tasty treats on a budget.

okay so i guess i was hiding under a rock when the memo was sent out letting us know that crab meat costs a small fortune. i always knew crab legs were pricey, but i thought that buckets of the meat would just be regular fishy prices. kinda like tuna....you want a fillet? lay out the cash. you want chunks? pick up a can el-cheapo. no dice with crab. needless to say i was astonished that 8 ounces of lump meat was $10.99. and this recipe requires 16 ounces. jeepers.

now i don't know about you, but the mister and i are on a budget, so i decided to get creative and try out the imitation crab (it does contain some crab, so it is not 100% imitation). 19 ounces for $3.99. now that's our kind of price! and it is already cooked, so you simultaneously save money and eliminate the need to worry and fret about cooking it all the way through. and happy times...the imitation meat worked brilliantly. we still have not had real crab cakes, but our tummies are appeased by the deliciousness of the fake crab cakes.

our semi-imitation crab meat.

once I got past that hurdle everything was delightfully straightforward. the crab cakes held together nicely and i was able to squeeze a bunch into the pan, so it only took two rounds to cook them all. i added wild rice to our plates. it was a perfect compliment to the vegetables. and the plate was delish delish delish. the mister and i have enjoyed it for lunch and dinner twice and we keep wanting more.

yummy yummy!!

and the pear cobbler? amazing.

pear pie with streusel topping and caramel sauce.

just the other day the mister was asking me why i do not make pies more often, so i have decided to add a pie to this month's repertoire of recipes. happy baking!!!

bartlett or anjou pears work best in this pie. be sure to purchase firm, slightly under-ripe fruit for this pie since the pears soften and give off juice as they cook.

ingredients for pie:

• 3 ounces all-purpose flour, divided (about 2/3 cup)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 6 medium firm pears, peeled, cored, and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
• 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough
• cooking spray
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces

ingredients for sauce:

• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons water

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. To prepare pie, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1 1/2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add juice and pears to flour mixture; toss gently to coat. Roll dough into an 11-inch circle; fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under and flute. Arrange pear mixture in an even layer in prepared crust.
3. Combine remaining 1 1/2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) flour and 1/3 cup brown sugar in a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons cold butter to brown sugar mixture; cut in with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle butter mixture evenly over pears. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes.
4. To prepare sauce, combine 1/3 cup brown sugar, cream, and 2 tablespoons softened butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in 2 teaspoons water. Serve at room temperature or slightly warmed with pie.

source: cooking light magazine.