Tuesday, February 15, 2011

birthday meal

I got to cook my birthday meal. Hubby offered to take me out for a birthday treat, but if you've ever taken a 3 year old and a 5 year old out to dinner, you know it's no treat.  Seafood is my favorite so that's what we had. 

I've been missing our favorite FL restaurant. They had the best she crab soup.  Here's something close:

She Crab Soup
4 oz butter
4 T four
32 oz half and half
8 oz milk
1 pound lump crab meat
2 oz she crab roe
1 t Worcestershire sauce
dash hot pepper sauce
1/4 t mace
1 1/2 t salt
4 oz dry sherry


In a heavy saucepan, cook butter and flour over med heat for 5 minutes.  Add half and half and milk.  Turn heat to low and cook until mixture simmers and thickens.  Add crab meat and roe, Worcestershire, hot pepper, mace, salt.  Cook over low heat for 5 minutes.  Pour 1/2 ounce sherry into each bowl.  Ladle in soup.   (I didn't have any mace... don't even know what it is.  Also, hubby and I did a little experiment with the sherry and it did make a tasty difference)

We also had cheddar garlic biscuits
1 c flour
2 t bkg powder
1/4 t cream of tarter
1/4 t salt
1/4 t sugar
1/4 butter (cold)
1/3 c milk
cheddar cheese
1 1/2 t garlic powder

Mix dry ingredients and stir well.  Add cut up butter.  I use two table knives and cut the butter into the flour. I think there is also a pastry tool to do this, but I don't have one.  When the butter is in pea sized pieces, add milk.  Knead gently and roll and cut out.  If adding the garlic and cheese do so while kneading.  Bake 10-12 minutes at 450 degrees. 


I also made popcorn shrimp for hubby and fish for the kids and crab cakes for me.  We had lemon squares for dessert, although we didn't have room for them.  They got eaten anyway.  I spent almost 2 hours in the kitchen work on all of this- no one disturbed me.  It was a happy day.

6 comments:

grandma said...

I believe someone told me that mace was similar to nutmeg. I don't really like nutmeg except on custard but really prefer cinnamon on that. Sounds like you had a good birthday.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great meal. The two hours of peace & quiet sounds great too.

Love Always,

Dad

Lots of Fun with My FaMiLy said...

I cooked my own birthday supper as well. Maybe when our girls are old enough to sit quietly in a restaurant will we go out someday but hubby stresses me out when he gets wound up over the girls noise

Lesia said...

Sounds like a great meal. I bet that soup was woderful. What is roe? i am so glad you had a good day.

Kelly said...

This does sound delicious. I am starting to understand how a few uninterrupted hours in the kitchen can be a nice birthday present... but I'm still thinking that a date at a restaurant w/out the kids would be my first choice!

Amanda Pedro said...

anytime you get time alone is like a mini celebration. glad you enjoyed your day! happy happy.