to combine.
Toss with chopped Romaine Lettuce. Add grated cheese and toss. Add croutons and freshly ground black pepper and toss. Top with shards of Parmigiano. Enjoy!


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