Seafood Sauce

I have been craving Japanese food for over a month now.  I tried to satisfy the craving by having a sushi roll here and there but it didn't quite cut it.  This says a lot because sushi is probably one of my favorite things to have for dinner.  There was just something about the Hibachi Chicken and Rice that I had really been craving.  Don't worry... I stuck to my plan.  If you are new to my blog to put that in context my plan is the following:  Although I am trying to eat healthier, if I am really craving something not great with regards to nutrition I have to learn how to make it myself.  This way I can control reducing calories (i.e. less butter and make healthy substitutions) and portion size.

In an effort to satisfy my craving I decided to tackle the hardest part of having hibachi at home... figuring out how to make the seafood sauce.  Some of you may not know what I am referring to as in my research I have heard it called the following names:  Seafood sauce, Shrimp Sauce, Yum Yum Sauce, Japanese White Sauce.   Growing up in Tennessee we called it Shrimp sauce... now I don't know if that is just a southern thing.. so I have decided to go with the universal Seafood Sauce to cover all my bases.

If you are like me the best thing about adding "Seafood Sauce" to your food is that if you are eating out, you can pretend you don't know how much mayo you are really eating.  Since I was forced to make it myself I couldn't hide the main ingredient.  If I followed the directions it would have called for more mayo than I was comfortable cooking with so I decided to make some substitutions.  By using plain Greek Yogurt I was able to reduce the amount of mayo by half! I am a big fan of letting you know if the taste is sacrificed when making conversions and I have to say I was amazed.  The Greek Yogurt did not impact the taste, this recipe makes a great version of that Seafood Sauce we all love!  I have to also point out that in the future instead of doing half mayo half yogurt, I was so satisfied, I plan on increasing the yogurt. I plan to use 3/4 yogurt and 1/4 mayo! I'd like to thank Morgan as I adapted my recipe from her version which you can find here.

Seafood Sauce

*yields about 1 and 1/4 cups

 



What you need:
-1/2 cup of Hellman's low fat Mayo

-1/2 (heaping) cup of Plain Greek Yogurt.  I used Fage.

-3 Tablespoons of Organic Sugar

-3 Tablespoons of Warm Water

-2 Tablespoons of melted Butter.  I used I can't believe it's not Butter

-3/4 Teaspoon of Paprika

-3/8 Teaspoon of Garlic Powder

-1 Tablespoon of White Wine Vinegar

Directions:

-In a small bowl mix together sugar, water, butter, paprika, garlic powder and vinegar.  Once mixed, add in mayo and yogurt and mix until well blended.

-Refrigerate overnight for flavors to set.

** I was only cooking for 2 so I cut this recipe in half and we still had some left over.

**I also added a little water (a little under 2 Tablespoons) the next day before using.  The consistency of the yogurt keeps the sauce a little thicker than at most restaurants.  You can add water in order to reach the desired consistency.



Broccoli Pasta with Kale Pesto

One of the biggest perks in cooking for yourself is that you can still have those dishes you crave but know you shouldn't eat!  You can't have them all the time but the more you cook the more you will find ways to "lighten" them up! I am not a huge pasta eater but unfortunately when I do want pasta I just love the creamy Alfredo sauce.  When I order this at a restaurant I would be horrified to find out how much butter and cream are used to create that tasty, but full of fat, sauce. Here is a version of a pasta meal that you don't have to feel so bad about! Using whole wheat noodles and lots of veggies will help you feel full instead of fat.

Broccoli Pasta with Kale Pesto

For the Pesto

-2 cups of Kale

-1 large garlic clove

-1/8 cup of Parmesan cheese

-1/8 cup toasted almonds *optional

-1/8 cup of Olive Oil 

-Olive Oil Spray

-Salt and pepper to taste

-Using a food processor add all ingredients (including dashes of salt and pepper) and mix until desired texture is reached.

            *** I usually start out using half of the olive oil and then add in as necessary.  I try to use the least amount of possible but depending what I plan to use the pesto for changes the texture I desire. 

For the Pasta

- Whole Wheat Pasta - I use the serving size identified on the back of the box per person.  This lets you know exactly how much you should be making per person you are cooking for and keeps you from over-doing it with the carbs. 

-Broccoli - I use one full stalk per person.

* I chose to make this just with what I had on hand but other vegetables would be a great addition.  Onions, mushrooms and zucchini come to mind. 

 

-Rinse broccoli and chop removing stems.  In a medium sized saute pan, spray bottom with olive oil and bring to low-medium heat.  Saute broccoli with salt and pepper until soft.  

         *You could also steam the broccoli if preferred

 

-Cook pasta as instructed on box.  Bringing water to a boil and cook until done. 
Drain Pasta.  Place pasta back in warm
pot and throw in the broccoli.

-Add 1 Tablespoon of pesto per serving and toss until pesto loosens up and pasta is well coated. If you feel like you need to add more pesto add 1 spoonful at a time! It won't look like a lot but the flavor is there! 

**The picture does not reflect the fact that this is a dish that is composed mostly of broccoli.  The broccoli tends to fall to the bottom but you are getting large servings of veggie with this dish! 

Tofu and Chickpea Kale Salad

I have to say I have really enjoyed these Mason Jar Salads.  They are so easy to throw together, they stay fresh and I am working on ways to make them filling while still being healthy.  This week I opted for a vegetarian option and have been pleased. 

Tofu and Chickpea Kale Salad

Salad

-4 cups of spinach, 

-4 cups of Kale, chopped 

-1 can (14 oz) chickpeas, drained

-1/2 tomato, diced

-1 cup of broccoli slaw 

- 1 heaping cup of (or more) of firm tofu, cubed



Dressing:
-1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
-1/4 cup of lemon juice, or juice from 1 lemon
-1/2 cup of red wine vinegar
-2 large garlic cloves, minced
-Salt/pepper to taste


To make dressing:
1) Whisk all ingrediants together in a small bowl.  If you have a dressing container pour in all ingrediants and then shake until well mixed.
   *If you using for Mason Jar Salads use about 2-3 Tablespoons per jar

For Salads:

-Saute tofu (after you cube it) in a medium sized pan with a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper. 

Saute until lightly browned on each side, set aside and let cool. 

 

-Layer all ingredients evenly in 4 mason jars

         *Layer in the following order:  Dressing, chickpeas, broccoli slaw, tomatoes, tofu, kale and spinach mixed. Seal and enjoy throughout the week or weekend!

Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato Soup

After a long weekend with friends in town and a lot of on-the-go activities we were craving something simple for dinner.  It was snowing and about 16 degrees outside so soup sounded amazing.  On days like this... who doesn't like a good tomato soup? Although soup and grilled cheese was what I really wanted... we stayed strong and had a Kale Salad and Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup. 

Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Soup

-1 Red Pepper 
-2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil
-3 cups of Vegetable Broth
-3/4 cup of Almond Milk (we used plain)
-1 28 oz can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
-Half of red onion, diced
-2 gloves of garlic, minced
-1 teaspoon of Oregano
-1 teaspoon of Paprika 
-Salt/Pepper to taste 
- 1 slice of low calorie wheat bread per serving of soup
- 1 cup of Mozzarella cheese 

-Preheat oven to 450.  Wash Red Pepper and dry.  Place on baking sheet and drizzle with Olive Oil.  Place tray on top shelf of over for about 20-30 minutes or until charred.  For quicker results you can broil on high but should watch carefully as you don't want it charred completely. This can happen quickly under the broiler. 

-While Pepper is roasted in soup pot combine can of tomatoes with diced onion and let simmer for about 15 minutes.  Next add spices and vegetable broth and let this continue to simmer for another 15 minutes.  Pull out red pepper, leaving on baking sheet to cool & cover with a cloth.  

-After pepper has cooled, remove cloth, pepper will have sunk in and be ready for you to remove the skin.  The skin will peel off easily and if you gently squeeze the pepper you will be able to remove all of the seeds. 

-Cut pepper into a few large chunks, ensure all skin is removed, and add to the soup pot. If you have an immersion blender available immerse in the soup liquid and blend until desired texture is reached.  If you do not have an immersion blender you can pour contents of pot (including red pepper) into a food processor.  Blend mixture until you get desired texture. 

-Once soup is blended, add the almond milk and stir well.  Taste to see if you would like to add additional salt/pepper. 

-Before you are ready to serve, set oven to broil (low). Toast 1 piece of the low cal wheat bread per serving.  Put desired amount of soup in bowl.  Top with  toasted slice of wheat bread and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese (we used about 2 Tablespoons per bowl).   

-Place bowl directly under broiler, watch closely as this will be quick but let cheese get melted and golden. 


-Enjoy! 

Skinnier Corn Casserole

Although I am trying to be a little healthier, I am still a southern girl who loves a good casserole.  I didn't realize that Casserole's were more of a southern thing until I moved to the East coast.  I remember one of my first holidays there and I was pretty disappointed as I was looking for the broccoli casserole the corn casserole  the green bean casserole... and the list goes on and on... 

As much as I love them, I stick to the "holiday only" rule as I know they are packed full of calories and fat. Well, the other night I did not feel like going to the store.  We had some chicken and kale so that would make a great meal, but I was CRAVING some carbs of some kind.  It was going to happen one way or another so I thought I would at least try to make it a little more guilt free. 

Paula Deen has the basic corn casserole recipe that a lot of people use with the Jiffy mix.  You can find that recipe here..  I tried my own version cutting out the butter, the cheese, half the sour cream and half of the eggs and was pleasantly surprised! You really can't tell the difference! My "skinnier" version is below. 

Skinnier Corn Casserole

-1 can (14-15 oz) of corn, rinsed and drained
-1 can (14-15 oz) of creamed corn
-1 8 oz package of Jiffy corn muffin mix
-1/2 cup of fat free sour cream
-1/2 cup of low-fat plain yogurt
-1 egg or 2 egg whites

-Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl.
-Pour into a casserole dish that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.
-Back in center of over for 45 minutes or until golden brown
-Enjoy!

BBQ Chicken Salad

The mason jar salad has been a hit around our house.  We have had them made in bulk and then take them for lunch or even eat them when we are home but don't feel like making anything.  This week I tried a BBQ Chicken salad.  It is amazing! Easy, great flavor and best of all filling! 

BBQ Chicken Salad
 

-Chicken Breast (for this recipe I used 3 medium sized breasts and this was enough for 4 large salads. 
-1 cup of BBQ Sauce (I like Sweet Baby Rays)
-1/8 cup of brown sugar
-1/8 cup of smokey hot sauce (omit this if you do not like some heat).
-1/8 cup of Italian dressing (any will do, I used leftovers from a previous salad)
-4 cups of Arugula
-4 cups of Spinach
-1 can of chickpeas, drained
-1 cup of diced tomatoes or 1 cup of cherry tomatoes halved
-2 cups of broccoli slaw 
-1/2 cup of red onion, diced 
-Organic Chipotle  Ranch dressing (2 Tablespoons per salad)
     *you can use dressing of your choice, I think regular ranch or blue cheese would be great! If you don't like creamy dressings I would opt for a zesty vinaigrette of some kind. 

For BBQ Chicken

For Slow Cooker:
-Cut chicken breasts into strips or chunks. Place in bottom of slow cooker.  Whisk together BBQ Sauce, brown sugar, hot sauce and Italian dressing.  Pour mixture over chicken and cook on low until the chicken is cooked through. *For my slow cooker it took about 3 hours, this will alter depending on your cooker as well as how much chicken you use. 

-When done, let cool fully before using in a salad.  I like to let it cool and then refrigerate over night before using in a salad. 

Without slow cooker:
-If you do not have a slow cooker you can still enjoy a great BBQ chicken.  I have basted the chicken in a light coat of BBQ sauce and then baked the chicken in the oven.  Usually on 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes depending on amount and size of chicken.  Once chicken cools cut into shreds or chunks.  Whisk together BBQ sauce, brown sugar, hot sauce and Italian dressing.  Toss chicken in sauce.  Let cool over night before use so all flavors have time to blend. 

For Mason Jar Salad:

*I made 8 salads, enough for 2 people for 4 days and the 4th day the salad was still fresh and not soggy*

Layer Ingredients evenly in the following order in four (4) Mason Jars to maximize amount of time you can prep ahead!
1) 2 Tablespoons of Salad Dressing
2) 1/4 can of Chickpeas
3) Diced tomatoes
4) Broccoli Slaw
5) Red Onion
6) BBQ Chicken
7) Spinach and Arugula Mixed 

Warm Kale Salad

This is probably one of the easiest and best sides you can make.  Not only is it great for you but it is quick and simple to throw together. You can also be creative and add different things you have on hand.  I apologize for a less than specific recipe... this has been one of those things that I just throw together and kind of saute until it looks good.  I tried to relay below.... 

Warm Kale Salad

What you Need:
-Lots of Kale, chopped and separated from stem
-1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil
-1 Tablespoon of Balsamic Vinegar
-1 large clove of garlic, minced
-1/8 cup of Sun dried Tomatoes (not packed in oil)
-Goat Cheese Crumbles to taste
-Salt/Pepper to taste
-Almonds (optional)

What you Need:
-Over low heat put Olive Oil in a saute pan and let warm. Once warm, place leafy greens in pan.
-Add sun dried tomatoes, almonds and salt and pepper, stirring frequently so all ingredients mix well. 
-You are going to saute greens for about 15-20  minutes, when you only have about 3-4 minutes left, add garlic and drizzle with balsamic. Continue to mix well. 
-Kale will be soft but not completely wilted. Remove from heat, sprinkle with cheese and enjoy! 
**keep in mind the Kale will shrink considerably.  I always use a great deal and think it will be enough for 2 but always end up wanting more!

Baked Asian Chicken Wings

These are a must-post on my blog as they are not only super easy but very yummy.  We have made them twice now and both times they were a hit.  These could also easy go under Football Friendly Foods.  Actually, they should be the standard for Football appetizers! Who doesn't like football and wings?  We served them Monday for the BCS Championship Game (I must insert a Roll Tide Roll). The good news is everyone loved them.  The bad news is due getting set up for everyone coming over I neglected to take any pictures.  I am attaching the picture from the website Just a Taste and you can find the original recipe there as well.  As usual, my version of the recipe is below.  Please keep in mind we like things spicy so if you do not like spice you are better off sticking with the recipe from the link above! 

Baked Asian Wings

 

 

What you Need:

-2 1/2 lbs of chicken wings, tips removed

-1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

-2 Tablespoons of Chinese 5 Spice

-1/3 cup of  Hoison

-1/4 cup of Blackberry Jam

-1/8 cup Garlic Chilli Sauce

-1 Tablespoon of Sriracha

Directions:

1) Preheat over to 400 degrees.  Rinse wings and pat dry.  Toss wings in olive oil and Chinese 5 Spice.  *Can use alternate spice blend if you do not have 5 Spice on hand.

2) Position wings in baking pan in a single layer. Bake wings at 400 for about 45-50 minutes. Halfway through baking you should rotate/flip the wings.  Remove from oven when done and place in large bowl.  *I find it is easy to toss the wings in sauce in two batches depending on how many you are serving.

3) While wings are baking, in a small saucepan whisk together the remaining ingredients (Hoison, Jam, Garlic Chilli Sauce and Sriracha).  Heat on low-medium heat until warm.  Drizzle sauce over wings in mixing bowl and toss until well coated.  Serve immediately. 

Couscous, Chickpea and Arugula Salad

I used this recipe for my first attempt at  Mason Jar Salad.  It was easy and makes a great salad for lunch as the couscous will help keep you full! The original recipe is from Eating Well and can be found here. 

My version is below. 

Couscous, Chickpea and Arugula Salad with Lemony Vinaigrette 

Dressing:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup of lemon juice, or juice from 1 lemon
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 large garlic cloves, minced
Salt/pepper to taste *i used a lot of pepper

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl.  If you have a dressing container pour all ingredients into container, close lid, hold tightly and shake until well mixed.

Salad:
1 1/4 cups of water
1 cup of whole wheat Couscous
1 14 oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 cups of arugula
2 cups of spinach
1 cup of cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup of feta cheese, crumbled
1 1/2 cups of broccoli slaw

Bring water to boil in medium sized sauce pan.  When water reaches a boil, remove from heat, pour Couscous in water.  Cover and let stand for 5 minutes until water is absorbed.  Let cool

*for immediate serving 
Toss spinach, arugula and broccoli slaw and place in serving bowl.  Layer couscous, chickpeas, tomatoes and feta on top.  Toss with dressing and serve.

*for Mason Jar Salads
Layer each ingredient evenly in each jar (will make 4 large salads).  Layer in this order and then seal jar and store in fridge. 

Bottom Layer: 3 Tablespoons of dressing. 
Chickpeas
Tomatoes
Broccoli Slaw
Couscous
Feta
Spinach & Arugula Mixed.  

*If you worry about anything getting soggy or storing for more than 3-4 days I would leave dressing out and you can store on side.  
*This amount of dressing in the mason jar used will leave you some left over.  Can increase amount in jar or save.  

Mason Jar Salads

As everyone knows, January is famous for everyone being obsessed with their New Year's Resolutions.  For example, when trying out a new gym this weekend I had one con: it was insanely crowded. We all know by March that will not be the case.  At first I was annoyed, but then I had to remind myself that I am currently one of those people when it comes to my own resolutions so I needed not judge.  I have several resolution this year (probably too many) but one that I really want to stick to is packing my lunch for work.  I’d like to call it meal planning but I think starting with lunches is a good first step.

I want to do this for obvious reasons.  If I am packing I am not spending so much money on grabbing lunch out, and if I am packing it will be much healthier than having to pick up something on the run.  I know what you are thinking.... I have been out of college and in the working world for, dare I say it... 7 years.  Why have I not figured this out yet?  In my defense, prior to my new job, I would work from home a lot or go home to take my dogs out.  In my previous jobs I was able to eat at home at least 3 days a week. Now that this is no longer the case, I have found myself eating mostly crap more often than not during lunchtime.  As much as I love Jimmy John’s I cannot let this continue.  Eating out for lunch every day of the work week comes to approximately $1, 920 a year.  If you reduce that by eating out only 2 days a week that number comes down to $768.  That is a savings of $1,152.  Obviously, part of that money will go to groceries so that you can in fact pack your lunch.  Based on my shopping yesterday, making a week of lunches for 2 people came out to $2.60 daily.  You will have to take into account that sometimes you will have to re-stock those larger items like olive oil for dressings, spices etc.  But based on these numbers packing lunches everyday will cost $624 yearly saving you $1,299 dollars.  With this savings you can afford to re-stock the basics in your kitchen as needed!

Best Advice:  Find a buddy.  My friend Carl and I decided to do this together to make it A) more enjoyable and B) to share some ideas.  Carl and I stocked up on ideas and food, and then he came over to help with the test run! It takes a little time to get everything together so having someone to hangout with in the process makes it seem more like fun! 

Step 1: Make a plan.  I have decided the more I can do on Sunday afternoons the better my week will be.  As much as I love going out on the weekends we have developed a nice routine of hanging at the house on Sunday late afternoon/early evening.  This makes it a perfect time to organize my life.  I decided I would try the Mason Jar Salad approach for my lunches.  Based on my readings of other’s attempts it seems you can make 4-5 in advance, perfect for a work week!  My boyfriend, Alex, found a salad that I thought would be great.  We made our choice based on it being healthy but also hearty.  My hope is it will be enough on its own. 

I have to be honest, the first part of my planning process was a little ambitious. As usual, I got really excited about my new plan and almost over did it. I had 5 different ideas and a list to accommodate them all.  I quickly realized (with some help) this would just have me making a month’s worth of food in one day, all which would go bad quickly.  

Step 2:  Once I got myself in check…I headed out to the store.  This was no small feat.  I was getting enough veggies and fresh produce for a week's worth of salads for two people but also enough food for dinners for two people.  I had also planned on making dinner for a large group of people for the BCS National Championship game (already breaking resolution #1: stop overextending myself).  I think I have given up on that one, it is inevitable, I will always overextend, I think I like it. 

I would insert a picture here of all my groceries but there was no way to make it look like anything other than a mess.  I did get an important and I must say sustainable item.  The mason jars.  You can get these at most grocery stores. They will be great for not only salads, but other storage around the house.  Most importantly they are easy to clean and easy to throw in your bag and head out in the morning.

Step 3:  Once I got home and unloaded all of my groceries I decided to prep everything.  This way, all my produce is clean, chopped and ready to go.  If it is going in a salad, I would just have to throw it in.  Additionally, the rest will leave healthy things to snack on for other times during the week.  Most importantly, they are also ready for dinner so I don’t have to spend time after work doing this stuff when I just want to eat and do anything except be productive.

Step 4:  Get the salad together.  I chose a Couscous, Arugula and Lentil salad Alex found on Eating Well's website.  My version of the recipe is on the next post as I made a few changes.  It seems you can really do any salad you choose.  I plan to do a few different ones and will post those as recipes as the weeks go by.

Step 5: Put salad in jars, seal the lid, put in fridge.  All set and ready for Monday morning!

Cute Idea for Old Tickets

I have to confess that I am one of those people who still has movie tickets from movies I saw in high school.  I always feel the need to save the evidence from the memory.  I guess I think one day I will go through the box and look back on all of these different moments. For a while I kept all the tickets in a box in my closet.  Then I started to save the the ones I really liked from trips or concerts in a photo album.  One day I ran across this way to display your tickets. Although I thought the idea was cute, I also thought 150$ for a shadow box was a little crazy.  I happened to have a floating frame on hand and decided to make my own. My floating frame had 3 different places to insert the glass which is nice as it gives you different depths to work with.  I got mine at Target at a great price.  I put tickets from shows that we had seen, train tickets and mostly concerts.  I also found a card I had been saving from my college roommate.  The quote was perfect so I centered it in the forefront with all of the tickets behind. 

My favorite recipes of 2012

I was thinking as part of creating my New Year's Resolutions that I could do a few post regarding some of my favorite things from 2012.  A lot happened in the past year, I was fortunate enough to go on some pretty nice trips with friends and family.  We moved to Columbus and I started a new job.  It will take me some time to narrow down all the things I would like to post from 2012.  For now, I will just start with some of my favorite recipes from the past year. As you continue reading you are going to feel as though I let you down with my first selection.  However, I have to say this was something that was enjoyed many nights a week in our home.  Most importantly it is easy and  you usually have everything you need on hand. What's not to love about a simple salad that will compliment most meals, and you don't have to make an extra trip to the store? If you knew how many nights we ate this in our home you would agree it must be on the list for some of the best things from 2012. 

Apple & Walnut Salad

What you Need: 

- Arugula & Spinach mixed salad.  I usually use 2-5 cups depending on how many people I am feeding.  Also, keep in mind we eat big salads in our house. For 2 people I usually use my medium sized bowl and use between 3-4 cups of lettuce (not packed down). 
- 1-2 Granny Smith Apples.  I like to use half apple per person I am serving.
- 1/4 c. Shelled Walnuts 
- 1/4-1/2 c. Crumbled Blue Cheese (again depending on how many people you are serving. *For those of you who do not like Blue Cheese-- Goat Cheese could be a good substitution.  Additionally, if you don't want to add cheese you could add dried cranberries.
-3 Tablespoons of Olive Oil 
-2 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar
-1 heaping Teaspoon of Dijon Mustard 
-1 small garlic clove, minced
-Salt/Pepper to taste

Directions:
1) In a medium sized mixing bowl or salad bowl place spinach and arugula mix.  Slice apples into small chunks and place on top.  Sprinkle cheese and walnuts on top. 
2) To make salad dressing whisk Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Mustard and Garlic until well mixed.  Add desired amount of salt/pepper and mix well. 
3) Drizzle dressing over top of salad.  Toss the salad so dressing is evenly dispersed throughout.  
4) Serve 

*Notes:  We have gotten to where we make this so often that you can really eyeball the dressing.  You can easily make more or less of the dressing depending on how many people you are having for dinner.  I try to just keep it two parts balsamic and three parts olive oil and then I can really make any amount necessary.  I tend to just make a larger amount in a dressing container so we have it on hand.  We just dump all the dressing ingredients into the container, hold the lid on tight, and shake well.  

Football Friendly Foods

With football season winding down I have decided to take advantage of the bowl games and try some football friendly appetizers.  For someone who doesn't follow football as intensely as I should, I have to say I love the idea of loving football.  First, I am from the south so a natural SEC fan. My two brothers and father are huge Alabama fans. Rule #1 for an SEC fan is you LOVE football.  Secondly, my boyfriend is a HUGE Michigan football fan.  Let’s just say I get it coming at me from every angle.  Since I can’t really talk players and stats, I make my contributions via the food and providing a football friendly space to gather and watch the games.  Like I said, I like the whole idea.  I love people hanging out around a fire.  A low key winter day to me is one with people watching football and others hanging around enjoying the weekend.

I decided to try these Crap Dip Cups that I saw on Taste of Home. I adapted it slightly and must say it was a hit! 

Crab Dip Cups

What you Need: 

Cups:

1 cup water

1/2 c butter, cubed

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup all purpose flour

3 eggs

Filling:

1 can of lump crab meat

4 oz cream cheese

4 oz plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup of mayo/miracle whip

1/2 cup of Swiss cheese

1/8 cup of diced white onion

1 tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning (generic is called Chesapeake Seasoning). 

Salt/Pepper to taste

Directions:

1) In a small saucepan bring water and butter to a boil. Mix flour and salt well.  
Once boiling, remove from heat and add flour mixture, all at once, to water and stir until it forms into a ball.  Next, beat eggs, one at at time, into flour mixture. Dough should be shiny and smooth consistency. 

2) Drop by spoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto a cookie sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. The bigger the spoonfuls the longer it will take to ensure the middle isn't doughy. They will bake up mostly hollow in the middle making them perfect for any kind of filling. Once browned, remove from oven and place on wire cooling rack.  Immediately, slit with knife to release steam, and remove top.  

3) While cooling mix filling together in a medium sized mixing bowl.  Beat yogurt, cream cheese and mayo together.  Stir in crab meat and onions.  Lastly, add the Old Bay or Chesapeake Seasoning, salt and pepper.  Stir until mixed well.  

4) Fill cups with filling.  Place top back on top of cup.  Heat again in over for 5-10 minutes to get warm and bring out flavors!