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| Wade and his friend Preston on Okaloosa Island |
I can't believe it's the end of September already. My Lee Ann turns 27 on Friday the 30th and that is even more unbelivable. She should still be playing soccer and riding her bicycle to school at Destin Elementary. I miss those days for sure.
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| This is before Lee Ann became a War Eagle. She was doing a cheer for Alabama! Roll Tide Lee Lee! |
Blue crabs are my favorite cooked with Old Bay Seasoning. One day many years ago I was in Panama City with some friends at Billy's on Thomas Drive to eat buckets of blue crab. My friend's husband, from Baltimore, explained in great detail how to crack and eat the crabs. We listened very attentively. The crabs came and we all broke into them and started eating them and Brent said you guys should have told me to hush up. You defintely did not need my instruction on how to crack and eat crabs! Billy's is my favorite place to eat them. Just the right seasoning and always cooked perfect.
The High Tide Restaurant on the east end of the Brooks bridge has soft shell crab sandwiches on the menu right now and they are sooo good. Try one if you are in the area. Every item on the menu at the High Tide is delicious and the oyster bar is one of my favorite in the area. Wade loves the coleslaw at The Hightide.
The Boathouse in Destin Harbor is another favorite place of ours for gumbo, oysters and fried crab claws, along with ice cold Coronas of course! There's not a bad restaurant anywhere along the harbor. We recently celebrated a birthday with a friend at Dewey Destin's and the scallops were off the charts! The biggest juiciest scallops I have ever tasted. Broiled or fried they are delicious.
There will be seafood restaurant vendors set up all along the harbor this weekend. Along with the occasional funnel cake, gyros, and sausage dog ...I am guessing! Come down to Destin and have some fun this fall, we would love to see you.
I am including one of my favorite recipes for Shrimp or Crab Cakes.
Shrimp Cakes with Corn and Avocado Salsa
Shrimp Cakes
1 lb. shrimp peeled and deveined and chopped
Olive oil
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 garlic clove minced
¼ cup thinly sliced green onion about 3 green onions include green tops
3 Tablespoons Kraft Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 ½ teaspoon hot sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
1 large egg
¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
¾ cup panko bread crumbs
Corn Avocado Salsa
1 cup white frozen corn thawed
¾ cup diced ripe avocado
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons finely chopped and seeded poblano pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
Cakes:
Clean shrimp and place in bowl. Cut shrimp into medium to small pieces. You want the shrimp to be small enough to hold the shape of the patties. If they are too large they will make the patty break apart.
Heat nonstick skillet over medium heat and coat pan with olive oil. Add bell pepper and sauté 3 min. Add garlic and sauté 1 more min. Place sautéed pepper mixture in a large bowl. Add chopped shrimp, green onions, mayonnaise, lime juice, hot sauce, salt and egg. Stir until blended well. Stir in cilantro and panko.
Divide into 10 equal portions shape into a ½ inch thick patty. Dredge both sides in remaining panko. Chill for at least 1 hour.
Heat pan over medium high heat. Coat pan with olive oil. Add 5 cakes to skillet and heat on each side 4 min. Remove from pan keep warm and add last 5 cakes cook 4 min each side.
Salsa:
Thaw corn in mixing bowl. Then saute in a little olive oil for about 3 min. Just until warmed. Remove from heat and cool.
While cakes are chilling make salsa.
Chop avocado, onion, pepper, cilantro, combine with corn, and lime juice.
Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Cover and chill until crab cakes are ready to serve.
When i have fresh parsley and oregano I add them and also a little mint too. This salsa is also delicious with grilled fish tacos.
