Lagniappe Recipe

This is most likely the best gourmet Crab & Corn Bisque you will ever serve. It's rich, it's delicious and it's unbelievably easy to prepare.  

Ingredients:

1 pint lump crabmeat

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (do not substitute margarine)

1-1/2 cups finely chopped sweet onion

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

6 cups fresh corn kernels (see 'Recipe Note 1' below)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 

1-1/2 quarts heavy cream

3/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, white and green portions 

3-4 additional green onions, thinly sliced for garnish

Preparation:

Gently pick through the crabmeat to remove any bits of shell or cartilage, being careful not to break up lumps of crabmeat; set aside. Melt butter in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onion and saute until translucent (approximately 10 minutes). Whisk in flour, then add corn kernels. Continue to cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add salt and pepper, then stir in heavy cream and lower heat. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally -- do not boil (see 'Recipe Note 2' below). Stir in sliced green onions, then very gently fold in crabmeat, being careful not to break up lumps. Return bisque to a simmer over low heat, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes; stir once. Additional seasoning may be added, if desired, before serving. Garnish with additional sliced green onions and serve with oyster crackers or French bread. Yields 6 to 8 servings as an entree. Freezes beautifully. 

Recipe Notes: 

(1) An equal amount of thawed frozen corn or drained canned corn may be substituted for fresh corn in this recipe. 

(2) Do not allow bisque to come to a hard boil during preparation to prevent cream from separating.

Keeping Food Safe During Cookout Season

Summer is the ideal time to enjoy cookouts and backyard feasts. Unfortunately, hot weather combined with eating outdoors can be a breeding ground for food-borne illness. Every year, an estimated 76 million cases of food-borne illness and 5,000 associated deaths occur in the United States.

It's easy to avoid food poisoning if you take some simple precautions. Here are some ways to keep yourself safe:

• Avoid cross-contamination. Do not let food not yet cooked come into contact with anything ready to be eaten.

• When shopping, buy meat and poultry products last, and unpack them first at home.

• Cook food thoroughly, especially poultry. Even rare meat should be cooked to an internal temperature of at least 140ºF.

• Cranberries may be a natural and delicious way to make that summer barbeque a safer one. New research finds cranberries may offer a unique line of defense against food poisoning with their unique ability to reduce the growth of Salmonella and E. coli and other types of bacteria found in food. Incorporating cranberry into food preparation, one day, may be a natural way to minimize food contamination.

SPICY CRANBERRY CHICKEN DRUMMETTES

• 1/2 cup Ocean Spray Jellied Cranberry Sauce
• 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 20 chicken drummettes, about 2 pounds

Combine all ingredients, except drummettes, in large resealable plastic bag; mix well. Add drummettes. Seal; turn bag to coat chicken. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. Preheat oven to 400º F. Pour chicken and marinade in ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake 40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink near bone, turning 2 or 3 times and brushing with marinade. Transfer chicken pieces to serving dish; discard any remaining marinade.

Since cranberries are also antioxidants, they provide a dual anti-adhesion and antioxidant health benefit. With more PACs and antioxidants per gram than most fruit, cranberries ward off certain bacteria and bolster the body's defenses against free radical damage that can contribute to many chronic diseases including heart disease.

Picnic Time, Pizza Time

Planning a backyard party? If kids are involved, parents can do more than dust off the picnic tables and fire up the barbecue.

For a "kid-friendly" experience, and to encourage good eating, consider using creative foods and activities to keep children happy and at the table.

"The secret is to take what you're already doing and 'fun-it-up' by getting kids involved in the food preparation and party set-up," said Fernando Gonzalez of Dixie, a business of Georgia-Pacific Corp. "If you're serving hamburgers and hot dogs, why not make pizza dogs for the kids?"

In the following recipe, a can of pizza sauce and some shredded mozzarella turn a hot dog into a dish that combines two kids' favorites. Children can help by spooning on the sauce, sprinkling cheese on top and adding other toppings.


PLUTO PIZZA DOGS

(Makes 8 servings)


8 hot dogs

1/2 cup pizza sauce

8 hot dog buns, split

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 ounces)

4 medium green onions, sliced (optional)


Heat coals or gas grill. Cut crosswise diagonal slashes 1/2- inch apart and 1/4-inch deep in each hot dog. Heat pizza sauce until hot; keep warm.

Grill hot dogs uncovered 4 to 6 inches from medium heat 10 to 15 minutes, turning frequently, until hot and slashes begin to open.

Serve hot dogs on buns. Top with pizza sauce, cheese and onions.

For easy, colorful and fun decorations, try disposable tableware for children. Dixie Krazy Kritters features a full place setting that includes plates, cups, bowls, cutlery and napkins in bold designs that kids love. Krazy Kritters plates easily become a simple craft for kids. Just punch two holes on parallel sides of the plate and tie a string through. Cut circles for eyes and you have a quick and easy mask.