Crab Rangoons

I don't know what's come over me, but I'm in a frying kind of mood lately. First with the Fried Stuffed Mushrooms and now this. It's bad enough with the cream cheese fillings...but deep fried too? Aw, well. We're in this together, right? That's why we're friends :)

I hate ordering crab rangoon at a restaurant only to find that there is not enough or non existent filling or (I'm almost afraid to say it) imitation crab meat. Nothing makes me crabbier than a hollow crab rangoon. But I found that making them at home battles this crabby appleton behavior. Can I show you?

Blueberry Scones

Can I interest you in something blueberry? These blueberry scones will melt in your mouth. (recipe below). Not what you're looking for? Check out these other recipes...

Lemon Blueberry Pull Apart bread incorporates the juicy berry with the tartness of lemon. 

This Blueberry "Boy Bait" Cake will have the object of your affection falling in love with you all over again.

Or try this simple, no fail recipe for Blueberry Muffins.

Homemade Pita Bread

Today's blog post is inspired by leftovers. Yes. Leftovers. Mr. Incredible is not a picky eater, but he does have this thing about leftovers. He doesn't eat them unless they've been "reincarnated" as another dish. This forces me to be more creative in the kitchen. You should have seen some of the leftovers I totally went Iron Chef on (the majority of them are not worth mentioning). In the end, they usually end up served with jasmine rice, a fried egg on top with a good dousing of Sriracha sauce.

I have been wanting to make pita bread and saw this as the perfect opportunity to try a carbohydrate, besides rice, with a meal ;) Last night's leftover steak has been reinvented as ...I wasn't sure what to call this... Steak stuffed pita bread.

Fried Stuffed Mushrooms

Back in April I decided to take a short two week break from food photography and food blogging. Before I knew it, two weeks turned into months. My sincere apologies. I have missed you LPB!

Ok, let's fry something, shall we? This recipe is inspired the jumbo shroom appetizers I gorged on during many happy hours at Hoolihans. These go great with their liter sized long island iced teas :)

Fried Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe

Filling
8 oz onion and chive flavored cream cheese
1/4 ts. garlic powder
1/4 ts. cayenne pepper
1/2 ts. salt
1/4 ts. pepper
1 ts. Tabasco sauce, optional
 20 large button mushrooms

Coating
1, 8oz package Panko bread crumbs
3 beaten eggs
1 cup flour

Oil for deep frying

Start with clean mushrooms.

Separate the stem from the mushroom cap by gently wiggling the stem back and forth. It should pop out. Do this for all the mushrooms, then set aside.

Mix the cream cheese, garlic powder, cayenne, Tabasco, salt, and pepper until thoroughly combined.

Take a heaping teaspoon full of the cream cheese filling and stuff  it inside the cap. Continue stuffing all the mushrooms.

Take 3 bowls. Fill the first bowl with the flour, fill the second bowl with the beaten egg and the third bowl with the Panko bread crumbs.

Dredge the mushroom cap in flour and shake off the excess.

Next, dip the mushroom in the beaten egg, making sure the entire mushroom is coated.

Last, coat it with the bread crumbs. (Note, if you like a thick, crunchy coating like I do, then re-dip the mushrooms back into the egg and then the bread crumbs for a second time).

Finish coating all the mushrooms and then let it sit for 10 minutes to set the coating. After 10 minutes, put the mushrooms in the freezer for 30 minutes. I like to think this helps set the cream cheese so it doesn't ooze out in the hot oil.

Heat your oil on medium heat.

Fry until golden brown.

Best when served hot with lemons.