Crab Legs at Christmastime

Published on by RebekahLeave a comment

The Shell House
Savannah, Georgia 

There’s nothing like cracking open a crab leg and pulling one long, succulent, in-tact piece of crab meat out of the shell, preparing it for its butter bath. Pair that with a good, cold drink of sweet tea with a fat lemon wedge and a little Jimmy Buffett, and life is good.

Last night I visited The Shell House. The prices were high, but the portions compensate and the food was delicious. I ordered snow crab legs, my favorite kind of seafood next to crab cakes. Hushpuppies and green beans were its counterparts and I’m telling you what, it doesn’t get much better. Here we are a week from Christmas and we’re eating seafood like it’s the Fourth of July. Who needs sweet potato casserole when you’re 45 minutes from the Georgia Coast? I say bring on the crustaceans, anytime of year! The restaurant was quite busy, even on a Sunday night, which is always a good sign. The only downside to eating crab legs is that you’re always the last one to finish because it takes a little bit of work. When you taste that meat though, it’s worth every minute of the time you spend getting to it.

The tables at The Shell House have holes in the center, so when you finish peeling those shrimp or cracking those crab legs open or shucking those oysters, you can conveniently discard all your trash. It’s a casual atmosphere…don’t go expecting white table cloths or fine china. In fact, you’ll eat off of paper plates and drink out of plastic cups but it’s hard to beat the amount of food you get for the price. It’s fresh and hearty. That’s what I’m talkin’ ’bout!

The Infamous Office Christmas Party

Published on by Rebekah1 Comment
A Christmas feast, indeed.

I started a new job in November, and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know my new co-workers. We had our office Christmas party this week and the food was nothing short of fabulous. On the menu?

  • Ham
  • Turkey
  • Dressing and Gravy
  • Macaroni and Cheese
  • Butter Beans
  • Asparagus (and not the dinky kind)
  • Tomato Casserole
  • Mixed Green Salad
  • Cheesecake or Red Velvet Cake with berries
Macaroni and Cheese is the dish I don’t fix at home often, but really look forward to eating during the holidays. It was cooked perfectly, crunchy on top and cheesy throughout. The tomato casserole was very interesting and a dish I’d never heard of, much less tried. It had bacon and cheese in it and I’m going to attempt to recreate it (that’s a post for a later date). Have you ever seen asparagus thinner than a pencil? There’s nothing I despise more than going to the grocery store to buy a vegetable like asparagus and it’s not plump. This asparagus was full and round and had a nice bite to it.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

My white elephant gift. I’m all about anything festive!

It was a delicious meal indeed. The only thing I would’ve added is a nice blackberry reduction sauce to the cheesecake. A shout out to Eagle Dining Services for catering a wonderful holiday luncheon!

After we ate, our team had a white elephant gift exchange which was rather entertaining with 40 folks. Since I drew #17, I got to choose whether I wanted to take someone else’s gift or pick a gift from under the tree. I decided to take someone’s Cabernet Sauvignon and should have known I wouldn’t get to keep it. The next gift I opened was a set of kitchen knives and since I already have a fine set at home, I talked another co-worker into a trade at the end of the game. I came out pretty good with a Santa Claus inspired wine glass. Hey, at least it’s something I can use! Among the most popular gifts? Wine, lottery tickets and a Georgia Southern University Gnome. We had lots of laughs and a great time was had by all.

A Shrimp Supper Worth the Drive

Published on by RebekahLeave a comment
A great place for dinner on the weekends.

The Oyster Bar Restaurant, Raw Bar and Ale House
Savannah, Georgia 

Over the weekend, we met some friends at The Oyster Bar Restaurant, Raw Bar and Ale House on River Street in Savannah. I ordered the Shrimp Trio–fried shrimp, shrimp scampi and bacon-wrapped shrimp stuffed with crab meat. Man alive! It was Some Kinda Good. I had a caesar salad and baked potato alongside it. The bacon-wrapped shrimp, stuffed with crab meat, was the description that caught my attention and what made me order the dish. I love seafood and I mean, how could you not like any crustacean wrapped in bacon? Before the food arrived, the waiter brought out what they referred to as “hushpuppies,” but they tasted more like little doughnut holes served with honey butter. I ordered a good glass of red wine, an Australian variety of Shiraz, and had a good time reminiscing about our college days with old and new friends.

The Shrimp Trio Dish…pretty much delectable.

If you’ve never visited River Street in Savannah, it’ll be worth your time. I have been several times, but never during the Christmas season. I just recently moved back to Southeast Georgia, and Savannah is only a short 45 minutes away. It was a comfortable 60 degrees, no wind blowing, no wait and no crowds. I would definitely visit The Oyster Bar again and would highly recommend it. Besides, you just can’t go wrong with friendly service, quality food and a great atmosphere.

Little balls of bliss served with honey butter

Oyster Bar on Urbanspoon

Peanut Butter Blossoms – How Bad Can That Be?

Published on by Rebekah3 Comments
Right after you pull them out of the oven, the chocolate kisses are inserted in the center.

You can have all the best cookbooks in the world, but sometimes, the best recipes are found simply on the back of packages. Earlier this week I bought some candy for my office and there on the back of the Hershey’s Kisses Package was my all time favorite recipe for Peanut Butter Blossoms. It all starts with shortening and peanut butter, and in the words of Ina Garten, “How bad can that be?” You just can’t go wrong with the classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate rolled in sugar. Not to mention how cute they look. As soon as they come out of the oven, you put the chocolate kisses in the center. The heat from the cookie slightly melts the chocolate and when you bite into it, its pure bliss. As I baked these, I listened to my Miranda Lambert Pandora Radio station and all was well.

Pour yourself a cold glass of milk and enjoy these next to the Christmas tree. Happy Baking to all!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Saturday Makes for a Special Breakfast

Published on by Rebekah3 Comments
Add crispy bacon and a little Country Crock light butter spread and breakfast is served.

Saturday mornings are my favorite time of the week. I love getting up whenever I wake up and not being forced out of bed by an alarm clock. I usually make something special for breakfast on Saturdays because I actually have time, unlike during the work week, when I grab a quick breakfast bar and maybe a piece of fruit and head out the door. This morning I made fresh blueberry muffins with a streusel topping and fried up some bacon to boot. I brewed some coffee and stirred in my pumpkin spice creamer and enjoyed drinking it from a real coffee mug and not my travel mug. Hey, it’s the little things. The best part is knowing tomorrow morning, there’ll be leftovers. 🙂

That Chili Don’t Need Nothin’ But Eatin’

Published on by Rebekah5 Comments

ChiliThere’s nothing quite like golden brown corn bread and chili on a cold night. I like to make mine Neely style, beginning with a little pig in the pan and sautéing some onion and bell pepper.  I let the vegetables get soft, then add my seasonings–chili powder, garlic powder, italian seasoning and of course, salt and pepper. Then comes the ground beef and after it’s brown, I add a can of italian diced tomatoes. Then I drain a can of light red kidney beans and a can of dark red kidney beans and throw them in. I follow that up with a little beer, whatever you have around the house…gives it great flava flav. And just like my daddy would say, “That chili don’t need nothing but eatin’!” Continue reading “That Chili Don’t Need Nothin’ But Eatin’” →

What I like to call “The Help Spread”

Published on by Rebekah2 Comments

Shortly after watching the popular movie The Help, I was inspired to go home and create a southern spread. On the menu: fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, farm raised green beans, made from scratch biscuits, fried okra and apple pie.Image

Childhood Reward Becomes Favorite Pastime

Published on by RebekahLeave a comment

It all started when I was kid. I would go to the grocery store with my mom and if I was well-behaved while she shopped, I would get to choose a 99 cent cupcake from the grocery store bakery. I would peer through the glass window and size up each one, carefully determining which little delicacy would be mine. Even then, that small treat brought me so much joy. I’ve never met a baked good I didn’t like and baking is one of my favorite things to do. If I’m not cooking or baking in my spare time, I’m either reading about it or watching a related show on the Food Network.

I’m a huge fan of Ina Garten or the Barefoot Contessa as some know her. These fabulous beauties are her Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Icing. I’ve baked them a few times, but most recently for my 10 Year High School Reunion tailgate party. Totally worth it.

Image