The internet is full of recipes. From blogs to product sites to social media, there is a recipe for everything from apple pie to zucchini casseroles.
But there is something endearing about browsing through cookbooks and recipe magazines.
The problem with the internet is there has to be some kind of search word or phrase to begin looking for recipes, such as “chicken,” “evening meals” or “what to do with too many tomatoes.”
Sitting down with a cookbook and slowly perusing the pages with no preconceived notion of any specific ingredients or any particular cooking technique often leads to the exploration of new recipes.
Printed recipes in cookbooks or magazines also open up the imagination. Online recipes often have comments about why the recipe works or dozens of comments from individuals who have tried the recipe and made substitutions, or whose family just loved the dish.
There is a special “something” when thumbing through a cookbook with no particular destination in mind. With a new cookbook that was purchased at a library book sale, it was time to sit back and slowly drift through the pages.
This book had over 1,700 recipes compiled from over 500 Bed & Breakfast Country Inns. There were a lot of banana bread, muffin and morning casserole recipes. Those recipes held little interest but were engaging to read.
But there were quite a few recipes that would become the basis of new dishes.
Several bed and breakfast inns on the East Coast had seafood recipes, including various types of crab dishes. So why not incorporate some of their ideas into existing recipes?
Seeing a recipe for crab sandwiches led to an update of an old, existing crabcake recipe that turned into an Open Faced Crab Sandwich.
Quite simple to prepare. The crab mixture can be prepared ahead of time and then loaded onto English muffins or garlic bread and broiled just before serving.
There are lots of variations of Crab Dip. So this was an easy recipe to update. Just a couple of new ingredients, a bit of hot sauce and mustard. Those simple changes gave the dip a nice kick and enhanced the overall flavor of the dish.
It’s great to walk away from electronic devices and delve into a cookbook for new ideas and fresh updates on traditional recipes. For a change of pace, shut off the World Wide Web, pull out a cookbook and browse through the pages. Happy Eating!
Open Faced Crab Sandwiches
Donna Evans / Echo Journal Correspondent
- 1 6 1/2-ounce can of crabmeat, drained
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
- 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 egg yolk
- 2-4 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2-3 English muffins, split and toasted (toasted garlic bread can be used)
- 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the crabmeat, mayonnaise, cream cheese, egg yolk, 2 tablespoons of the panko and the seasonings. Mix well. If the mixture is too wet, add an additional tablespoon of the breadcrumbs. Mix well. If needed, add the last tablespoon of breadcrumbs and mix well.
Turn the oven to broil.
Lightly spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Toast two English muffins. Place the muffins on a baking sheet and cover each muffin half with butter or margarine. Top with the crab mixture. If there is enough of the crab mixture, a third muffin can be toasted and topped with the mixture.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and broil the muffins for 2-3 minutes. Remove them from the oven and top each muffin with an ample amount of Parmesan cheese. Return the baking sheet to the oven and broil for an additional 2-3 minutes until the cheese is browned.
Remove the muffins from the oven and serve immediately.
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 ounces lump crabmeat
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon hot sauce, optional (use 1 teaspoon if you want a hotter dip)
- ¼ to ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, combine all of the ingredients, except the cheddar cheese.
Spray a shallow 1- to 1 1/2-quart baking dish lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
Place the crab mixture in the baking dish. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, just until the cheese starts to brown.
Serve with plain crackers or tortilla chips.
Donna Evans is an Echo Journal correspondent.
