Crab Puffs

The cocktail hour.  It's so civilized--small bites, refined drinks, scintillating conversation, background music, straight up 5:00 at the end of a long day before you settle in for dinner.

Bourbon, gin, vodka martini, twist or no twist, stuffed olives or onion, on the rocks or neat, wine, champagne, beer, manhattan, highball or old fashioned, maraschino or luxardo ... these crab puffs are the perfect accompaniment to whatever you're drinking.  They're cheesy, buttery, garlicky goodness, hand-held and gone in 2 bites so you can pick up another.  and another.  and another.  and still continue to sparkle with your subtle humor and witty remarks, fast and furious with your quips and bon mots.  Oh brother, these crab puffs are gonna be the second best thing at your party :)

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

makes 96 crab puffs

12 English muffins, split
2 sticks butter, softened
2 jars cheese spread (I use Kraft Old English cheese spread)
2 cans crabmeat, drained
2 teaspoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon seasoned salt (I use Lawry's)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
ziplock bags, for freezing

Mix together cheese, butter, mayonnaise, seasoned salt, and garlic powder in bowl.

Add drained crabmeat to bowl and mix all.

Split English muffins.  Spread mixture on muffins.  Cut into quarters and freeze in ziplock bags until ready to use.

When you want them, take a bag out of the freezer and bake on 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  I have 2 in my freezer rignt now:

in my freezer with the other constants in there:  limoncello, gin, and a cannister of shelled Diamond walnuts (so good for snacking on while making dinner)

Coffee Ice Cream Pie

Truth:  I'm not a very good baker.  It's tedious and precise and I just don't have the patience for it:  candy thermometers, scales, sifters, leveling, and I'm not even really sure what blind-baking is....aarrrgghhh, it's too much.   I only know how to make 4 or 5 desserts, and this is one of them.

It's softened ice cream in a pan with a no-bake crust.  Foolproof.  Then it sits in the freezer for a few hours by itself while you do...whatever.  But what are you not doing?  Sifting, leveling, or that blind baking thing (at least I don't think so.  Again, I gotta look it up...).

The one thing I do know is that this pie is the perfect way to say goodbye to summer--the exact same way you welcomed it--with something easy, cool, and delicious.  Wasn't it a great nine weeks?  :)

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(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

24 oreo cookies, crushed into crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
pinch sea salt
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
semi-sweet baking chocolate
1 quart coffee ice cream, softened (I use Haagen-Dazs)
pie plate


First toast the nuts:  put them in a small skillet on the stove over med-low heat and shake them periodically.  They are done when they start to brown and smell nutty.  Remove from heat and place in bowl.  Set aside.

toasted almonds

Grease your pie plate.
Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter in bowl.  Empty into pie plate and press in bottom and up sides to make a crust.  Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on the bottom and place in freezer to set, approx. 30 minutes.

Remove from freezer and spread softened ice cream over crust.  Sprinkle with almonds, and grate some chocolate over the top.  Place in freezer, covered, for a few hours until the ice cream freezes again. When ready to serve, let soften on the counter for a few minutes and slice into wedges.