Shrimp Cakes with Avocado Corn Salsa

Wade and his friend Preston on Okaloosa Island

The Destin Seafood Festival starts this weekend. http://www.destinseafoodfestival.org/events.htm Check it out. The weather should be perfect. Lots of fun for everyone.  Also take a look at these beautiful photos of Destin by photographer Jim Vale. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimvailphotos/sets/72157604817723252/.
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.

This is before Lee Ann became a War Eagle. She was doing a cheer for Alabama! Roll Tide Lee Lee!

Wade and I spent most of the day yesterday walking along the bay with a friend that was here visiting. There were scads of blue crabs feasting on beached jelly fish. They were fighting each other for the jelly fish. I was totally entertained! Also huge blue heron walking along in front of us. His footprints were almost as long as mine!
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.

English/Sims Family & Italian Cream Cheese Cake recipe

This is the end of the pictures for the English Sims Family Album.

I am posting pictures of my Paternal Great Grandparents Henry and Allie B. English Sims, and their children, and grandchildren.

Back Row: Luvern Sims Holland and Eunice Sims Watford Lawrence

Front Row: Henry Sims, Betty Jean Sims, Allie B. English Sims, and Louise Sims Seay.

All of their children. L. to R.: Betty Jean, Bonnie, Luvern, Eddie Lee, Louise and Eunice. (Granny is hiding she must not have liked how she looked that day!)

Back: Eddie Lee, Eunice, Louise, Luvern

Front: Betty, Henry and Bonnie.

Henry with Great Grandsons Greg, on horse Steve left and Keith Holland right. Picture taken in 1969 in Ruskin at Henry's house. He raised and trained these minature ponies and sold them to the carnival companies to use for pony rides. And he restored and sold parts for old vintage cars.

Allie B. English Sims around 1950. The back of this picture has " Our little Doll House. Ha Ha!" In 1955 Allie B. suffered a stroke and died in Marianna while visiting Aunt Louise.

Allie B. English Sims and Betty Jean Sims her youngest child.

This is Allie B. with grandchildren, Doyle, Faye and Bob on the car.

This is Granny a long, long time ago.

Left to Right: Doyle Holland, Luvern Sims Holland, Hubert Holland holding Mickey Wayne Holland and Bob Holland holding the truck.

Joe Watford gave me this postcard that Granny sent to her Aunt Alma Viola English Watford. Granny always called her Aunt A.V.

This is the picture that was sent with the card.

This is Grandpa hanging out at the gas station on the Cottonwood Highway. Not sure but I think it is his cousin, Harley Halstead's station. I am guessing his car in the background. It's in the background of the next picture too.

Daddy in his new suit.

Mickey and Bob with their dogs.

Granny during a family reunion in the 70's. I think that is her Italian Cream Cheese Cake in the picture.

Eddie Lee Sims was the second child born to Allie B. and Henry Sims. He was their only son. His Pictures follow:

Henry Sims left and Eddie Lee Sims right.

Mary Louise Sims was the third child born to Allie B. and Henry Sims.

Aunt Louise in Elementary School in Madrid, Alabama. I think she looks a lot like my brother's daughter Marcee in this picture.

I am guessing Aunt Louise is about 12 years old.

Louise Sims

Louise Sims Seay her first day of work as a nurse in Chattahoochee.

Betty Jean and Louise Sims.

This is Aunt Louise's daughter Faye.

Faye with her kitten and majorette boots on.

Aunt Louise and Faye on her birthday. Looks like Betty Jean and maybe Fran in the background.

Faye High School in Marianna.

Eunice Sims was the fourth Child born to Henry and Allie B.

Eunice and Perry Lawrence

Eunice and brother Eddie Lee Sims

Eunice and her first husband Floyd Watford

Eunice and Floyd Watford

Eunice, Perry, holding grandaughter Beverly and their daughter Nioka.

Eunice and Floyd Watford.

Aunt Eunice and a little boy in front of a carnival truck and trailer.

Aunt Eunice and I am guessing this is Mickey Wayne she is holding.

Voncile Sims was the 5th child born to Henry and Allie B. Sims.

Aunt Bonnie holding Henry Kim Riley her son.

Floyd Watford, Bonnie, and Betty Jean Sims

Betty Jean and Bonnie Sims

Bonnie and Ben Riley

Benny Wayne Riley

Aunt Bonnie, Ben Riley holding Bob Holland

Bonnie Sims Riley

Aunt Bonnie holding grapefruit by car.

Aunt Bonnie with a cute purse!

Betty Jean was the 6th and youngest child born to Allie B. and Henry Sims.

Betty Jean Sims with cousin Fran Watford

Betty Jean, Hubert Holland and Bob in the car.

Betty Jean Sims

This is Aunt Betty with her brother in law Ben Russ.

Betty and Floyd Watford.

Niki Russ oldest daughter of Betty Jean.

Robin Hollister daugther of Betty Jean.

Robin in high school.

Kim Aunt Betty's youngest child.

That's the majority of the pictures I have of Allie B., Henry and their children. I did find a negative that I had developed but gave all the copies I made away! Will get another one made. It's the only picture I have ever seen of Henry and Allie B. Alone.

Here's the Italian Cream Cheese Cake Recipe.

You can substitute 1 cup unsalted butter for 1/2 cup oleo and 1/2 cup shortening.