Labor Day Crab Fest

The end of Summer just wouldn't be complete around our house without a blue crab fest. There is nothing like sitting for a few hours with friends and family, cracking crab and enjoying every ones company. You can purchase crab either steamed or live in whatever quantity you choose. Typically in the past we have always had our crab prepared and steamed before we pick it up. This year, we decided to purchase live crab and steam them ourselves and the results were amazing. Here is a super simple way to steam your own crab.  

We purchased a bushel and this is how they will come. They are usually cold so the crab will actually appear as if they are dead. Do not cook the dead ones! The cold kind of makes them lethargic and they won't move very much until they warm up a bit. Just tap them with your tongs and they will start to move.

What you'll need:

Vinegar

Old Bay

Water

Steam Pot with Basket

Tongs

Butter

Crab Hammers

Fill your pot with equal part of vinegar and water. Make sure your steamer basket does not touch the liquid.

Crab waiting to be steamed.

Now, for us this was a team effort. Hubby grabbed the crab out of the basket and I was in charge of holding the lid down on the pot. ***Note, they will become much more sprightly after they have begun to warm up. We may have had some that tried to make a break for it off the deck. But have no fear, once you get a system down the process goes much smoother.  

Put as many as will fit in the pot once you put the lid on. Between each layer of crab we added the Old Bay. You can add as much or as little as you like....we prefer our to be completely doused.

 The amount that will fit will depend on the size of your pot and the size of your crab.  

Steam the crab for approx 20-25 minutes and they will be ready to enjoy. We steamed our whole bushel in about 2 hours. Your neighbors will be able to smell your yummy delicious crab about 4 blocks away!

Heat up some butter and grab your crab hammers, its time to eat. Some people, my son in particular, like to eat their crab with vinegar.

Typically beer is our go to beverage with crab, but drink whatever you would like.

Even Diva Darling enjoyed the crabs. 

Cheers! You did it!

♥ Jen

DIY- Shrimp Ceviche

I absolutely love shrimp ceviche. The flavors and colors are so refreshing for those hot summer days. All the ingredients for this dish were found at my local Friday farmers market. I've mastered the art of patience for this dish, as you have to let the flavors marinate in the fridge for the ultimate perfection. Make sure to use fresh shrimp instead on frozen as well as fresh vegetables. Follow this recipe and adjust to suit your taste.

Peeled and deveined shrimp.

 Cook and cool in water to stop the cooking process.

 Fresh produce is a must!

 Chop and store ahead of time to add when recipe call for it.

Enjoy with your favorite summertime beverage. This is a family favorite around our home. Let me know if you try this yummy recipe, and let me know what your favorite summertime fare is!

♥ Jen

DIY- Pretzel Bites

 I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day. We hosted a barbecue at our home over the weekend and we enjoyed great food, friends and conversation. I found this pretzel bite recipe here and decided to tweak it a little to make it my own, and they were a HUGE hit at our party with not one being left at the end of the night. This is super easy snack that is perfect for any party.

 What you need:

Square Window Pretzels

Hershey's Cookies'n'Cream Kisses

Hershey's Milk Chocolate Kisses

Wax Paper

 Line a cookie sheet with wax paper and place pretzel on sheet.

 Place one Hershey's kiss on each pretzel.

 Put in oven heated at 300 degrees for about 2 minutes. The cookies'n'cream kisses only need about 1 minute in the oven since they melt much faster than the milk chocolate kisses. I would recommend doing them in separate batches since the milk chocolate ones need to be in the oven for 2 minutes to really melt.

 Let kisses sit for about 1 minute after you take them out of the oven to finish softening. Then begin placing pretzels on top to create a mini sandwich.

 After you have finished creating your sandwiches, place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to harden them back up. I left them in the refrigerator until the party so that they wouldn't melt prior to the party.....it was 90 here on Saturday!

I have to say my favorite mix was the cookies'n'cream....which seemed to be every ones favorite too since they were the first to disappear. These little guys have the perfect mixture of salty and sweet! Let me know if you try these out.

♥ Jen

Linking up over at Happy Hour Projects here and Thrifty Decor Chick here.

Peanut Blossom Cookies

Peanut blossoms cookies are by far one of my favorite holiday cookies. Simply making them gives me so much holiday spirit. They are super simple to make and are always a big hit in our house...they never make it more than 2 days before they are completely gone! I followed these instructions, but added a few of my little touches here and there. To make them extra sugary (my signature), roll them in a few coats of sugar. I usually do this 2 or 3 times.
Use a small melon baller or scoop for perfect sized cookies every time. Extra sugar coating!
Save time, unwrap and prep your kisses before the cookies come out of the oven. Press kisses into cookies right when they come out of the oven. Let them set for a few hours so that the kisses harden up again. I love to have a few right out of the oven when the cookies are still warm and the chocolate is a little melted. Do you have a favorite recipe that you make each year for the holidays?

♥ Jen

DIY- Hot Mulled Cider

Nothing warms me up on a cold chilly night like hot mulled cider. This recipe is super simple, quick and makes the house smell so warm and inviting. This would be perfect for a holiday party or family gathering. Here's what you'll need:

8 Cups of Cider

4 Strips of Zest from one Lemon

2 Cinnamon Sticks

1 Teaspoon of Whole Allspice Berries

1 Teaspoon of Whole Cloves

Make sure you use Apple Cider instead of Apple Juice.Mix all of the ingredients into a pot and bring to a boil. Then remove from heat, cover and let steep for 20 minutes. Then ladle into mugs, leaving any solids or spices behind.
Grab your favorite holiday mug, pour some hot cider and garnish with a cinnamon stick. Perfect Holiday bliss! Let me know if you try this recipe!

♥ Jen