The good kind of crabs!

This post is a lil different... it's about great food combined with a fun learning experience.

I am a BIG nature person but the cities I live in are not exactly conducive to the great outdoors... It's frustrating, but hey, political communications and social sciences are hard to come by when you are in the middle of a lake, and I love those too...

Either way, I was in desperate need of a trip out of the city and an offer came up!

This tale begins with a visit to some friends who live off of the Chesapeake Bay where I got a refresher course in fishing and then we used the fish I caught to bait crab traps... then I was taught how to steam the crabs that I caught.  It was awesome. 

Thoughts on fishing:

Eeeep. First Catch! 

I used to know how to fish when I was little.  My uncle taught me at the family cabin in Canada, but I found it very upsetting when the fish flopped around in the boat, so I chucked the fish back in the water to save him.  Little did I know... that was probably the biggest fish my uncle had ever caught... To this day, I am still a little surprised that he  didn't throw me in after the fish. 

This is when I started apologizing to the fish... Clearly
a little terrified... Oh well, fear conquered. 

For fishing round 2.... we kayaked for about 40 minutes to a small inlet that was home to a lot of creature including a beautiful Great Heron. I was also home to a lot of sticks... I caught 2 sticks in a row. I know, it is very impressive... But FINALLY after learning to keep the tip of the fishing rod town, I finally had a bite and reeled in my first catch of the day.  It took me a minute to balance holding the rod while trying to conquer a mild fear of grabbing a fish (no judgement zone... I don't palm fish everyday, so it is OK to be a little jumpy).  Once I finally got him, I felt like apologizing to him as I tried to delicately remove the hook from him mouth... but it turns out that it is not an entirely delicate task, even when a fish has sharp fins. 
Long story short.... fishing is like gambling... you keep saying "just one more cast" until you get a fish and then the cycle repeats itself. 


CRABS:
Once we got back from the fishing adventure, we tossed the fish into the crab traps at the end of the dock and waited for a day or so... they had a few crabs in the keeper trap so we fed them too...  

Around lunchtime the next day for lunch... INTO THE POT FOR MY NEW CRAB FRIENDS!  
This was another "experience" for me... we put them directly into the pot and my job was to keep them from wondering off... We went back into the house... did the Old Bay dance, and steamed these blue crabs... 

Because it was early in the season, they were still a little small so overall I ate 5 of them, but honestly... Most satisfying lunch EVER.

Polenta and Squash

Making this one up as I go... and blogging about it between sections.  

- getting ready to go out of town and I want to use up some of the things I have laying around! 

(I was trying to decide whether to go Italian~ish or Spanish~ish... I think I'll go with the latter for the sake of experimentation)

What I have/ What you need:

1 Butternut squash

Frozen Corn

Frozen Okra

Can of black beans

Salsa

Pre-made polenta

Cheddar 

(wish I had fresh cilantro....) 

-spices...? RED PEPPER FLAKES. (there should always be red pepper flakes)... 

Begin by baking the squash!  I usually just cut 'em in half and toss them in the oven at 400 for about 30-40 minutes... I also recommend tossing the butternut squash seeds in the over with some old bay... there aren't usually very many, but it's like the benefit of pumpkin seeds without waiting for halloween!  It is also an excuse to eat more old bay....

Once the squash is done, let it cool enough to scoop some out to cut into pieces.  

Slice up the polenta into circles and spread out onto a lightly oiled pan.  Put a scoop of black beans on the polenta and shred a little bit of cheddar cheese over top of them before sticking the pan under the broiler to let the cheese melt and bubble a little.

Mix together corn and okra and toss in the cooked squash, salsa, and a squirt of sriracha.  Spoon out the mix onto the polenta with cheese and black beans and put the whole dish under the broiler for about a minute.  I added more cheese too...   

Take out... and enjoy!!!!

Oh, chick p(le)as/ GarbanzYO

I couldn't think of a good title for this one... but this is just a friendly reminder that this is a judgement free food blog... Heinous food jokes are more than acceptable as long as they are gluten free! 

Rosted Chickpeas/ Garbanzo beans recipe. 

ONE OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITES... I make them almost every week...

What You'll Need:

Olive Oil

Canned Garbanzo Beans

A Nice Rack (OF SPICES)

*Recommended Spices- Old Bay, red pepper flakes, everyday seasoning from Trader Joe's, garlic powder... 

Preheat the oven to 375 and coat a pan in a light dousing of olive oil. 

Strain the garbanzo beans and pour them into the pan and shake them around so that they get a light coating of olive oil.  I usually put two or three cans of garbanzo beans in one pan and I don't recommend doing more than that in one batch... 

Sprinkle a generous amount of spices over the garbonzo beans and aim for an even coating (then just shimmy the pan back and forth. That works too).  I like them with a bit of a kick, so dont be afraid of the red pepper flakes. 

Bake the garbanzos on the bottom rack for about 30 minutes. Stir with a spatula every ten... Once you hit the 30 minute mark... stir them and test a couple every 5 minutes or so until they are cooked to your liking! It usually takes about 45 minutes to get to my desired crunchy level, but hey, YOU DO YOU! 

Oh... Honey.... How I love you

Ok... So just a quick post... short and sweet.

Yummy as a sandwich, grilled cheese, or open face sandwich.

What you need:
Apples
Brie
Honey
Gluten Free Bread

For all you non-celiacs out there, don't hate on gluten free bread.  It is SO much better than you think it will be (at least some brands... I can't be a total liar).  As for the sandwich, just pair together all the fixings the best you can.  I like to broil it for about a minute or two with honey spread on the bread, apples, then brie to top it all off.  Let it get a little bit cheese bubbly then rock on.  Enjoy it!!! You will seriously consider making another one after you eat the first.  It's like the children's book, "If you give a moose a muffin"

Sidenote- selecting good brie... I honestly don't know much about it except for the fact that I love it.  Go to the deli counter at the store and ask what they know about brie, and as long as it is reasonable, splurge a little.  Brie is such an awesome taste because every time you eat it, you are somehow still surprised by the taste.

One of the weirdest things I have ever had...

I did not create this beauty.  But everyone should know it exists.
Burger... With peanut butter, bacon, and swiss cheese


Ok... This is what I saw on the menu at Mugshots Grill and Bar in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  http://mugshotsgrillandbar.com/
(Also... Shout out to ASB Bama... love you guys)

I asked the waitress what the best thing on the menu was, and she said this was popular... with bacon and swiss cheese. So I really wanted to try it.  Naturally it was Bun free... I take two of my own with my at all times, so I don't need them with my burger (gluten free jokes).

They ask if you want crunchy or creamy peanut butter... so crunchy was the only rational choice.

How'd it taste? WOW.  It's weird because it's not that weird and it should taste REALLY weird.  It is a natural taste that is unexpectedly expected.  America= Burgers and America=Peanut Butter so my horrible math concludes that Burger+Peanut Butter= Super America. It made sense.  I made people around my table to try it and they all agreed.

What is really cool is that usually when you eat peanut butter, it's the taste you are looking for and  focusing on. When you are eating a bacon and swiss cheese burger with peanut butter, the peanut butter becomes an accessory flavor rather than the main focus.  My explanation might not make sense... but trust me... the flavor of this burger made the whole world make sense.

Thrill of the chase... Coconuts

This isn't really a recipe.... it is more of a PSA/tribute to coconuts.
I LOVE them... they are such a rewarding fruit.  As mentioned in the title, there is a "thrill of the chase" experience that happens while trying to open them, but it is worth it in the end!




I usually go for the hammer method... but I don't really want to tell you guys my trick with this because figuring it out is half the fun. Not even kidding.  They are not very expensive and give you about 45 minutes of fun. Dream big. Just drain the juice before you start ragging on it with miscellaneous inanimate objects.

Once it is open... please be safe.  People think opining it is the dangerous part, but really, getting the fruit out is the killer.

I don't want to skew your perceptions of caprese

Caprese Skewers.  Great to take to a party/dinner. Also great to eat alone because you dont have to share.

Caprese Skewers! 

What You Need:
Cherry Tomatos
Small Mozzarella Balls
Fresh Basil
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Skewers

(side note... good balsamic vinegar rocks and is worth the investment... A REALLY good place to look for quality balsamic is at TJ Max... #sharedmysecret).

Simple enough... put cherry tomatos, mozzarella and fresh basil onto a skewer.  Stack the skewers on a plate and trickle on a mix of olive oil and balsamic vinegar... I like a sprinkle of good black pepper with it.. but that is up to you.