Friday Night Feast II

This past Friday, I decided to make another Friday Night Feast. Even though I'm really tired on Fridays, I kind of like the idea of having a special dinner for just the two of us. Sometimes we have plans and sometimes we have people over. But when we have nothing going on, there's something really great about spending Friday night in your cozy house, eating a great dinner and watching a movie.

I decided to make crab cake sandwiches. My sister made them for Easter and I thought they were awesome. Crab cakes cost a decent amount when you order them at restaurants, but they are pretty easy to make and somewhat affordable (especially when crab is on sale). The reason I've shied away from crab related recipes is because I thought you had to buy the fancy crab over by the seafood. Nope! It comes in a can right near the tuna, and tastes as great as can be for just a few bucks.

Thank you, Aimee, for sharing the recipe with me!!

Crab Cakes
~These are great for a weeknight or for company~

• 1/4 c finely chopped red onion
• 2tbs chopped fresh parsley
• 3 tbs light mayo
• 3/4 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 egg whites lightly beaten
• 1 lb lump crabmeat drained*
  
• 1 1/2 cups panko, divided (Japanese bread crumbs...you could use plain breadcrumbs if you want, but panko works better)
  
• 1 tbs olive oil, divided
• Cooking spray

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl. Gently fold in crabmeat. Gently stir in 3/4 cup of panko.
2. Divide crab mixture into 8 equal portions (I made these for sandwiches, so I made 6 slightly bigger ones). Form them into little patties and put on a cookie sheet. Cover and chill 30 minutes.
3. Place remaining panko in a shallow dish. Dredge each patty in the pankp individually.
4. Heat 1 1/2 tsp oil in a skillet over medium heat. Coat both sides of crab cakes with cooking spray.
5. Add crab cakes 4 at a time. Cook 7 minutes, carefully turn cakes over; cook 7 minutes more until golden. Repeat process for remaining crabcakes.
6. I then put them on buns with lettuce and tomato and a little cocktail sauce. Yum.
   

*I cheated a little and bought two cans of lump crab meat (which is more expensive..around $5 a can) and 1 can of plain crab meat (which was around $2 a can). You need the lump to hold it all together, but you can fill in with the cheaper kind.

I served them on buns with lettuce and tomato. If you choose to make them on their own, here is the recipe for a sauce to top them with.

2/3 c fat free chicken broth
3 tbs chopped shallots
2 tbs white whine vinegar
2 1/2 tbs butter

Combine broth, chopped shallots, and vinegar in a small sauce pan; bring to boil. Cook until reduced to a 1/2 cup (about 4 minutes); remove from heat, stir in butter. Serve with crabcakes and roasted vegetables.

Recipe taken from Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2009

Because I had most of the ingredients on hand (mayo, Worcestershire sauce, eggs, panko..) I only had to pick up a couple things from the store.

Pretty fancy dinner for only about $15 in groceries, don't ya think?