Crab Stuffed Twice Baked Potatoes

 I was searching my kitchen for something to plump up my twice baked potatoes and struck gold. I opened a can of crab meat, drizzled some fresh lemon juice over it, sprinkled some chili powder on it, and added it to the potato spice mix.  Voila!

1. Slice the leftover baked potatoes in half and scoop out the insides.

2. Set the shells on a baking sheet and put some melted butter into the potatoes - at least a tablespoon per potato.

3. Ad some parsley flakes, bouillon powder, black pepper, ground caraway, and sauted onion and garlic to the potatoes. If you are pressed for time, you could get away with onion and garlic powder.

4. Mix the crab/lemon/chili powder into the potatoes and mix it all together well.

5. Fill each of the potato shells; top with paprika and bake at 350 for about a half hour.

These are so delicious! You might want to try them at a dinner party.


No problem can be solved at the level of consciousness at which it was conceived,
Albert Einstein

Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken

My son, Reggie, and I made this when he was still a teenager. We have both changed the way we cook since then, so I am posting a new improved version, complete with a fabulous photo of Reggie at the Grand Canyon.

Ingredients:
¾ to 1 pound chicken
Chicken tenders or boneless thighs are both good shortcut items.

Sauce:
½ cup butter
1/3 cup flour - any kind
4 cloves pressed garlic
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup of chicken stock
1 cup milk
1/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 package ribbon noodles

1. Put the chicken into a baking dish covered with foil and bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Season the chicken with any combination of curry powder, chili powder blend, salt, pepper, and add a little butter, olive oil, or bacon grease. The oil is more important if you are using all white meat since it has so little fat in it.
2. While the chicken is baking, make a white sauce, and cook the noodles.
To make the sauce:
a) Melt the butter and flour over a medium high heat until the butter is bubbling.
b) Slowly add stock and milk while continuing to stir.
d) Continue stirring and add garlic,salt, pepper, Worcestershire.
e) When the sauce is smooth and has the consistency of thick gravy, turn off the heat, add grated cheese. Cover and set aside.

3. Put 4 quarts water into a large spaghetti pot with 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. Add ribbon noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender.

4. When chicken is done, place the pieces on a cutting board and cut into pieces about ½ inch square. Put the pieces into the white sauce and stir just a little.

5. When the noodles are done, drain them and pour into them into the chicken and sauce mixture.
Note: If your sauce has thickened a little too much, add some of the pasta water to get it back to the right consistency.

Art is the signature of civilizations. Beverly Sills