If you’re looking for a great brunch recipe, or something special to serve as an appetizer for any other dinner event, look no further. This crab dip is easy to prepare, and it presents beautifully. Served with crackers or grilled baguette, it spreads easily. It’s even delicious with fresh vegetables like carrots or celery. If you prefer not to make it in a springform pan, simply prepare it in an oven-safe casserole dish.

The standout in this recipe is the crab, so be sure not to skimp on quality! 

Crab “Cheesecake”

2 Tb.                   unsalted butter, melted

4 Tb.                   panko bread crumbs

4 cloves              roasted garlic

1 ½ c.                   marinated artichoke hearts

1 Tb.                   fresh thyme leaves

1 ½ #                    cream cheese, at room temp.

1 tsp.                    Tabasco

2 Tb.                   Worcestershire

3 each                 eggs

2                             yolks

1 tsp.                    seasoning mix (Holiday Catering)

8 oz.                      cooked crab

¾ c.                       parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400

Brush sides of an 8” springform pan with a thin layer of melted butter

Coat with a thin layer of panko

Place garlic & artichokes in a food processor

Add all remaining ingredients EXCEPT crab and parmesan

Fold in the crab and parmesan

Pour into prepared pan

Bake until set and slightly golden brown, about 50 – 60 minutes

Cool at least 20 minutes so that cheesecake doesn’t collapse when un-molding

Serve with crackers or grilled baguette

Sunday’s are great days for baking. Lately, I’ve been tinkering with a lower fat, reduced sugar recipe for muffins. I’ve come up with two – a deep chocolate chunk flavor that tastes more like a cupcake than a muffin, and a rich Morning Glory muffin that’s studded with ginger, cranberries and coconut.

Mixing up a batch of muffins on a Sunday morning or afternoon is time well spent in my house, because the rest of the mornings during the week are busy, and these are a very satisfying breakfast on the run. Since they’re high in fiber because they’re made with whole oats, they keep you feeling fuller longer than a muffin made with refined flour and sugar.

If you prefer raisins, golden raisins, dried cherries or other dried fruit to the cranberries, feel free to make the substitution. This recipe calls for Stevia, which is sold at our store. I do NOT recommend substituting Splenda in this recipe because it imparts a strong aftertaste.

These muffins freeze incredibly well, and remain moist. I freeze them in small sandwich bags and take them out as I need them, ensuring that they stay fresh. Enjoy!

Morning Glory Muffins

*makes 18 muffins

3/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 c. all purpose flour
1/2 c. Quaker oats
3/4 c. Stevia
3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1 Tb. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 c. shredded carrots

1/2 c. unsweetened apple butter
1 egg
2 egg whites
1 Tb. vanilla extract (pure)
1/4 c. canola oil
1/2 c. crushed pineapple (drained of excess juice)

1/2 c. unsweetened chipped coconut (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
1/2 c. dried cranberries
6 pieces crystallized ginger, chopped

Method:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the dry ingredients and then add the carrots.

In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients and then pour into the dry ingredients. Mix to combine, be careful to avoid over-mixing, which would make the muffins dense.

Stir in the coconut, cranberries and crystallized ginger.

Scoop into greased muffin tins. This recipe makes 18 standard sized muffins.
Bake at 375 for 15 – 17 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in the muffin pans. Remove them, cool, then wrap and freeze.

Note: Folks on Weight Watchers – this muffin recipe is 3 points. Enjoy!

If you haven’t tried the cinnamon raisin bread at Art of Bread, this recipe is an excellent reason to try it now! While the bread is delicious toasted plain or with a smear of butter, it is even more irresistible when turned into a French Toast Casserole. If you don’t care for raisins, you can substitute Egg Bread in this recipe.

The casserole can be prepared the night before you want to serve it. It’s a perfect solution for weekend entertaining because it’s quick and easy to put together and everyone who tastes it absolutely loves it!

French Toast Casserole

1 ½  loaves cinnamon raisin bread

8 large eggs

2 cups half-and-half

1 cup milk

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Dash salt

Praline Topping, recipe follows

Maple syrup

Method:

Slice bread into 20 slices, 1-inch each. Arrange slices in a generously buttered 9 by 13-inch flat baking dish in 2 rows, overlapping the slices. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, half-and-half, milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and whisk until blended but not too bubbly. Pour mixture over the bread slices, making sure all are covered evenly with the milk-egg mixture. Spoon some of the mixture in between the slices.

preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread Praline Topping evenly over the bread and bake for 40 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. Serve with maple syrup.

Praline Topping:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and blend well

Congratulations to our Super Recipe Contest winners! Thank you to everyone who submitted a recipe!

1st Prize: Chorizo Street Tacos by Kirstin Dolmetsch

 For the Tacos:
1 lb of Joes Produce Housemade Ground Chorizo
½ white onion- minced
¼ cup cilantro- chopped
Juice of ½ lime
Salt and pepper to taste
20 Corn tortillas
½ tsp corn or vegetable oil
Chipotle Hot Sauce (recipe below)

1. Brown chorizo in a skillet over medium high until browned and cooked throughout (about 10 minutes). Turn heat down to low to keep warm until you are ready to assemble your tacos.
2. In a small separate bowl- combine onion, cilantro, and lime
3. Mix onion/cilantro mixture until well incorporated and season with salt/pepper to taste- set aside until ready for taco assembly
4. To heat tortillas: place corn/vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet and heat over medium-low heat
5. Place 1 tortilla in the skillet 1 minute on each side until warm and soft. Repeat until all tortillas are heated adding extra oil if the skillet gets too dry
6. To assemble the tacos: place chorizo in warm tortilla, top with onion/cilantro mixture, squeeze chipotle hot sauce
7. Devour!

Chipotle Hot Sauce:
3-4 Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
1 large beefsteak tomato sliced in half
2 cloves of garlic- peeled, and left whole
1/2 large white onion
1/4c water
Salt to taste

1. Place all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat
2. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes until soft- stirring occasionally
3. Place saucepan contents into a blender or food processor
4. Blend until smooth
5. Set aside to cool
6. Store hot sauce in air tight Tupperware container or plastic bottle for up to 2 weeks- great on just about everything!

2nd Prize: Chicken & Corn Cakes by V. Sargent

2 cups COOKED OR ROTISSERIED CHICKEN BREAST, SHREDDED
1 teaspoon DICED GARLIC
½ teaspoon KOSHER SALT
½ teaspoon BLACK PEPPER
1 cup SALSA (I RECOMMEND MICHIGAN MADE “CHUCK AND DAVE’S SWEET ONION SALSA” – YUMMY!)
 ⅓ cup FRESH CORN FROM THE COB
¼ cup DICED TOMATOES WITH GREEN CHILIES
2 EGGS
½ cup CORNMEAL

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 °F.
THOROUGHLY MIX EGG AND CORNMEAL. COMBINE ALL OTHER INGREDIENTS WITH EGG/MEAL.

USE AN ICE CREAM SCOOP TO PLACE MIXTURE IN GREASED MUFFIN PAN.

BAKE FOR 15 MINUTES OR UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN

3rd Prize: Black Bean Chili by Michelle Voineag

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1large onion, chopped
2 yellow bell peppers, chopped
2 teaspoons cumin
1/4teaspoon salt
3 -15 ounce black beans, rinses & well drained
1 can tomato with green chilies
1 can tomato with roasted garlic & onion
2 cups low salt tomato juice

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat.  Add the chopped onion, pepper, cumin and salt.  Saute until onion & peppers are soft, approx 10 minutes.  Add all other ingredients, bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and cook for 30 minutes, stir occasionally.  Remove approx half of the chili and place in blender or food processor.  Blend and return to pot.  Can be made in advance, refrigerate, then reheat.

Serving OPTIONS:
Eat a bowl of chili as is
OR
Toppings – chopped tomato, chopped onion, chopped jalepeno peppers, cheddar cheese
Also great with corn chips on a Hot Dog or a Not Dog