Purple Cabbage Ginger Slaw

This salad is to die for; Jo brought it to girl's night and both Kelsey and I could not stop eating out of the bowl after our initial serving was eaten....that says something! I decided to make it when Chad was craving ginger and boy, does the ginger stand out! The spicy flare adds a kick to this non-traditional salad that will leave you craving more and more. I recommend making this with a main dish that is a little stronger then crab cakes (what I made it with) like steak or pork chops. hmm.....maybe next time! Thanks Jo for this amazing salad recipe straight from your home to mine:) Love you.

Purple Cabbage Ginger Slaw
from Johanne Bauer's mom's kitchen


1 large purple cabbage
1 bunch green onions sliced
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1/8 - 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
3 tbsp. fresh ginger
1 diced apple

1. Combine all ingredients (except the apple) and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes

2. Mix in the apple and serve

Maryland Style Crab Cakes - Healthy!

MAN OH MAN...these are a treat! Instead of oily crabcakes that feel heavy, this recipe creates light, healthy, and delicious crab cakes! Instead of putting them in a skillet, you actually broil them. I hear this is quite common in Maryland (how I missed that the four years I lived there, I don't know).
I ended up spliting the recipe in 1/2 and it made 4 solid sized crab cakes. Chad was craving ginger, so I paired the crabcakes with a ginger, cabbage salad my girlfriend Jo introduced to us at girl's night (recipe to follow shortly). It was a healthy meal, but I would say the spice in the salad was a little much for the delicate flavor of the crab, so next time I'd put them together with a simple green salad.
Bon Appetite!

Mama Gs Crab Cakes

from Pennies On a Platter

2 lbs lump crab meat

1/2 stack of crackers (about 10 Ritz crackers)
2 eggs

1/2 cup Mayonnaise

Several drops of Tabasco sauce

2 tbsp. ground dijon mustard

1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
dash of pepper
1 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning (plus more for sprinkling)

1. Mix the crab meat (after making sure there are no shells) with the crackers

2. Mix the remaining ingredients then pour over the crab mixture and mix together

3. Drop about 2 tbsp. worth of mixture on a baking sheet for each crab cake and flatten (leave about a 2 in. space between each crab cake)

4. Broil on low for 15 - 20 minutes (or until golden brown) - mine were done around 13 minutes and if left in longer would have burned - so make sure to watch!

5. Presto - eat up!

Stay Tuned...

I know you are worried, but don't fret - I'll be posting towards the end of this week; I'm sorry it's been so long! I FINALLY got a job after a few months of looking, so last week's birthday festivities (yes, I turned the big 27) and finally starting my position this week has really taken it's toll on my personal time. Looking forward to sharing some new recipes (especially using my new KitchenAid Mixer I got for my birthday)! Stay tuned...

Raspberry & Feta Salad with CousCous

For the first 70 + degree weather day in Seattle I decided to make a summer salad that would really feel light and fresh to go along with the mood. Couscous in general always seems light to me, but when paired with raspberries, feta, thinly sliced zucchini, and a light vinaigrette it tasted just like summer. I recommend this dish with a barbequed burger (veggie or turkey) to complete this perfect-season meal. Enjoy!

Raspberry & Feta Salad with CousCous
from Simple but Perfect Salads


12 oz. couscous
2 1/2 cups boiling vegetable stock
12 oz. fresh raspberries
small bunch of basil
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
2 zucchini, thinly sliced
4 scallions, trimmed and diagonally sliced
1/3 cup pine nuts
grated rind of 1 lemon

For the dressing:
1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper

1. Put the couscous in a large heatproof bowl and pour over the boiling vegetable stock. Stir well, then cover and let soak until all the stock has been absorbed. After it is well absorbed transfer couscous to a serving bowl and stir well to break up any clumps (see pictures for steps).

2. Chop, Mince, and Dice the remaining ingredients to begin mixing. Start with combining the couscous, cheese, zucchini, scallions, raspberries, and pine nuts - mix well. Second stir in the basil and lemon rind.

3. Put all the dressing in a screw-top jar, with salt and pepper to taste, then screw on the lid and shake until well blended. Pour over the salad and serve!

Oreo Cupcakes

I never thought I had a big sweet tooth; growing up with a father who was a dentist and a mom who was a dietician didn't leave much room for lots of candy and sweets (as you can imagine), but I have definitely developed one over the years. I am thankful for knowing my limits when it comes to treats, otherwise I would have eaten this whole batch of Oreo Cupcakes on my own! Putting one side of an oreo on the bottom of each cupcake is the trick that made this recipe for me - it creates a denser chocolate cupcake that is still light and fluffy because of the frosting on top. Bon Appetite!

Oreo Cupcakes
from My Baking Heart


For the cupcakes:
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature
24 Oreos, one side twisted off and reserved for frosting

1. Prehead the oven to 350*. Place cupcake liners in cupcake pan. Place one oreo in each liner, cream side up.

2. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside; set aside. In another bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add the brown sugar and continue beating until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour, beating after each addition.

4. Divide the batter between the prepared liners. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. 19 to 24 minutes. Transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Let the cupcakes cake cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:
1 1/4 cups low-fat whipping cream
2 tbsp. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs, made from reserved Oreo sides

In a bowl of an electric mixer, whip the cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff. Gently fold in teh cookie crumbs. Scoop the mixture into a ziploc bag and cut an edge after folded/sealed with no air. Frost the cupcakes and top with 1/2 of an Oreo. (*the original recipe had you fill each cupcake, but I just thought that would be too much frosting - so I opted to just frost the top).