Girlfriends and Crab Cakes

“Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.” - Helen Keller

Two of my favorite people in the world are coming to my home for the weekend.

Michele and Barb are staying with me. Though these two woman are not related to me by blood, they are affectionately and respectfully called Aunt by my children.

We are celebrating our 30th. year of friendship. Ours is a sisterly bond that has witnessed the joys, sorrows, successes and failures that a lifetime, any lifetime, goes through. And through it all we have laughed, cried, stomped our feet, raised our glasses and danced to each other's music.

As with any guest in my home I asked both Michele and Barb what they would like to eat and do over the course of 2 days. Michele requested my (as of this moment) World Famous Crab Cakes. Barb requested cocktails in the hot tub on Saturday night. I'm happy that I can accommodate both requests.

Living just outside New York City has its advantages when it comes to interesting things to do and see. I'll fill you in on our weekend escapades later, but for now:

The Good Cook's Crab Cakes (makes 6 large patties or 12 small - serves 4 - 6 people)

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for frying

2 large shallots, minced

1 stalk celery, minced

1 pound lump crab, pick it over to remove any shells

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped fine

1 teaspoon thyme, minced

1 good pinch red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 egg

1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

1 cup fine dry bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

Oil for frying

Melt butter saute pan and add shallots and celery. Saute on low until just soft. Remove from heat, cool and add to crab. Add parsley, thyme, pepper flakes and lemon juice. Toss with hands to combine. Be gentle. You want to keep that Lump Crab Meat lumpy.

In a small bowl whisk together the mayo and egg. Add to the crab mixture. Add 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs. Gently combine.

In a pie plate, place fine bread crumbs. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper.

Scoop up a bunch of crab mixture and make a pattie, keeping it more round than flat - about the size of a tennis ball. Coat with fine bread crumbs and place on wax paper lined cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining crab until done.

Refrigerate for at least one hour or until ready to cook.

In a large skillet heat enough butter and oil (1 part butter to 2 parts oil) to cover the bottom of the pan. When the fat is sizzling, carefully add the crab cakes, one at a time. Don't crowd them. Work in batches if need be. Flatten slightly with your spatula. Cook until golden brown on one side, then turn over and brown the other side (about 3 minutes per side). Serve with a lemon wedge and tartar sauce or a lovely lemon aioli.

Eat these with very close friends while making memories.

A Cook's Notes: Life can't always be about diets. Everyone needs a little fat with the lean, this recipe is one of my favorite ways to get it. I serve these with a simple salad and a nice crusty roll. Add a bottle of your favorite wine and you have a very special meal. Bon Appetite!

Windswept Farm, Teenage Boys and Mixed Green Salad with Roasted Beet Vinaigrette and Warm Goat Cheese Crouton

This weekend I took my 15 year old kidadult and three of his friends to my best friend Michele's farm in Upstate New York. Some of you may recognize the name Windswept Farm from previous posts.

What is it about teenage boys and tractors?

The weather was beautiful, cool and crisp under azure skies. Perfect for working on a farm.

The boys cut greens for my girlfriend's holiday wreath making; an entire hay wagon full!

And I learned something about making evergreen wreaths.

I remained hopeless in the bow tying division. Thankfully for the wreaths and her customers Michele is an expert and had quickly tied up 65! (I helped by handing her wire and scissors)

While Michele and I made wreaths and bows for her local holiday bazaar we talked about the farm, the grape and vegetable harvest, our children and our friendship that has spanned 30 years. I still have a warm feeling today thinking about the last 48 hours spent in the embrace of a lifelong friendship and shared memories.

The boys cleared and leveled a field, rode a 4 wheeler, helped with feeding the horses and generally had the best time four 15 year-olds can have without a video game in sight! Michele's husband proclaimed them excellent farmers and invited them back anytime. He knows free labor when he sees it! Of course it didn't hurt the boys performance that Michele's lovely 15 year old daughter was on hand to be suitably impressed.

What did you do this weekend?

All the wonderful root vegetables are in markets now; parsnips, turnips and beets of every color. These fall harvest vegetables store beautifully over a long period of time so stock up now while they are plentiful and inexpensive. Just keep them in a cool, dark and dry place and you can enjoy their goodness throughout winter.

Mixed Green Salad with Roasted Beet Vinaigrette and Warm Goat Cheese Crouton.

(serves 6)

Four small to medium sized red beets, scrubbed and greens chopped off

Aluminum foil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wrap each beet in foil. Place wrapped beets in shallow roasting pan and fill with water to cover beets halfway. Roast in oven for 1 1/2 hours or until soft when pierced with tip of knife. Remove from water and allow to cool.

When cool enough to handle, unwrap beets and slip the skins off. You may want to wear gloves and cover your work surface with paper to avoid beet stained hands and counters.

Beet Vinaigrette:

2 roasted beets

1 cup olive oil

1/3 cup sherry vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

salt and pepper

Place 2 beets in food processor. Minimally process using on / off pulses. You don't want to puree the beets, just mince. Remove beets from processor and place in medium sized bowl. Replace bowl of processor on machine. With machine running, pour in sherry vinegar and slowing drizzle in olive oil until emulsified. Add honey, pulse. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk into the finely minced beets.

Warm Goat Cheese Croutons:

4 ounce log goat cheese

1 egg white

1/4 cup panko or fresh bread crumbs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Slice goat cheese log into 6 rounds. Dip into beaten egg white, then bread crumbs. Freeze for 15 minutes. Heat oil on medium high in small nonstick frying pan. Quickly add goat cheese rounds and brown each side about 30 to 60 seconds. Turn and brown other side. Remove to plate.

Salad Assembly:

6 cups mixed greens

2 roasted beets, sliced in rounds, then halved to form half moons.

Pine Nuts, toasted (optional)

Arrange 1 cup of greens on 6 salad plates. Arrange a few half moons of beets on top of each salad. Place one warm goat cheese crouton on top of beets. Drizzle all over with (room temperature) roasted beet vinaigrette, top with pine nuts.

A Cook's Notes: This is a lovely luncheon salad when served with a warm, crusty bread. For dinner, serve with roasted chicken, bread and a crisp Riesling. That's what I'm having for dinner tonight!

Women's Weekend and Pumpkin Spiced Donuts

I'm back from another semiannual Women's Wine Weekend (notice there is no H in Wine)...

As usual, a good time was had by all.

Over the years our weekend get-togethers have changed. Just like us.

This is how it should be.

We all change.

Our lives change and the circumstances surrounding our lives change.

The one thing that hasn't changed is the women.

We are a group of women from different backgrounds sharing a lifetime bond of friendship and shared memories.

We laughed, we drank wine, we toasted each other's successes and sympathized with our perceived failures. We made new memories and rehashed some old ones. We once again affirmed our connection to each other.

And of course we made plans for our next Women's Wine Weekend (notice there is no H in wine).

To all the women in my life:

I love you.

I admire you for your place in this world.

You are my strength, my idols, my sisters, my confidantes.

Is there any one woman (or more) in your life whom you just can't imagine life without?

I am making these donuts because they remind me of the women of WWW - they are sweet, a little bit spicy, and I dare only visit them about twice a year...

Pumpkin Spiced Donuts with Maple Cream Frosting: (makes about a dozen plus holes)

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk (if you don't have it readily available, make your own with 1/2 cup milk and 2 teaspoons vinegar - white or apple cider vinegar - let stand 5 minutes

1/4 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon each: nutmeg, allspice, ginger and cloves (or use 2 teas. pumpkin pie spice)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3 cups flour* plus more for cutting donuts and dusting pan

vegetable oil for frying

Whisk egg and egg yolk together, then add pumpkin, sugars, buttermilk, and butter, whisking after each addition.

Stir in spices and baking powder, salt and baking soda.

Whisk in flour 1 cup at a time to form a sticky dough.

Cover and freeze for 15 minutes.

Pour about 2 inches vegetable oil in frying pan and heat to about 350 degrees.

Turn half of the donut dough out on floured board and pat out with your floured hands to about 1/2 inch thick. With floured round cookie cutter (about 3 inches) cut donuts out. Go back, and using a 1 inch round cutter, cut out holes.

Transfer with floured spatula to floured cookie sheet.

Repeat with remaining dough.

Fry for about 3-4 minuts, turning once. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with all the "holes"

Toppings:

While donuts are still hot:

Sugar and Cinnamon

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Place sugar and cinnamon in a bag and shake 6 donuts and all the donut holes in bag. Do a few at a time.

Maple Cream Frosting:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

drizzle of milk

Whisk together until thick, but able to "dip" donuts in. When donuts are cool, dip the rest of the donuts into the frosting. Place donuts on a rack on top of a cookie sheet and allow to set.

Arrange all the donuts and holes on a platter and start dreaming of your next women's getaway...

A Cook's Notes: Have any of you discovered this great flour from Bob's Red Mill? Whole Wheat Pastry Flour - it acts just like white flour but packs a nutritional and fiber punch you can live with. The best part? The fussy eaters in your life won't have a clue it's whole wheat....

Don't forget to comment on the Autumn Giveaway Post for a chance to win the Yogotherm and enough cheesemaking supplies to make 70 pounds of soft cheeses - tell your blogging friends!!