Phew, it’s HOT out there! We’ve been serving up dishes to please everyone on these warm summer nights, and getting excited for the 4th of July! Everything from seafood to salad…we kept it fresh and cool. Well, except my sister’s boyfriend Mike’s (Now Famous) Crab Stuffed Mushrooms…they were fresh baked and DELICIOUS! Mike is an awesome cook, and he treated our whole clan to these seafood stuffed snacks…we just couldn’t get enough! We served these up with some fresh crusty bread, as it added to the presentation, and was one less bowl on the table.
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
2 Cartons fresh mushrooms
2 Containers of crab/cheese spread (Found at the seafood department at Albertsons)
2 Cans of tiny shrimp
1/4 Cup of cream
2 Cans of lump crab meat
3 Eggs (beaten)
1 1/2 Cups panko bread crumbs.
1/2 Cup of grated parmesan cheese
4 Cloves of garlic
1/4 Stick of butter
1 Teaspoon hot sauce or chili powder
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Wash and remove stems from mushrooms. Pat dry with a paper towel. Keep 1/2 of the stems and set aside.
Chop up 4 cloves of garlic and mushrooms stems. Sauté in butter over medium heat until stems reduce in size. (Set aside)
In a large mixing bowl combine the following:
3 beaten eggs
1/4 cup of cream
2 cans of lump crab meat
2 containers of crab/cheese spread
1 cup of panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon hot sauce/ chili powder (more or less to your liking)
Add the sautéed garlic and stems into stuffing mix. Mix all of the combined ingredients.
Stuff the caps with the combined ingredients and place in a large baking dish. Add 3-4 tiny shrimp to each mushroom cap. Sprinkle over remaining 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 min. Broil for the last 5 min. SO GOOD!!
Of course my brother Gavin had to add his own flair to the menu, and he eats shrimp and crab like no one else! He would eat it for every meal if he could. He served up some “Quick Cracked Crab”, as well as some chilled sauteed Shrimp in a summery, light Mexican style sauce. We always get our crab legs from Albertsons while they’re on sale…they always have really large King Crab legs for the best price.
Cracked crab is so easy to serve cool or cold, and it’s a lot of fun to eat with the family. We took about 7 (frozen) really large King Crab legs, and cracked each leg in half. We thawed them in cool water, and then Gavin heated them in the microwave for just a minute or two before serving. We added melted butter to the mix for dipping, and it was to-die-for. Such a fast and easy meal that also feels just a little “fancy” even if you make a little bit of a mess with your crab-crackers digging for that last bit of meat. 😉
For Gavin’s Sauteed Shrimp, he added just about a tablespoon of butter, a tablespoon of minced garlic, a touch of lime and chopped cilantro to the pan for a hint of Mexican flair. He sauteed the shrimp for about 5 minutes, then arranged his shrimp on a cool plate and drizzled the pan sauce over the top. He also added just a touch more chopped cilantro to the top and a squeeze of lime juice. It was served cooled, and was gobbled up in a flash!
We’re lucky to have a family that loves to cook together in the kitchen, and enjoy a nice meal outdoors. Everyone brings their own element to the meal…(even if I only set the table!) What do you like to make with your family for a warm summer’s eve? Any must-haves for the 4th? Leave a comment below or share your favorite recipes on Facebook!
