This post is for Crissie.....

Dear Crissie and all followers,

Crissie emailed me and said, "I would like to be a little mouse in the corner of your kitchen." Well Crissie, I like mice! I have a small collection of ceramic mice. My most treasured ornament is a mouse that my Mother painted in 1982.
Crissie has been sending me recipes that I'm so anxious to try....she's making me hungry! We even have one of the same recipes for a boiled spice cake. I'll have to post that one too. My Mother made it every year and I've started making it also. But somehow it's just not quite as good as I remember.

I was so busy today finishing up the Christmas cards that I almost forgot to post. Since I didn't take any pictures of any finished projects, it's recipe day.

There will just be a small group of us on Christmas Eve so I thought I would splurge on crab and make these absolutely fabulous Cape Fear Crab Cakes.

Cape Fear Crab Cakes with Lemon Dill Sauce

1 pound fresh lump crab meat
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 scallion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons whipping cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Cayenne pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon each minced fresh basil and parsley
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons each butter and vegetable oil

- Flake the crab meat and remove bits of shell and cartilage.
- Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet. Add the garlic, scallion and red pepper.
- Sauté for 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in the whipping cream, mustard and cayenne, ½ cup of the bread crumbs and the crab meat and mix lightly.
- Shape into 16 patties - 2 inches in diameter.
- Mix the remaining ½ cup bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese in a shallow dish.
- Dredge the patties in the crumb mixture until coated. Place on a platter and chill, covered for 1 hour or longer.
- Melt 2 tablespoons butter and oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and fry for 3 minutes on each side.
- Drain on paper towels. Serve with Lemon Dill Sauce. Yield: 16 servings

Lemon Dill Sauce

¾ cup mayonnaise
½ cup buttermilk
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dillweed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

-Blend the mayonnaise and buttermilk in a bowl until smooth. Add the garlic, dillweed, parsley, lemon peel and lemon juice and mix well.
- Chill, covered, in the refrigerator until the mixture thickens.

I feel so fortunate to have met so many wonderful people through the Blossom of Friendship BOM blog. I enjoy the emails and your visits to the store on Monday.

So Crissie, if you were a mouse in my kitchen you would have lots of crumbs to keep you well fed. You'd have to search for those crumbs in Zinny's hair balls hiding under the Hoosier. You would be listening to Christmas music all day long (today you'd be watching football.) There would be little grand kids running and I do mean running around so watch out! And you would probably see Grammy kissing Santa Claus!

...and to all a goodnight.

Lynn