Maryland Crab Soup

I'm proud to say Baltimore, Maryland is my hometown. I grew up eating steamed crabs and crab soup and truly believe that traces of Old Bay can be found coursing through my veins. The taste of real Maryland crab soup takes me right home. It's the ultimate comfort food. I will definitely be making a big pot after the holidays. This recipe is modified to my tastes from one of my mom's oldest cookbooks, The Chesapeake Collection. Traditional Eastern Shore crab soup doesn't call for worschestire sauce, but I add it, 'cuz that's how I roll.

4 cups water
3 beef bouillon cubes
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
5 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning*
1 tablespoon worschestire sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups frozen diced potatoes
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1 pound backfin crabmeat, picked over for shells**
Salt and pepper to taste

*You can find Old Bay seasoning by the seafood counter.
**Get REAL crabmeat. Look for Phillips crabmeat in the refrigerated section of the seafood area.

Dissolve bouillon cubes in hot water. Add crushed tomatoes and bring to a low boil. Add vegetables and cook until tender. Add Old Bay and worschestire sauce. Reduce heat and add crabmeat. Heat through, but don't boil. (The crabmeat will shred.)

Serve with saltine crackers. Ever since I was little, I've crumbled them into my crab soup. My Uncle Fred showed me how to crumble crackers while they were still in the package, so that's my favorite way to eat it.

This freezes really well. Hope you try it and enjoy!

Jalapeno Jack Corn Muffins

I love corn bread and I love messing with it. Sometimes I add black olives, black beans, jalapenos, cheese... whatever. This recipe is one of my favorites. I'm making another big batch of Shana's Turkey Chili this weekend, and these will be a perfect side.

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup buttermilk (I usually use sour cream instead)

2 tbsp butter, melted

1 egg

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

Monterey Jack cheese, cut into 12 one-inch cubes

Heat oven to 425. Line 12 muffin cups with paper baking cups or spray tin. In medium bowl, combine milk, buttermilk, butter, and egg; blend well.

In large bowl, mix flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix well. Push dry ingredients to sides of bowl to form well in center.

Add milk mixture; stir until dry ingredients are moistened. Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups. Press cheese cube into center of each.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

I'm at my parents' place in Florida, leafing through my mom's cookbooks. I came across a recipe that I can't wait to make. I just ate something like this on our cruise for dessert.

1 1/4 cup sugar, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder, divided
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/4 cups hot water
Whipped topping

Heat oven to 350. Stir together 3/4 cup sugar, flour, 1/4 cup cocoa, baking powder and salt. Stir in milk, butter and vanilla; beat until smooth. Pour ungreased 9-inch square baking pan. Stir together remaining 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar and remaining 1/4 cup cocoa; sprinkle mixture evenly over batter. Pour hot water over top. Do not stir.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until center is almost set. Let stand 15 minutes; spoon into dessert dishes, spooning sauce from the bottom of the pan over the top. Garnish with whipped topping.

Heather's Holiday Bark

This one is perfect for Christmas and it tastes just like an Andes candy - but with more chocolate!

Heather actually made it several years ago and brought it into the newsroom to share. She ALWAYS brought in treats for us - both homemade and store-bought. But this was homemade and I immediately requested the recipe.

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring

Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper; set it aside.

Melt the semisweet chips in a heatproof bowl set atop a pot of simmering water over medium-high heat. Stir continuously until smooth. Pour the chocolate onto the cookie sheet and spread it to about a 1/4-inch thickness with the back of a spoon.

Using the same method, melt the white chocolate chips with the oil. Stir continuously until smooth. Add the peppermint extract and food coloring; stir well. Pour the mixture over the chocolate layer and spread to about a 1/8-inch thickness with the back of a spoon. Draw the tip of a butter knife through the layers to create swirls.

Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.

Remove the bark from the pan. Peel off the waxed paper. Set the bark on a cutting board and cut it into 2 dozen bars with a sharp knife. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Cheesedog

I saw Rachael Ray make this about five years ago and it quickly became a Sawyer family favorite. I make it at least 2-3 times a month. And like any of the recipes I find, I've adapted it to my family's taste. The original recipe calls for onions, beer and spicy mustard, but I've found the version below works best for us.

1 lb. elbow macaroni
Salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 package hot dogs

(chopped into 1-inch pieces)
1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
Pepper
1 rounded tablespoon mustard
2 rounded tablespoons ketchup
4 cups sharp Cheddar cheese

Boil a large pot of water for macaroni. Salt water and under cook macaroni, cook about 7-8 minutes until just under al dente in doneness.

Preheat broiler and set rack 12 inches from heat.

While pasta works, heat a large deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, then add hot dogs and brown on both sides, 4 minutes total.

Remove the dogs with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Add another tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan, and the butter. When butter melts, add flour and cook another minute. Whisk in milk and bring to a bubble, then season the sauce with salt and pepper and stir in the mustard and ketchup.

Lower heat and add 2 cups of the cheese. Stir to melt, 1 minute. Adjust mustard, ketchup, and salt and pepper, to your taste.

Drain pasta well. Combine pasta and hot dogs with sauce and coat evenly then pour into a large, sprayed casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.

Melt and brown cheese under broiler, 2 minutes.

Fresh Mozzarella Tartlets

I make this appetizer around the holidays every year. It's so easy and ridiculously good. Governor Taft's former chef, June, shared this snack with me after I devoured more than the guests did one year at a holiday open house. When I think about it, June is probably the one who peaked my interest in becoming a decent cook. She taught me a lot about good food, and she always let me help out in the kitchen before an event. One time, June showed me how to do those beautiful carmel-sugar designs you see on top of desserts in nice restaurants. Very cool, but, I digress.

1 pkg frozen mini-Filo shells

1 pkg fresh mozzarella

1 jar Robert Rothschild Roasted Red Pepper & Onion relish (you won't use it all)

Preheat oven to 425. Place frozen mini-Filo shells on a cookie sheet. Cube mozzarella; place one cube in each shell. Bake 5-7 minutes until cheese is melty and bubbly. Spoon a little relish on each tartlet and serve warm.

I usually double the recipe... they go quickly! Enjoy.

Mom's Corn Casserole

I know I just posted a recipe for a Corn Bake, but I wanted to share this one as well. My mom made this to go with our Thanksgiving dinner. It was so delicious - I'll be making it often as a side. It also got the thumbs up from my always-hungry baby girl, who had never eaten corn until Thanksgiving. Yum, I hope you try this.

1 (15 oz) can creamed corn

1 (15 oz) can whole kernel corn

1/4 pound butter, melted

1 (8.5 oz) package corn bread mix (Mom uses Jiffy)

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

Preheat oven to 350. Mix creamed corn, kernel corn, corn muffin mix, sour cream and butter. Pour into a greased casserole dish. Bake for 30 minutes.