Apr 4, 2008

Baby Showers, BLECH. At Least There's Good Food At these Things



Last weekend I went to a baby shower of a good friend of mine. No way I could back out. She said it was potluck of desserts and appetizers which I thought was cool, at least I could have some fun making food for this thing. 

I hate all baby/wedding showers they are annoying, you play stupid games, everyone talks about stupid things that I could give a crap about. And usually if they aren’t done in two hours I leave anyway. But I was delightfully surprised at this shower. Not only did everyone bring some yummy, healthy foods. But we just sat around and hung out. We ate, the mommy-to-be got a foot soak and foot massage from a person who happened to be a massuese, she opened gifts, we went home.

I couldn’t believe it, no "guess what melted candy is in the diaper" games? It was a miracle, I didn’t even need to sneak alcohol into my drink to endure it. Not to mention everyone at this shower was pretty cool. Also many of the gifts were handmade (quilted baby blankets and such). I left exclaiming "this is the best shower I’ve ever been to!" with a lot of laughs coming back at me. So i may have a new perspective, but I doubt I will be going to any other showers anytime soon. I don’t have many friends in my age group because this stuff annoys me so much. 

Anyway- thought maybe some of you needed some good potluck recipes so I am sharing the recipes of what I brought to this shower. The first is not healthy really, but they are so addicting you will eat them all if there are any leftover (good thing I dropped the tray on the floor when I got home). The other recipe is a lightened version of a cake that I like to bring everywhere.  

Cajun Crab Stuffed Pepperoncini  
Recipe courtesy Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh  

36 pepperoncini  
1 pound cream cheese, room temperature (i use lowfat and it still tastes great)  
8 ounces crab claw meat, shredded  
1 1/2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning  
1 tablespoon hot sauce  
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves 
Chopped fresh parsley leaves 

Cut the stem end off the pepperoncini and carefully scrape out the seeds. Set aside. 
Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of a mixer with the paddle attachment. Add the crab and continue to mix. Add the Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, and thyme and mix until blended. 
Place the mixture into a pastry bag and pipe into the seeded pepperoncini. Dip the cream cheese end of the pepperoncini in the chopped parsley before serving and transfer directly to a serving tray.

Cook’s Note: If you don’t have a pastry bag, use a large zipping plastic bag with one corner cut off. Copyright © 2006 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved 

Lemon-Rosemary Crumb Cake  
(I usually double this recipe when I bring it somewhere. I cook it 15 min longer, use half splenda/half sugar and double the servings as well. )

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 
2/3 cup sugar 
1/8 teaspoon salt 
1/4 cup chilled stick margarine or butter, cut into small pieces 
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon baking soda 
1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk 
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
1 large egg 
Cooking spray 
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind 
3/4 teaspoon water 
Rosemary sprigs (optional) 
Lemon slices (optional)  

Preheat oven to 350°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl; cut in margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Reserve 1/2 cup flour mixture for topping; set aside.
Combine remaining flour mixture, rosemary, baking powder, and baking soda; add buttermilk, lemon juice, and egg. Beat at medium speed of a mixer until blended. Spoon batter into an 8-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray. Combine reserved 1/2 cup flour mixture, lemon rind, and water; stir with a fork. Sprinkle crumb mixture over batter. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and lemon slices, if desired.
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 wedge) CALORIES 203 (30% from fat); FAT 6.8g (sat 1.4g,mono 2.8g,poly 2g); PROTEIN 3.3g; CHOLESTEROL 28mg; CALCIUM 39mg; SODIUM 157mg; FIBER 0.5g; IRON 1.1mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.Cooking Light, MAY 1998

1 comment:

  1. Now THAT sounds like a fun shower. I would actually enjoy something like that...

    What candy melted in the diaper?! Are you joking? That's really a game???

    How I miss creative people...

    ReplyDelete