She Crab Soup Recipe: Flavors of the Gulf at Home

September 11, 2012 by 3 Comments

she crab soup recipe

On our Panama City Beach road trip, I was reminded how wonderful she crab soup can taste.  Living in Minnesota, it’s not something we see on the menu very often.  My first taste of she crab soup was at The Bubble Room on Captiva Island in Florida when my daughter was a baby.  Since then, I’ve been ordering it whenever I’m near the gulf.  Like most regional foods I crave when I’m back at home, I set out to try to make it myself.

The version below is pretty close to what I know and love.  It was inspired by Paula Deen’s She Crab Soup Recipe on Foodnetwork.com and The Classic She Crab Soup recipe on Allrecipes.com.  I switched it up by blending it with a stick blender (shown below).  If you use fresh crab meat (vs. the canned kind I used) you may want to omit that step for a chunkier soup.  Note:  NEVER use imitation crab meat in this recipe.  I didn’t want the flaky texture of the canned crab in my soup and opted to blend it to make it creamy.  If you can’t find Louisiana Hot Sauce, you can add heat with a few shakes of Tabasco.

Frugal Tips:   Traditional she-crab soup calls for the roe of the crab, but hard-cooked eggs are a frugal (and more accessible) substitute.

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She Crab Soup Recipe
 

Ingredients
  • 3 hard boiled egg yolks
  • 4 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 green onions, minced
  • 1 stalk celery, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1½ C. fish stock
  • 1½ C. milk
  • 1½ C. heavy cream
  • 2 6-oz. cans crabmeat
  • ⅓ C. sherry
  • ¼ tsp. black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. Louisiana Hot Sauce (or similar)
  • ¾ C. Parmesan cheese, grated
  • ½ tsp. paprika for garnish
Instructions
  1. With a fork, crumble the eggs yolks. Set aside. In a stockpot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add green onion, celery and garlic, and stir until translucent. Add the flour and cook until it starts to form a paste. Add fish stock, milk, and cream. Bring to a simmer.
  2. Add egg yolks, crab meat, sherry, pepper, hot sauce, and Parmesan cheese. Heat until cheese has entirely melted. With a stick blender, blend until the soup is thick and creamy. Garnish with green onions and a sprinkle of paprika.

 

 

Filed Under: Fish and Seafood, Recipes Tagged With: , , ,

Dee’s Hangout: Great Eats in Panama City Beach, FL

September 11, 2012 by Leave a Comment

dee's hangout panama city beach

Without Yelp, we probably would have walked right by Dee’s Hangout.  Located in a strip mall, it’s not exactly a high-profile location.  That’s OK.  The tourists can hit Pineapple Willy’s down the block while the true foodies can join me at Dee’s.  We enjoyed it so much the first time, we made it our last stop before heading home to Minnesota.

Both our starters were fantastic.  The she crab soup was out-of-this world, and rivaled one served at the Bubble Room on Captiva  Island (which is also fabulous).  I wanted to lick the bowl when I was done.  The BBQ shrimp was also swimming in flavor.  The sauce, with its Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and butter base was tangy and delicious as well as unique.

My husband ordered the beans and rice.  It’s a simple dish, but since the roux takes a long time to get just right, not one we have too often.  My blackened redfish was also delicious.  Surprisingly, I really enjoyed the fried mac and cheese balls.  With two kids, mac and cheese is usually the last thing I want to order when eating out – but this doesn’t even compare to the orange stuff in the blue box.

Our server, Kaylee, was outstanding.  Not only was she friendly, she was knowledgeable about the food and the area.  We will definitely be going back, and recommending it to anyone who makes the trip down to PCB.

Frugal Tip:  Don’t forget to check in on Foursquare.  When we did, we got our appetizer for 1/2 off.

Dee’s Hangout

http://www.deeshangout.com/

10440 Front Beach Road
Panama City Beach, Florida 32407
850-249-4264


 dee's hangout panama city beach

dee's hangout panama city beach

dee's hangout

 

 

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , , ,

Basic Homemade Pesto Recipe + How to Freeze and Enjoy All Year

September 10, 2012 by 1 Comment

homemade pesto recipe

basic homemade pestoHomemade pesto is something I’ve been making a few years in a row now, and it’s an excellent way to use up the rest of the fresh basil in your garden before a hard frost.  Freeze what you don’t use in ice cube trays to enjoy in the middle of the winter.

How to Use Your Homemade Pesto:

  • As a pasta sauce
  • Add a little homemade pesto to mayo for a sandwich spread
  • Top salmon or chicken with pesto before grilling
  • Add to mashed potatoes
  • As a baked potato topper
  • On homemade pizza as a sauce
  • In artisan breads
  • Make pesto butter as an appetizer spread

Frugal Tips:  Even though fresh Parmesan is somewhat expensive, it’s worth it.  A little bit goes a long way.  You may also experience sticker shock if you’re purchasing pine nuts for the first time.  If you have walnuts at home, they are a good substitute.  Some even prefer the taste of walnut pesto to pine nut pesto.

 

homemade-basil-pesto homemade-basil-pesto

Thanks to the Mommysavers Forum members for the inspiration behind this basil pesto recipe

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Basic Homemade Pesto Recipe
 

A great recipe to make with fresh basil from your garden before the hard frost
Ingredients
  • 1½ C. fresh basil leaves
  • ½ C. extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ C. pine nuts, toasted (or walnuts)
  • ⅓ C. grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • Dash of salt
  • Pepper or Tabasco to taste
Instructions
  1. /2 c chopped fresh basil
  2. /3-1/2 c extra virgin olive oil(just eyeball how ya like it as you go)
  3. /4 c pine nuts,toasted (or you can sub walnuts)
  4. /3 c grated Parmesan cheese
  5. Tbs minced garlic
  6. /4 tsp chili powder
  7. Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Freeze leftovers in ice cube trays, remove and place in a freezer bag until ready to use.
Filed Under: 30 Minutes or Less, Salads and Sides Tagged With: , , ,

The Brauhaus Restaurant & Lounge: Authentic German Food in Northern Minnesota

September 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment

the brauhaus akeley, minnesota

The Brauhaus:  Authentic German Food in Northern Minnesota

Situated between tiny Nevis and Akelely Minnesota in the heart of lake country, you’ll find a hidden gem known as The Brauhaus German Restaurant.  Despite its remote location, visitors flock here year after year for authentic German food they can’t get anywhere else.  We’ve been going there for over twenty years.  It’s as much a part of our summer cabin tradition as taking the dock in and out of the lake.  Owner Gabriele Kirschman, known to everyone as Gabi, always greets us warmly when we walk in.  The hospitality is second only to the great food.

Everything on the menu at The Brauhaus is good, but our family’s favorite dish is the jägerschnitzel: a delicious, lightly-breaded pork cutlet served with green peppers, mushroom and onion gravy.  We always order it with a side of spaetzle noodles (great with the gravy) and red cabbage. The spaetzle noodles are so good, we started making them at home years ago.  The kids have been raised having them at least once a month or so (here is our own spaetzle noodle recipe).   All the entrees are under $20 (with the glazed duck at $21 as the one exception) and the portions are large; so there’s no arguing about the value.  Other restaurant specialties include sauerbraten and schweinhaxe; as well as desserts like schwarzwälder kirschtorte.  If you’re in a group, the hostess is likely to bring you a free plate of liver pate (pictured below).  If you’ve got picky eaters or kids in your group, there are plenty of American specialties to choose from as too – although I believe you’d be doing yourself a disservice by not ordering anything German.

The decor is homey with a bit of kitsch, but stays true to the experience:  waitresses dressed in old-fashioned German dresses, posters of Germany, and the bar stocked with German beers.   It’s definitely a family favorite and worth the trip if you’re ever in the area.

Frugal Tip:  The portions here are huge.  For lighter appetites, the side dishes can be ordered a la carte.  Sometimes, I simply order a side and have a few bites from my husband’s plate.

The Brauhaus German Restaurant
http://www.brauhaus-german.com/
Akeley, MN 56433-8024
(218) 652-2478

the brauhaus restaurant akeley

the brauhaus german restaurant jaegerschnitzel

the brauhaus sauerbraten

the brauhaus german restaurant sauerbraten

Filed Under: Restaurant Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Best Ever Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

August 31, 2012 by 1 Comment

best ever macaroni and cheese

Best Ever Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

My kids love macaroni and cheese.  It’s comfort food at its best.  As a mom, I get really tired of the blue boxes and crave the good stuff.  I’ve been experimenting with different variations in search of the best ever macaroni and cheese recipe.  I think I’ve finally hit the nail on the head.  In this version, the sauce is based on Mommysavers Copycat Version of Beecher’s World’s Best Mac and Cheese Recipe.  I also add tiny bits of Spam, ham or bacon bits for an extra pop of flavor.  However, that’s totally optional.  It tastes great all by itself.

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Best Ever Macaroni and Cheese Casserole
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 6-8
 
Ingredients
  • 1 1-lb. box elbow macaroni
  • ¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups milk
  • 3 C. + 1 C. sharp Cheddar cheese
  • ½ C. grated Monterrey Jack cheese
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon chipotle chile powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9×11 casserole pan (or cake pan if you don’t have a glass casserole dish). Prepare macaroni according to package directions. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat until melted. Next, whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cooking for 2 minutes until butter/flour mixture turns light golden brown. Slowly add the milk. Cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat. Add 3 C. Cheddar cheese, Monterrey Jack cheese, salt, chile powder and garlic powder. Stir until the cheese is melted and all ingredients are incorporated.
  2. Blend cheese and elbow noodles and place in a greased 9×11 casserole dish. Top with additional Cheddar cheese and bake for 45 minutes or until bubbly.

 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: , , , ,
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