Crab Potpies & Cream Cheese & Shrimp Dip

"I'm on a seafood diet. When I see food, I eat it." - Misc.

I have been wanting to get these recipes on the blog for weeks! I just had to keep looking for puff pastry at Wally-World! LOL. Well, last weekend, I found it. I have watched numerous chefs on TV working with puff pastry but I have never had the experience until now! Again, this is one of the little things that I would probably never have tried if I didn't embark on this awesome cooking journey. Walker has his first home soccer game tonight, so we will be devouring these dishes after his game. Justin is working right after school and James will be home a little later than normal as he is helping out by running errand like going to the bread store. :oP Regardless, after working with the puff pastry,I am sure I won't be as intimidated by it as I was before.

Well, the game was a loss and so was the crab potpie. I'm sure I may have done something wrong but this didn't have much flavor,wasn't thick enough and just wasn't worth digesting. I have been through numerous recipes and this one just isn't worthy. James said that he thought we would have come across one we didn't like long before this so *shrug* it's ok. :o) We did however, enjoy the shrimp dip! We just bought some bagette bread and it was fabulous!

Note: On the upside I only have 94 recipes to go before I have cooked the whole book!

Michael's Buttery Crab Potpies
pg. 58 The Deen Family Cookbook

1 stick of butter
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup clam juice
1/4 sherry
1/2 lb crabmeat
2 4oz can sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas
2 sheets of frozen puffed pastry
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp water

1. In a medium pot over medium heat, melt butter. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally until softened. Sprinkle in four and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute. Add the milk, clam juice, and sherry. Bring to a boil, stirring until thickened (about 2 minutes). Add the crabmeat, mushrooms, and peas; remove from heat and transfer to the fridge to cool.

2. Meanwhile, unfold the pastry sheets on a lightly floured surface. Place four oven proof bowls or large ramekins rim down on the pastry and cute four circles a bit larger that the bowls. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees with the rack in the middle position.

3. When crab is cooled, divide it among the four bowls. Brush the rims with egg mixture, lay pastry circle over each and seal the edges. Cut steam vents in the pastry and brush with the egg mixture. Place bowls on baking sheet and bake on the middle rack until the pastry is puffed and golden, 20 - 25 minutes. Serve hot.


Jodi's Cream Cheese and Shrimp Dip
pg. 32 The Deen Family Cookbook

14 oz cooked and chopped shrimp
one 3 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup fine chopped green onions, (white and green parts)
2 tsp sour cream
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp hot sauce
crackers or crusty bread and raw veggies for dipping

Autumn Harvest Crunch-Top Pie

“But I, when I am done each night upon my knees will ask the Lord to bless me, with apple pie and cheese!” - Eugene Field

I wanted to make a nice meal tonight since I have open house at my school tomorrow. So, I made meatloaf, mac n cheese and Paula's Autumn Harvest Crunch-Top Pie! I just know the boys will love it! They are always begging me to make desserts, well tonight they got one! PLEASE believe me when I say this was SIMPLE. I hate making pies and this went quick! It had surprising ingredients, I used a Wal-mart store bought crust (which is cheaper and easier than homemade) and I didn't even peel the apples! (With Golden Delicious the skins are so thin and waxy they melt away when baked.) Holy Smokes! This pie was SOOOO delicious, warm and gooey...it made us all feel cozy on a crisp autumn night! I'm pretty sure this is my favorite recipe so far! (note: I am NOT an apple pie fan either!):o)

Autumn Harvest Crunch-Top Pie
pg. 223 The Deen Family Cookbook

Crumb Topping
1 cup flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4tsp salt
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Pie
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup dark raisins
1/4 cup apple cider or dark rum
1cup sour cream
2 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar
3 lbs mixed apples
1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust

1. Prepare the topping in a medium bowl by whisking together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Using a fork or pastry cutter, cut the butter to form large crumbs. Stir in walnuts. Chill, covered, until needed.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, raisins, and rum or cider, bring to boil over medium-high heat, then remove and let cool.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, eggs, and brown sugar. Stir in the dried fruit mixture and apples. Arrange the crust in the pie plate. Fill the crust with the mixture heaping it in the middle. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake fore 45 minutes.

4. Remove the pie from the oven and increase the temp to 425 degrees. Scatter the topping over the pie. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes more until the topping is golden and the juices are bubbling. Serve warm!

Cheesy Corn Bread, Spinach and Turkey Casserole

This casserole is FULL of flavor! We love it! (Can't wait to have the leftovers for lunch tommorrow)! These ingredients went together quick even with me having to make the cheese sauce! Justin is away at a volleyball game tonight, Walker is studying for two tests and stressing over why his girl broke up with him today, which kills him because he doesn't know why. LOL! Ah Middle School love! Hopefully this casserole will help ease the pain. :o)

Cheesy Corn Bread, Spinach and Turkey Casserole
pg. 106 The Deen Family Cookbook

2 tbsp olive oil
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 1/4 lbs ground turkey
1 medium onion
1 clove garlic
salt and pepper to taste
one 10oz pkg frozen spinach (I used one can instead)
one 10 oz can cheddar cheese soup ( I made cheese sauce since Wally world had no chz soup)
3/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
one 8 1/2oz pkg corn muffin mix
1/2 cup buttermilk
2/3 frozen corn, thawed and drained
1 egg
1 3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

1. Preheat 400 degrees. Grease 13 by 9-inch baking dish and set it aside. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the oil. Add the pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds. Add the turkey and brown. Then add onion and garlic and when cooked add salt and pepper to taste.

2. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl , add the spinach, soup, and Worcestershire sauce and mix well. Pat the mixture evenly in to the baking dish.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the corn muffin mix, buttermilk, corn, egg, and 3/4 cup of the cheese. Bake for 10 minutes then add the remaining cup of cheddar cheese and bake for 20 minutes.

Ham and Bean Soup

I am loving this recipe, it is so easy! I just love it when the directions say "combine all ingredients and cook!" It literally took about 10 minutes to throw together. My gang really likes soups in the fall and winter but I gotta make the soup hearty or it doesn't go over well. So I added additional onion, celery, and carrots as well as three ham hocks. I also used a 7 bean combination instead of just navy beans. Mom, Dad and us all had this soup for supper and everyone really liked it. It is a bit salty so I wouldn't add the salt in the recipe again. This is a great fall soup and really reminds me of being at Grams on the farm!


Michael's Navy Bean and Ham Hock Soup
Pg 57 The Deen Family Cookbook

1 lb dry navy beans, soaked over night or by quick soak method (on package)
6 cups veg or chicken broth
1 or 2 smoked ham hocks
1 large yellow onion (1 cup)
2 large chopped carrots (1/2 cup)
2 stalks celery(1/2 cup)
2 cloves of garlic
1 1/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp PD hot sauce or other hot sauce

1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook covered until the beans are tender, about 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. Uncover and cook for one hour more until thickened.

2. Transfer the ham hock to a cutting board and trim all the meat off and return to the slow cooker.