Goat Cheese Loli Pops

Not your mother's 1970 Cheese Ball!  This is a simple and quick appetizer with ingredients that you most likely will have on hand.  They are always a big hit and so easy to make.  The goat cheese is versatile so you can incorporate your favorite flavors and make them your own.  I have two variations pictured below.  Sorry there are no measurements listed, I usually just wing it, there is really no way to mess this up with some basics on ratio.

PICTURED HERE:  Cheese with Fig jam and rolled in crushed Pistachio & Cheese with Sun-dried tomato, toasted Pine nuts and rolled in minced Prosciutto

INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces Goat Cheese
8 ounces Cream Cheese
Salt & Pepper
Loli-Pop Sticks  (available at your local craft store)
Parchment Paper
As for the ratio:  you will  need about 1 Cup of TOTAL mix in ingredients(doesn't apply to fig jam, but to nuts and other additions)  You will need about the same to coat the outside of the cheese balls.

Flavor one:
Pistachios (shelled and crushed)
1 jar Fig Jam  Approximately 2-3 Tablespoons

Flavor two:
Prosciutto
Sun Dried Tomato (chopped)
Toasted Pine Nuts

PREPARATION:

Allow both cheeses to come to soften at room temperature.  Meanwhile prep the mix in and coating ingredients. Shell and grind the pistachios, I use my mini food processor to get the pieces to the smallest size possible without turning them into powder.  Mince the sun-dried tomato, mince the prosciutto and set both aside.  Toast the pine nuts, cool and roughly chop.

To assemble, mix equal parts cream cheese and goat cheese combining well.  NOTE:  I use a little less cream cheese, just because I really like goat cheese.  Some people are not as crazy about goat cheese as 

I am, so use your own good judgement.  Season with salt and pepper.

For the FIG:  Spoon fig jam, a little at a time, into the seasoned cheese until you have the desired flavor. There is no right or wrong, just what you like, be a good cook, taste and trust your palate.

For the PROSCIUTTO:  Mix chopped pine nuts and minced tomato into the seasoned cheese.

Cover flavored cheeses with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or two.  The cheese will be easier to scoop when firm.

You can also mix the day before your party and scoop the day of.  Scoop bite-size balls, I use a  100 scoop, (a variety of sizes are available at restaurant supply stores, I suggest at least one in every size, SO many uses!) and set aside on parchment.  Once you have scooped all of the balls, roll in the desired coating and place back in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Before serving place a loli-pop stick in each ball and place on serving platter.

Profiteroles/Gougeres

Fresh from the oven: profiteroles, can be eaten just as they are or stuffed with just about any filling you can imagine. They also freeze wonderfully and re-crisp easily in the oven. I prefer to re-crisp them even when serving the same day.

Tiny ham stuffed gougeres make a fantastic appetizer.




INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup finely grated Swiss or Gruyere cheese
1 C water
5 T butter
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 C AP flour
5 Large eggs
Special tools: a 40, 70 or 100 cookie scoop
I like to use a 40 scoop if filling or use 100 to serve all by themselves. I almost always double the recipe for a party . . . you will get 24 sandwich size from a single batch. I bake more and fill with a variety of fillings.

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and grate the cheese. In a medium sauce pan heat the water, butter, salt, and pepper over medium high heat and bring to a boil. When butter is completely melted, remove from the heat and add all the flour to this mixture in a stand up mixer bowl. If you don't have a stand up mixer, you can mix right in the pan with a wooden spoon, but be ready for a workout!
Beat on medium high with your paddle attachment until the dough leaves the side of the pan. The texture should somewhat resemble mashed potatoes.
Add the cheese and beat until incorporated. Beat in 4 of the eggs, ONE AT A TIME, until each is absorbed by the dough. Continue to beat until the dough is shiny, smooth and when pinched between finger and thumb, it will stretch.
Scoop onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Beat the last egg with 1/2 T. water and brush the tops of the uncooked puffs.
Bake in the upper third of the oven for about 20 minutes an golden brown. You can tap them to test doneness, they should sound hollow. Remove from the oven and serve or store air tight or freeze in baggies to re-crisp and serve later.

To Re-Crisp: Preheat oven to 350 degrees, place on a parchment lined baking sheet, heat 3-5 minutes if room temperature or 5-8 if frozen. Check for crispness often during reheating as ovens may vary.

Slice 3/4 of the way through with a serrated knife and fill with you favorite sandwich pairings. Here are a few I enjoy: ham with spicy mustard aioli, roast beef with sundried tomato aioli, chicken salad, curried chicken salad, turkey with lemon arugula mayonnaise. You can also switch the cheese to 1 1/2 C Parmesan and play with the seasonings as well, adding curry powder, garlic powder and nutmeg. NOT ALL AT THE SAME TIME THOUGH!

Deep Ellum Art Show 2011

Here are a few pictures of the Spring Art Show we catered at the Continental Gin in Deep Ellum.
Pita strips and veggies with peppercorn dip and spring pea humus, Gruyere profiteroles with shaved ham and mustard aioli, Caprese tartlets and lemon bars.

Camille's Favorite Queso AKA Creamy Tacos

Growing up in Indiana, we didn't know about queso. A friend of my mom's used to make this and we called it "Creamy Tacos". When the moms wanted to get together and keep us kids happy, we would have creamy taco night. Back then, you would place a layer of tortilla chips on a plate, top with creamy taco mixture and then garnish with your favorite taco toppings: shredded lettuce, tomato, sour cream, salsa, etc. For my family, it has evolved into a dip. Both methods are equally yummy!
Local to Dallas, I have learned another twist on queso: Bob Armstrong dip. Named for a big D local, a few of the tex-mex restaurants around town offer queso this way. Queso with ground beef, tomato, a scoop of guacamole and a scoop of sour cream!

INGREDIENTS:
1 Pound Ground Beef
1 15 oz. Can Hormel Chili with no beans
1 14.5 oz. Can Stewed Tomatoes, I use Mexican blend
1 Pound Velveta Cheese
Heavy Whipping Cream


PREPARATION:
In a 6 QT. stock pot, brown ground beef on medium high heat, breaking up meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Drain any fat, I usually don't have any because I use 90/10% beef. Reduce heat to medium low. Stir in the can of chili until meat is coated. Add tomatoes to the pot and break those up into smaller pieces too, using the spoon. Cube the cheese and add it to the pot, stirring constantly until the cheese is completely melted. Once the cheese is melted, add the cream and serve or cool, refrigerate and store to serve later. I often make a big batch and freeze in smaller batches to re-heat at will.

Black Bean & Corn Salsa

I adapted this recipe from an old Fort Lauderdale friend's. We used to have a dinner club and one of the girls made a terrific rice salad with a cumin vinegarette. I eighty-sixed the rice to create this wonderful black bean and corn salsa. This is a great way to use left over corn on the cob, I always buy more than we can eat. You can use canned corn, but it just isn't the same.

INGREDIENTS:
2-3 Ears corn on the cob, cooked and cut from the cob
1 Small jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 15oz. Can black beans rinsed and drained
2 Small tomatoes seeded and diced
1/2 Small red onion, diced
Pinch Garlic powder
Pinch Adobo seasoning
Pinch Ground cumin
Salt & Pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro, chopped to taste, I like a bunch
1/4 C Cider vinegar
Olive oil added to vinegar to equal 1/3 C

PREP:
In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients except vinegar and oil. In a small bowl whisk together vinegar and oil. pour over salsa and stir to coat. Store in refrigerator up to one week. Great served with chips, chicken or toss with cooked rice and make additional dressing for a rice salad.

Basil Pesto

Basil is another item in my garden that just keeps on giving. I end up having trouble coming up with ways to use it all summer long. Pesto is one of my favorites, and I love that it can be used in so may recipes. The basil is wonderful alone, but works great in pasta; warm pesto cream over your favorite noodle or tossed with a cold pasta salad. This weekend I whipped up a quick snack using the pesto. Instead of the standard pesto, sun-dried tomato and cheese terrine, I simply stirred a couple of spoonfuls of pesto into equal parts cream cheese and goat cheese, chopped some sun-dried tomatoes and stirred those into the mixture. Serve with crackers.

INGREDIENTS:
3 Large cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 C Pine nuts
2 C Basil
1/4 C plus 2 T Olive oil, the best quality
1/4 C Parmesan cheese, high quality freshly grated

PREP:
Place the garlic, salt, pine nuts and 2 T of olive oil into a blender. Blend, pulsing and scraping down the sides until the mixture is finely chopped. Add the basil to the blender and blend on low adding the remaining 1/4 C of oil. Blend in the cheese, just until mixed and taste for additional seasoning. Place in an airtight container, top with a small amount of oil to maintain color. I top with a layer of film(plastic wrap) pressed directly on top of the oil and then another layer of film over the container. Will store in the refrigerator up to one week. You can freeze for a month, but add the cheese after you thaw.

Sweet & Spicy Pecans

These sweet and spicy nuts were originally an ingredient to top a salad, but I loved them so much I make them as a snack. They are still an amazing addition to a simple salad, simply chopped and sprinkle away. I always make at least a double batch, the quantities are listed below, but you can easily cut in half or double again when cooking for a crowd. The pecans also make a great gift when bagged. Try to make them when the weather is dry, the humidity will cause them to become extremely sticky.
INGREDIENTS:
Non-stick cooking spray
6 T. Light corn syrup
3 T. Granulated sugar
3 C. Pecans
1 tsp. Ground pepper
1/2 tsp. Cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp. Salt

Prep:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray with non-stick spray. Mix all ingredients except pecans. Add pecans to syrup mixture and stir gently to coat. Pour the pecans onto the baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Stir pecans and continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes until bubbly. During baking spread a large piece of foil to put pecans on after baking. Pour hot pecans onto the foil and separate as much a possible with a fork. Allow pecans to cool completely and break apart individual pecans. Store in an airtight container up to three days.

Chile Cheese Crackers

These light and buttery crackers are the grown up version of cheez-its! Spicy, Flaky, and oh so delicious. I love this dough from Shannon Swindle, it comes together so easily and the crackers bake up perfectly every time. I always make a double batch, the cheese usually comes in blocks of 8 ounces anyway and it is easy to roll all the dough, cut and freeze some for later. It is nice to have a baggy full in the freezer so you can bake and eat at a moments notice. Half of a double batch fits perfectly in my food processor and I just add both halves to my kitchenaid and mix.
INGREDIENTS:
8 oz. Unsalted butter, cold and cubed
4 oz. Sharp cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz. Pepper jack cheese, grated
8 oz. Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Black pepper
1 tsp. Chile powder
1/2 tsp. Ground cumin
1/4 tsp. Cayenne pepper

PREP:
Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl. In small batches, I can do one batch with the amounts listed above in my processor. Get an equal amount of the ingredients if doing it in batches. Pulse, until the cheeses and butter is cut into the dry ingredients. When this is done, place mixture into an electric mixer fitted with the paddle and mix on low until the dough comes together. It won't seem like it, but suddenly it will form a ball and hold together. Pull a good size length of plastic wrap on the counter. Form half of the mixture into a ball and flatten out on the plastic wrap to about an inch thickness, this will make it easier to roll later. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours. To roll out dough, allow to sit a few minutes at room temperature then roll on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Cut with a 1 inch pastry cutter, square, round or any shape you might have. In this picture I used a fluted square. Place crackers on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until puffed and browned. (I also put the pan with the crackers back in the refrigerator for a few minutes to re-chill the dough prior to baking.) I bake them for 6 minutes rotate and then bake an additional 6 minutes. Cool crackers on a wire rack to cool. Cool completely and store airtight 2-3 days. The crackers are very delicate so handle with care.
To freeze, cut into crackers and freeze on a parchment lined sheet in a single layer. Once frozen store in a freezer baggy labeled with the date. Dough can be frozen up to one month.

Focaccia

Another recipe that is well worth the time. There is nothing that can compare to freshly baked homemade bread. Plan ahead, it is one of those things that you fool with a little everyday and the more you do it the easier it gets. The Poolish can be made up to three days in advance, the longer you let it ferment prior to baking the more intense the flavor in the final product. I prefer to give it at least one day.

INGREDIENTS:
Poolish
2 1/2 C Unbleached bread flour
1 1/2 C Water, room temp.
1/4 tsp Instant yeast

Prep:
Stir together the flour, water and yeast in a mixing bowl until all of the flour is hydrated. The dough should be soft and sticky. Cove the bowl with plastic wrap and ferment at room temperature for at least 3-4 hours. The sponge will become bubbly and foamy. Immediately refrigerate the dough, it will keep up to 3 days.

Focaccia:
3 C Poolish
2 2/3 C Bread flour
2 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 tsp. Instant yeast
6 T Olive oil
3/4 C Water, lukewarm
Non-stick cooking spray
1/4-1/2 C Herb Olive oil or Plain Olive oil
Topping: Kosher salt, 1 1/2 T Rosemary or other Herb of choice, 1 C Caramelized onions, Cheese, use your imagination!

Prep:
One hour prior to making the dough, remove poolish from the refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature.
In a mixing bowl, mix together, flour, salt and yeast with an electric mixer. Add the oil, poolish and the water, mix with the paddle attachment until it forms a large sticky ball. Switch to the dough hook attachment and mix on medium for 5-7 minutes, or as long as it takes to form a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl. You may need to add some additional flour to reach this stage.
Sprinkle a 6 inch square area of flour on work surface and transfer dough to the flour. Dust dough with additional flour and pat into a rectangle. Allow dough to rest 5 minutes and relax.
Coat your hands with flour and stretch the dough from each end to twice its size and fold it letter style and return to rectangular shape. Mist the top of the dough with non-stick spray and dust with flour again, cover with plastic wrap.
Allow dough to rest 30 minutes, then stretch and fold again, mist, dust with flour and cover. Rest 30 minutes then repeat this step again.
During the final rest, line a rimmed baking sheet (half sheet pan) with parchment. Drizzle 1/4 C of the Olive oil over the paper and spread to cover the bottom of the pan with your hands or a brush. Oil your hands and using a metal dough scraper, lift dough into the prepared pan retaining the rectangular shape. Pour the remaining oil over the top of the dough and using your finger tips only, dimple the dough spreading it to fill the pan as much as possible. You should reach a thickness of 1/2 inch. DO NOT use the heal of your hand to press the dough. Dimpling the dough to spread with your finger tips will allow gas to remain in the non dimpled sections. You do not need to reach the edge of the pan, the dough will rest an additional 15-30 minutes and will grow as it proofs.
Heat oven to 500 degrees, with the oven rack in the middle of your oven. You can sprinkle with salt at this time, other toppings will need to wait until later in the baking process. Place the pan in oven and lower the temperature to 450 degrees. Bake for 10 minutes. Rotate the pan 180 degrees and continue baking for 5-10 minutes until the dough begins to turn a light golden brown. At this point, add toppings, sprinkle over bread and bake an additional 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and immediately transfer focaccia out of the pan and onto a cooling rack. Peel parchment away if it is stuck to the bottom of the bread. Allow to cool for 20 minutes prior to cutting.

Braunschweiger Dip

What a classic 60's - 70's appetizer, maybe it is only classic because we are German. Does everyone enjoy Braunschweiger? I can remember my dad slicing it with cheese and crackers for a Saturday night snack. Beep still loves it sliced thin with red onion as a sandwich. This recipe is written by my Grandmother, Betty. I don't really remember her ever serving it, but nothing says 70's childhood like cheese balls and meat log appetizers. I am sure it was a hit!

Bacon Wrapped Scallops

This is a fabulous appetizer to make for a small group, it takes a bit of attention, so I don't usually make these for a crowd. The original, as well as this photo comes from Fine Cooking magazine. As with all my recipes, I have a couple of additions and changes to the preparation, so I have listed the link above, my version is shown here. One difference is how I marinate, the other major difference is how I assemble these tasty bites. I enjoy the crunch of the water chestnut, but don't feel that two are necessary for each appetizer. This wonderful treat is the perfect balance of sweet-salty, crunchy-chewy and is sure to be a hit!

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbs. light brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. chile flakes
6 very large “dry” sea scallops (8 to 10 oz. total), cut into bite size pieces 1/2 or quarted depending on how large they are.
8 oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained
12 slices bacon, cut in half crosswise, I cut it in thirds thus, I use fewer than 12 strips, I found a half stip to be too long.
24 toothpicks, soaked in water

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place rack in upper third of your oven. Line a shallow baking sheet with foil and set a metal cooling rack on top of foil. I find this works better than a broiler pan. Heat prepared pan in the oven.
In a medium bowl, combine marinade: soy, sugar, giner and chile flakes. Place bacon on a plate and drizzle with a small amount of marinade. Place the scallops in the remaining marinade and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Do not discard the marinade.
Assembly:
Slice bacon strips long enough to wrap around the chestnut and scallop. Place a chestnut in the center of the bacon strip, top with a scallop piece, wrap each edge of bacon over the top of the scallop and secure with a toothpick. Repeat until all of your ingredients are utilized. Remove hot baking sheet and quickly place bacon wraps on the hot pan, return to the oven. Bake turning once, after approximately 10 minutes, so the bacon can cook on all sides, baste with reserved marinade when you turn. Return to oven and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the bacon is brown and crispy. Watch them closely during this final cooking time. They suggest cooking at 450 degrees, I cook them lower, between 375-400. They can get too smokey in the hotter oven, I prefer to cook a little longer in a lower oven.
Remove wraps quickly to a serving platter so they don't stick to your baking rack. Allow to cool slightly, remember, sugar will be HOT! They are great even as they come to room temperature.

Baked Goat Cheese with Salsa

 

So, my brother-in-law thinks this might be a twist on queso that may only fly in the "Park Cities", possibly, but it is one of the yummiest things you will taste, sophisticated palate or not! Love you Chris, I am making it for you next time I see you and we'll see if you can resist it's creamy deliciousness.INGREDIENTS:1 1/2 C roasted salsa (previous post)8 oz. goat cheese8 oz. cream cheese1/4 C pine nuts, toastedtoasted tortilla or pita chipsPREPARATION:Allow cheeses to soften, cream together and add toasted pine nuts. Form cheese mixture into a disc approximately 1/2 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to bake. Set oven to 350 degrees. In a shallow oven safe dish, remove plastic wrap, place goat cheese disc in the center and top with salsa. Bake approximately 10-15 minutes until warm and slightly bubbly. Serve warm with chips.Toasting pine nuts: I do it on the stove top so I don't neglect them and end up with burnt pine nuts. In a saute pan toast nuts lightly tossing over medium heat, just until they begin to become golden. 3-4 minutes at most.Toasting chips: Cut pita or flour tortilla chips into triangles, arrange in a mostly single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toast in the oven until crisp, flipping or slightly stirring the chips if necessary. 10-15 minutes depending on thickness of your pita or tortillas. If you are really lazy, pop open a bag of your favorite brand of chips! You really can't beat the homemade ones though, they can be done the day before and kept in an airtight container.

Homemade Salsa

 

This is my adaptation of a salsa recipe from Salsas That Cook, by Rick Bayless

IGREDIENTS:
12 Roma tomatoes
2 Jalapenos
6 Garlic cloves, peeled
1 Large yellow onion, sliced
2-3 T. Cider vinegar
1/4 t. Cumin powder
1/4 t. Celery salt
Salt & Pepper to taste
Cilantro fresh, chopped and to taste

Preparation:
Begin by preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Place all veggies, first four ingredients on a shallow baking sheet lined with parchment. Roast veggies for approximately 40 minutes, until the skins begin to darken and split. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Meanwhile set up food processor and a fine mesh strainer with a bowl underneath to catch tomato juices.
This is where things get messy . . . peel tomatoes and remove the seeds and core over the strainer so you can retain the juice. Add "meat" of the tomatoes to the food processor along with garlic, onion slices and peeled(remove as much of the skin as possible) and seeded jalapeno. Process, add cilantro and pulse a few more times to combine.
Pour salsa into a storage container and mix in spices and vinegar. Add the reserved tomato juice. Serve now or store in an air-tight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze a portion for later use. This salsa is also used in a warm goat cheese dip, that is unbelievable!! (That recipe to follow at a later date.)

Bacon Lollipops

SWEET & SPICY, these are a crowd pleaser! There is eye candy . . . but this is BACON CANDY. Let's face it, every thing's better with bacon!

Ingredients:
1 pkg. bread sticks I use Alessi brand, there are 25/pkg.
10 bacon strips I use Blue Ribbon hickory smoked it is fairly thick
1 C brown sugar
1-2 T cayenne pepper
* Note: the amounts of sugar and cayenne do not need to be exact.
Yield: 20 lollipops

The ingredients are simple, it is the process that gets just a little bit complicated, and the outcome can be quite unpredictable, but I promise these are worth the time and effort. I have tried it many different ways and I think I finally found the perfect method.

Cooking Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line broiler pan with foil or create one like I do by lining a rimmed baking sheet with foil, placing shallow ramekins or rolled up cigar shaped pieces of foil on the lined sheet and top with another layer of foil. Poke holes in the top layer of foil with a fork to allow the bacon grease to drain. Lining everything with foil will make for EASY clean up. Believe me, you will thank me later, throwing away some foil beats cleaning greasy sugar coated baking sheets any day.
On a large platter or a rimmed baking sheet spread brown sugar in an even layer so you can coat strips of bacon. ( I do a few strips with just the brown sugar an no pepper, because my kids love these, but not if they are spicy.) Sprinkle cayenne over brown sugar and mix with your fingers until combined. Place one slice of bacon at a time on the sugar mixture and pat sugar on to coat, set aside and continue until all 10 slices are coated. Cut each slice of bacon in half, I use my kitchen scissors for quick and easy cuts. Wrap each half slice around one end of a bread stick and place on lined baking sheet. Try to set the bread stick down so the bacon is tucked under and stays wrapped as tightly as possible. The bacon will shrink as it cooks, so as long as both ends are tucked under the bread stick it will stay wrapped.
Place the bacon pops in opposite directions on the tray, you can fit more this way and they cook more evenly. For example: Place the first one with the bacon going one direction and place the next one with the bacon on the opposite end so the bread stick is near the first pop's bacon end, repeat alternating the bacon end of the sticks. HOPEFULLY this makes sense!
Place baking sheet on the bottom oven rack and back approximately 30 minutes. Baking time may vary depending on the thickness of your bacon. The one I use is a thick cut, a thin cut bacon will take less time. You should also watch the oven closely, if you have too much sugar on the bacon it can start to burn and smoke easily. Rotate bacon half way through cooking process if necessary, I do, because my ovens don't always cook evenly. Once bacon is golden and the fat no longer looks greasy or white, your lollipops are ready! Remove from oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet. VERY IMPORTANT: leave them on the sheet! Don't worry if the bread sticks seem wobbly, they are not broken, they become soft during baking. They will firm up once they have cooled slightly. They are also VERY HOT, sugar will burn you.
Once they have cooled slightly, place on a serving platter or in a decorative glass. They are great while still warm or at room temperature.

Kim's Crab Cakes

Thought it would be great to publish this recipe here. : ) I make them basically the same as your mom, except for the size and I don't fry them in much oil, only about a 1/4 - 1/2 inch in the pan.
For the famous Schuh family way to enjoy, serve them with Worcestershire.

1 lb. backfin lump crab meat, pick over to remove any shell
1 egg
2 T Mayo
1 1/2 T chopped flat leaf parsley
1 1/2 T Worcestershire
1 1/2 T dry mustard, I use dijon if I don't have dry
1 large pinch of dry sage
1 large pinch of dry thyme
salt, pepper and a bit of old bay
1/2 - 1 Cup cracker meal, I sometimes crush my own saltines or bremner wafers
Canola oil to fry



I make the crab cakes smaller than your mom, about the size of a small meatball and then flatten them. Place them on a tray, cover and refrigerate at least one hour so they hold together when frying. Because I make them smaller, I usually just buy regular crab instead of the jumbo lump, it is usually $10 cheaper by the pound.
Mix all the ingredients except the cracker meal. Mix in cracker meal a little at a time, just until they hold together. Refrigerate. Heat oil in a deep skillet or an electric skillet like your mom always used. : ) Fry cakes on both sides until golden, yummy & delicious!!