The Breakfast Club

Pasta and Stuffed Clams

Another simple meal with visual appeal. I prepared everything except the stuffed clams. Sometimes you have to get by with a little help from your friends. Your friends at the local grocery store. It's all about the communion anyway. Right? The hearts were smiling after this meal.

Yummy Choices

Who doesn't love choices, and delicious choices that even makes the toes wiggle. At the top there is a seafood salad with Mayport shrimp and succulent oysters, resting nicely on a bed of mixed greens, red onions and a horseradish sauce. Heavenly. The middle is fruit and nuts. The sweetest, darkest, grapes that pop in your mouth, followed with cantaloupe, and almonds. A simple breakfast or a lovely snack. Last, there is the vegetable slider with portabella mushrooms, peppers, mixed greens, red onions, and goat cheese. Total yum.

An Intimate Affair: It's A Food Thing

The art of entertaining first starts in the heart, and is powered by love. Love for giving and sharing yourself with others. It begins with an appreciation for all things delicious, and scrumptious. Add food, then you are only limited by your imagination. Add friends and it becomes good times to savor, an experience that can last until the next occasion or even longer. These are the moments when a little extra goes a long way, and dinning at home can be just as exciting as dining out. Start with a guest list. Dinner for two or four, keep it intimate. Next, plan your menu, make a list of needed items, and gather up those special items to make your presentation fabulous. The cooking part can be a combination of homemade or store bought. Your call, your time. The outcome will be joy and delight from your guest. A memorable moment to dream on. An additional layer of love added to the atmosphere. Try it.

MonaMade Design

Window poster for the upcoming opening of Uncle Gene's, a new restaurant located in a small strip mall. Curious future patrons were peering into the windows, questioning the construction crew as work took place, wanting to know what was coming next. This was the solution.

Creole Crab Burgers

How delicious for a Friday meal, a yummy crab burger. I am so excited to try this. My only ingredient switch would be the iceberg lettuce. This recipe calls for iceberg lettuce, probably for the crunch. Personally, I would much prefer some baby greens of arugula, butterhead and escarole mixed. Gourmet makes this so tempting.

1 lb lump crabmeat, picked over

1/4 cup mayonnaise

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

3/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

1 3/4 cups fine dry bread crumbs, divided

3/4 cup vegtable oil

4 kaiser rolls or hamburger buns, split and toasted

ACCOMPANIMENTS:

• tartar sauce; iceberg lettuce

• Stir together crabmeat, mayonnaise, scallions, egg, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, cayenne, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 3/4 cup bread crumbs in a bowl until just combined. Form into 4 (1-inch-thick) patties (3 1/2 inches in diameter; patties will be soft but will firm up when fried). Spread remaining cup bread crumbs on a plate, then dredge patties in crumbs, knocking off excess, and transfer to a platter.
• Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers, then fry patties, turning over once, until golden, 5 to 6 minutes total. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
• Assemble burgers with buns and accompaniments.

COOKS’ NOTE: Patties can be formed, without bread-crumb coating, 12 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Dredge in bread crumbs just before frying.

RECIPE BY ALEXIS TOUCHET

PHOTOGRAPH BY ROMULO YANES