Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Busy Testing Recipes

Posted on March 4, 2012 by Cindy Kerschner

Golden Chef Award

Working on autumn recipes for a magazine call. My kitchen smells delicious; pumpkin, cinnamon, orange, yum! Now how can I bottle that?

Posted in cookbooks, food, publications, Uncategorized | Tagged autumn, baking, blog, food, pumpkin, recipes | Comments Off

Ahoy Matey! Its Crabcakes and Cole Slaw

Posted on March 2, 2012 by Cindy Kerschner

Crabcakes and Cole Slaw
Crabcakes and cole slaw go together any time of year. Throw in a baked potato and you have a tasty Friday Fish meal or a summer beach escape feeling dinner. Serve my quick cocktail sauce instead of tartar sauce for a slightly spicier taste. Is that a fog horn I hear? Enjoy!
Crab Cakes
Yields 4
8 ounces crabmeat (claw, backfin, lump)
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon mayo or low-cal mayo
1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
2 teaspoons seafood or Creole seasoning
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 cup plain bread crumbs, divided
2 Tablespoons olive oil

Mix egg, mayo, mustard, seasoning, Worcestershire, lemon juice, parsley and crab. Gradually add breadcrumbs (about a half cup total) to the mix until you reach the desired consistency. Divide mix into 4 equal balls. Flatten each ball to form a patty. Coat patty in remaining breadcrumbs and set aside.
Heat oil in medium-sized fry pan over medium heat, add patties, flip to coat other side with oil. Fry over medium-low temperature on each side for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with cocktail or tartar sauce.

Cocktail sauce
1 cup ketchup
1 Tablespoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Cole Slaw
2 cups shredded cabbage or cole slaw mix
1 Tablespoon grated carrot
Dressing
1 cup mayo or low-cal mayo
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Dash of hot sauce, optional

Posted in cole slaw, cookbooks, crab, fasy and easy, food, Lent, main dish, reduced-calorie, seafood, side dish, Uncategorized, What's For Dinner? | Tagged cookbooks, crabmeat, food, Lent, main dish, recipes, reduced-calorie, seafood | 3 Comments

Locked and Loaded Lower Calorie Red Smashed Potatoes

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Cindy Kerschner

Cindy Kerschner 2012

I love potatoes. Take Loaded Red Smashed Potatoes for example with lots of butter, sour cream, cheddar, bacon bits, and chives. Instant heart attack, right? Enjoying these beauties doesn’t need to include a trip to the hospital. Here’s some tips to bring those calories down and flavor up!
Try substituting nonfat cheddar and nonfat sour cream to cut calories and choleserol. Using dried bacon bits only adds about 30 calories per tablespoon, still use it sparingly. Heavy up on chives or green onion for extra kick. Use a little salt substitute and you won’t notice there’s no butter. Last but not least, leave the skins on for added texture and nutrition!

Posted in fasy and easy, food, potatoes, reduced-calorie, side dish | Tagged food, loaded potatoes, potatoes, recipes, red potatoes, reduced-calorie, side dish | Comments Off

Quick and Easy Shrimp Creole

Posted on February 24, 2012 by Cindy Kerschner

Shrimp Creole
Bring a little of New Orleans flavor home from Mardi Gras! My version of Creole sauce is mild but can be spiced up as you choose. Serve over your favorite rice blend. Enjoy!

1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup olive oil, plus 2 Tablespoons
1 cup hot water
1 6-ounce can tomato paste, plus one can water
1/2 cup red and/or green peppers, chopped
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Creole Seasoning
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tablespoon hot sauce or to taste (optional)
1 or 2 Bay leaves
Parsley for garnish

1. In a large skillet, sauté peppers, onions, celery and garlic in 2 Tablespoons oil over medium heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. In a large bowl add shrimp, tomatoes (do not drain), lemon juice, Worcestershire, bay leaves, seasoning and zest. Set aside.
3. Add flour and 1/3 cup oil to skillet. Whisk together over medium-low heat until bubbles form and mix slightly browns. Slowly add hot water a little at a time, whisking constantly to form a smooth paste or “roux”. Whisk in tomato paste plus the can of water.
4. Reduce heat and add shrimp mixture. Simmer 5 minutes or until shrimp are pink and fully cooked.
5. Remove and discard bay leaves. Add hot sauce as desired. Spoon mixture over rice, garnish with dried parsley.