Feeling Crabby

I'm feeling a bit crabby this morning. And, no, not because it's Monday (surprisingly!). I just came across the most fantastic, messy, and delicious dinner concept. Whether there are two of you or ten, all that's required is this past Sunday's newspaper, a hammer, wine, and a hunger for my most beloved crustacean: crab.

You'd be shocked at the deal your local grocery can give you on crab legs (we're talking a quarter of the price at a restaurant) and the relatively easy set-up and clean-up for family and friends. No dirty dishes! In fact, I just spooned some cocktail sauce and spicy mustard right on the newspaper "tablecloth"at my seat.

Last week in Watercolor, my adopted Fogelman family and I dined on these for almost an hour. We loved it so much, we're doing it again this week with more guests! And while I am not advocating ditching a burger cookout for Fourth of July, a crab cookout could be a perfectly seasonal alternative that actually requires sitting around a table for the entirety of the meal.

I highly encourage this foolproof concept, especially during the upcoming month of July. You'll be feeling crabby soon enough!

top and featured image via katie evans

Funfetti Sprinkle Cookies

Admit it; there's a kid in each of us who craves the colorful, whimsical delight of sprinkles. And when opportunities arise to gather the family, these funfetti, buttery cookies are the perfect treat. During my time in Watercolor, Florida, my seventh-grader buddy Alex and I tried out this recipe in attempts to master a Fourth of July snack. She approves; and we're hopefully going to find red, white, and blue sprinkles for the patriotic, family-filled occasion!

Makes approximately 2.5 dozen cookies

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 1 3/4 sticks butter, softened 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture in small batches.

3. Stir in sprinkles. Drop by the rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle a few extra sprinkles on top, if desired. Be sure to keep them at least 2 inches apart. . .!

4. Bake for 10-11 minutes until golden brown.

Mini Lobster Rolls

I’m always in search for the ideal lobster roll. I’ve tried many in the past (Garbo’s in Austin currently reigns); and maybe it’s just my taste, but I prefer the buttery Connecticut style over a mayo-heavy infusion. There’s something simply heartwarming about a toasty bun, steamed lobster meat, and whole lotta butta. I decided to go for my own at home and quickly learned that, yes, this high-style, party-starting appetizer is easy as ever to put together. Celebrate summer with a bite of these minis!

Makes 8 mini rolls

4 fresh lobster tails 4 tablespoons butter, melted Juice of 2 lemons 2 tablespoons assorted herbs, coarsely chopped (I used a combination of chives, tarragon, and Italian parsley) Salt and black pepper 8 mini yeast or brioche rolls

1. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Using tongs, add lobster tails to water and steam until plump and bright pink, about 6 minutes. While lobster tails are steaming, prepare an ice bath in a large serving bowl.

2. Remove lobster tails and immediately place in ice bath to cool.

3. Using scissors, cut a line vertically across each lobster tail. Split open and remove meat. Cut lobster meat into ½ inch pieces and place in a small bowl.

4. Toast rolls and cut approximately 1 inch vertically, making sure to keep entire bun in one piece!

5. Meanwhile, add lemon juice, butter, herbs, and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper to the bowl. Lightly coat lobster with butter mixture.

6. Spoon lobster evenly into each bun and serve warm.

Asparagus Goat Cheese Salad

The summer rain has been getting to me these days. . . perhaps it's because I cannot seem to find the motivation to venture outside and try restaurants, which cause more angst than enjoyment on stormy nights. However, the weather has excused me to cook more at home -- the kitchen is a luxury I once took for granted. I love the time inside more and more each day. This salad recipe was created a few nights ago when in search of a green salad to kick off a hearty lamb chop dinner. The combination of leafy vegetables, sweet crunchy nuts, and melt-in-your-mouth cheese is rich and utterly fantastic. For an entree portion, I recommend a grilled piece of salmon.

Stay dry if you are in rainy weather as well. The sun better come out soon . . . I'm ready to picnic!

Makes 4-6 servings

30 asparagus spears, washed and trimmed 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 bag mixed greens 1 cup candied pecans 4 ounces honey goat cheese 1/4 cup orange juice 1 teaspoon sugar 1 tablespoon white wine 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard Salt and pepper

1. Mix together asparagus with 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Heat in a large skillet over medium high heat until lightly charred and tender crisp. Set aside.

2. Combine orange juice and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low for 5 minutes.

3. Combine wine, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. While whisking, gradually add 5 tablespoons olive oil. Stir in orange juice mix.

4. Mix greens with vinaigrette and divide among plates. Top each plate with asparagus, pecans and crumbled goat cheese.

A Bad Dog Bloody Mary

Anyone in need of a cool-down during these scorching summer afternoons and upcoming Memorial Day Weekend? I have the solution, thanks to my new friends at Bad Dog Bar Craft (who you might have seen make an appearance at my NO VA cocktail event). I am personally a huge bloody mary fan, and this company's exclusive new bitters enhance the savory cocktail with just a few dashes.

Here is my latest version of the delectable drink, which I prefer to serve for guests as a bloody mary bar on my new bar tray. The tray allows you to set-up on a coffee table or poolside with celery, Tabasco, almond-stuffed olives...you name it! My mom (wearing a gorgeous John Hardy bracelet and Yurman band) stirred in her Bad Dog Bar Craft bitters with high approval. The hints of celery and cucumber add an entirely new flavor depth to the beverage without even needing a stalk of celery on the side.

1.5 ounces vodka 4 ounces bloody mary mix (I prefer Zing Zang) 2-3 dashes Worcestershire sauce 2-3 dashes Bad Dog Bloody Mary bitters Sprinkle of pepper Dash of Tabasco (optional) Celery and olives, for garnish

1. In a short glass, measure vodka and bloody mary mix. Add dashes of Worcestershire, Bad Dog bitters, pepper, Tabasco, and lemon juice.

2. Add a few cubes of ice and gently stir. Top with celery and olives, if desired.

Blistered Jalapeño Bites

Though I have lived in Austin for four years now, the not-from-Texas stereotype finally (and literally) stung during my attempt at this recipe. Jalapeños are sprinkled in my restaurant meals here and there, but never before had they entered my kitchen. Without hesitation, I slightly sliced open the jalapeños and removed the seeds with a spoon and my hands after charring them in the broiler. Then, I wiped my eyes. And my nose.

Soon enough, my face was swollen, bright red, and stinging uncontrollably! An ice pack did the trick after 30 minutes of hilarious, hysterical pain. Thank goodness these babies turned out to be tasty. But, lesson learned: WEAR GLOVES while working with jalapeños!

I served the starter on this simple dinner plate, which I set against a fun bamboo charger for a summery vibe.

8 jalapeños 8 slices center cut bacon 1 cup shredded mozzarella 1 teaspoon fresh oregano

1. Grill (or broil) jalapeños for 3-5 minutes, until lightly grilled and blistered. With a sharp knife, cut a 2-inch line into the jalapeño and remove seeds with a spoon.

2. Mix mozzarella and oregano in a bowl, then stuff a large pinch of the mixture into each jalapeño. Wrap a piece of bacon around the jalapeño tightly to seal the mozzarella inside of the pepper.

3. Grill jalapeños until bacon is browned, approximately 5 minutes. Serve warm.

adapted from food network