Perfect Pairing - Peppered Crab Cakes and Baked Onion Rings

Yesterday, after my wonderful in-laws treated the husband and me to steamed blue crabs on the pier (as the breeze blew and the waves crashed on the shore...) I spent some time picking crab meat. I ended up with about 9 oz. and my kind in-laws let me take it home. Did I mention they are wonderful and kind (and not just because I love crab meat).

There's only one thing to make with crab meat - crab cakes. And although I love the Southern MD melted butter and pan fried variety, I turned to my online friend, Gina, for a skinny recipe. In her crab cakes, red pepper and low-fat Ritz crackers make the filling along with some egg and cilantro. 

I chose Gina's recipe for oven baked onion rings which were fantastic. I'm going to include the links here because I really didn't change too much. For what I did change, I've noted below the links.

Baked Lump Crab Cakes with Red Pepper
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/04/baked-lump-crab-cakes-with-red-pepper.html

• I did not use scallions, but I did use onion salt instead of regular salt
• I did not make or use the accompanying sauce - I really liked the flavor of the cakes

Low Fat Baked Onion Rings
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2011/03/low-fat-baked-onion-rings.html

• I used a yellow onion, which after cooking, was oh-so sweet
• I did not have corn flakes so I crushed up some of my husband's Special K cereal
• My local grocery store was out of buttermilk so I soaked the onion rings in milk instead - yet, I found that I needed to add a step before the breading. I dipped each ring in egg white before dipping the rings in the breadcrumb mixture. That worked out well, and I'm not sure if buttermilk would have made the rings stickier...

Big Taste on Skinny Taste

I've decided to learn a little something about how much I eat. My employer offers Weight Watchers and I decided to join. I'm happy with me, but honestly, dreading the day jeans are washed because I know how I'm going to have to stretch them out a bit for them to be comfortable, has become a bit old. So, I joined and have been watching my "points" each day and in conjunction, choosing what I eat in a different manner.

I've learned that I don't have to eat all of the bread (especially when it's deep fried and then served with maple butter) when I really want to have the Lobster Bisque. Just little differences this week helped me to shed 2.4 pounds, which is a small celebration - especially when I feel like I'm not starving myself. And, after eating my bowl of Lobster Bisque at lunch yesterday, I didn't even feel the need to unbutton my jeans and latch the snap with my hair tie (which, sadly, had become normal habit).

One website has been a nice help: Gina's Skinny Taste. Along with great recipes, she has already calculated the Weight Watchers points for me and other people who refuse to give up good, tasy cooking. FYI - I have 29 points each day, and you'll be able to judge a recipe by it's points value. These are really good recipes and not so bad for you.

http://www.skinnytaste.com/

Tonight, I think we're making her Spinach Lasagna Rolls for our friends, Mike, Kelly, and Jason. I'll add meat somewhere for my carnivore husband, but otherwise, I'll enjoy the cooking, the eating, and my pants fitting just right.  

I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze
and starts for the blue ocean.

She is an object of beauty and strength,
and I stand and watch until at last she hangs
like a speck of white cloud
just where the sea and sky come down to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says,
" There she goes! "

Gone where?

Gone from my sight . . . that is all.

She is just as large in mast and hull and spar
as she was when she left my side
and just as able to bear her load of living freight
to the place of destination.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her.

And just at the moment
when someone at my side says,
" There she goes! "
there are other eyes watching her coming . . .
and other voices ready to take up the glad shout . . .

" Here she comes! "

~Henry Van Dyke

With lots of love, Grandma.
Gone from my sight...that is all!