Simple Crab Dip

Sometimes it's the recipes that are simple and easy and fresh that turn out the best.  I think it has something to do with getting down the basics, using the stuff that God put on this earth for us to eat.  It just does a body good.

I picked this recipe up from a good friend of mine.  It's delicious, and better yet, it's good for you.  My weight watchers doesn't scream when I eat this.  It's so wonderful.  Make it today to impress your friends... or better yet, make it after everyone else leaves and the kids are in bed to impress your belly.

This dish is wonderful not only for taste, but for the quick quick prep, and the one dish method.  Everything is mixed and baked in the same dish, making clean up a cinch.

Simple Crab Dip


Ingredients:
One package lump crab meat (I go back and forth between the canned true crab meat, and the packaged kinda-fake crab meat that you can find in the refrigerated section of your grocery store.  Each is good- no shame in the fake stuff)
Bell pepper, color your choice (I prefer yellow or orange for this one, but really, if you have a favorite, use that one)
Half of a red onion
2/3 cup LIGHT mayo
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (if you've never strayed from the parmesan cheese that comes in the little green shaker, this is the time.  Find a wedge of it, grate it up, then thank me later, after you've stopped drooling)
Frank's hot sauce

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (190 C).

Chop the red onion and the bell pepper into pea-sized pieces.  Place in a pie dish (or whatever baking dish you choose to use).  Chop the crab meat roughly, and toss on top of the veggies.  Mix in the mayo and the parmesan cheese, adding a couple shakes of the hot sauce to taste.  I love Frank's because it adds flavor as well as heat.  I put in about 1/2 Tbsp, and could just pick up the heat, so you can use that as your guide.  Not into spice?  Add less.

Mix it all up and pop that sucker into the oven for 25 minutes.  Don't be afraid of the crispy bits that will form around the sides.  Those crispy bits will be your new BFF.

Use your favorite crackers to dip, or pita bread, or a fork.  Whatever you fancy.

Zucchini Brownies

Please don't judge these by their name.  Please.  I beg you.  I know it's an odd combination, zucchini and brownies together like that.  But it works.  It so wonderfully, completely, magically works.  The zucchini takes the chocolate to a whole new level.  It's like those couples that you know, that are on complete opposite spectrums of What It Is To Be Human, and yet, together, they are a wonderful cohesive item.  They compliment.  That's what these brownies are.  So just make them.

And then eat them.

But... if you want proof they exist, be quicker with the camera than I was.

Zucchini Brownies


Ingredients:
3 cups flour
4 Tbsp cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 C oil (vegetable or canola... no olive please!)
1 3/4 C sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 C buttermilk (or you can make your own buttermilk, 1/2 C milk with 1 tsp lemon juice added)
2 C peeled, grated zucchini (cheese graters work marvelously for this!)
shortening for greasing the pan
Chocolate chips (any variety, the mini ones works well, and the dark chocolate ones add a great flavor)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175 C).

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and cinnamon together into a medium bowl(this step isn't absolutely necessary if you are short on either time or a sifter, but if you have the means, it does add a great texture to the brownies-- if you choose to omit the sifting, just mix them together with a fork).  Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk and zucchini.  Mix with electric mixer or by hand until well-blended, about two minutes.  Pour into greased and floured (or, if you have some left, use cocoa powder instead) 10x15 inch baking pan.  Top with chocolate chips.  Go crazy here, don't skimp.  I can very easily use an entire bag of chocolate chips with these.

Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  I think these take a different amount of time each time I cook these... not sure why.  This last time, I had them in for about 45 minutes before they were ready.  Just keep checking, and if the toothpick comes out covered, pop them in for another 5 minutes, then check again.

These are very very rich, so keep that in mind when cutting them to serve.  A little goes a long way!