Cyclops Kitty

This twist on the classic Cuban "Media Noche" Sandwich is delicious. That's about the best way for me to describe it

Serves: 4     Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the crab Cakes:
1 pound backfin lump blue crab meat, picked thru to remove bits of shell
2 strips of bacon, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and finely chopped
1 rib of celery finely chopped
1 clove of garlic minced
1/4 cup minced fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley and or basil)
3 to 4 tablespoons fine cracker crumbs
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 egg beaten
1 to 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons clarified butter
For the Sandwich:
4 bullet shaped slightly sweet rolls 6 to 7 inches in length or sections of French, Italian or cuban bread of the same length
8 teaspoons mayonaise
8 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 ounces sliced swiss cheese (4 slices)
12 thin slices of ripe tomato
4 to 8 iceberg lettuce leaves
12 to 16 thin slices dill pickle
4 tablespoons of butter or margarine, room temperature
How to make it

Crab Cakes:
Fry the bacon in a frying pan over medium heat until lightly browned (about 2 minutes)
Add the shallots, bell pepper, celery and garlic and cook until soft but not browned (about 2 minutes)
Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and let cool.
Stir in the crab, herbs, cracker crumbs, Old Bay, salt ad pepper, and cayenne.
Fold in the egg and enough cream to get a moist but firm consistency. If too wet, add more cracker crumbs.
Wet hands with water and form the crab mixture into 8 small patties. Wrap in waxed paper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
heat clarified butter in a non stick frying pan and Pan fry the crabcakes until crusty and golden brown - approx 3 minutes each side.
Drain on a paper towel and set aside.
Sandwich:
Slice open the rolls lengthwise and spread the bottom halves with the mayo and the top halveswith the mustard.
Layer the sandwich with 2 crab cakes on each bottom, swiss cheese, 3 tomato slices on each, lettuce and then the pickle slices.
Cover with top of the roll.
Lightly butter the entire outsides of the sandwiches and place in a skillet over medium heat.
Pleace a weight, like a bacon press on top or flatten the sandwich with a long spatula.
Cook the sandwiches until crusty and golden brown on both sides approx 2 to 3 minutes per side, adding butter to the pan as necessary.
Slice the sandwiches in half on the diagonal and serve at once!

Fruit and chocolate lovers are gonna find this dessert pretty satisfying. It goes great with a nice chocolate raspberry latte or cappuccino, to end a perfect meal.

Serves: 8    Time: 65 minutes

Ingredients

1 19oz package brownie mix
1 lb cream cheese softened
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen raspberries
whipped cream to top (preferably homemade, you can add a little of the juices from the frozen raspberries to add a little more flavor and color to the whipped cream.
How to make it

Preheat oven to 350F and grease or butter a 9" springform pan.
Prepare brownie mix using package directions. Spread in springform pan.
Bake until the edges pull from the side of the pan- about 28 to 30 min max. leave oven on at 350F
combine cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla extract in medium bowl and beat with electric mixer until blended and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time beating well after each egg.
Spoon over baked layer of brownie.
Heat chocolate chips in double broiler until melted.
Drizzle melted chocolate over the prepared layers and swirl with a knife to marbelize.
Bake until set approx. 35 minutes.
Cool in pan on wire rack and then chill for 2 hours or longer.
Combine the raspberries and rest of sugar in a bowl and toss to mix.
Remove sides of pan and slice.
Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with raspberries.

The mixture of the sour cream, cheese, seafood, spices and salsa make this a very pleasing and delicious main course.

Serves: 6   Time:  35 minutes

Ingredients

12 6" flour tortillas
4 cups shredded monterey jack cheese
2 cups flaked blue crab meat - picked thru to remove shells
20 to 25 steamed medium shrimp, halved
1 medium onion chopped (approx 1 cup)
4 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1 1/4 cups tomatillo salsa
2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin powder
How to make it

Heat an ungreased medium skillet over medium heat and soften tortillas one at a time for 15 seconds per side.
Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 13x9 baking dish with Pam or some other nonstick cooking spray.
Combine 3 cups of the cheese, the crabmeat, shrimp, onion, most of the Old bay (leave about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon to add to the salsa), and the 1/2 teaspoon cumin in a medium bowl and mix well.
Spoon a 1/4 cup of the mixture on each tortilla.
Fold the sides of the tortillas and then roll to enclose all the filling.
Arrange seam side down in the baking dish.
Heat butter in a medium saucepan over med-high heat.
Add flour and mix well.
Stir in chicken broth gradually and cook stirring continually until sauce thickens.
Add sour cream and mix well.
Remove from heat and stir in the bell peppers and then spread over the enchiladas.
Bake until bubbly - about 30 minutes or so.
Take remaining Old Bay seasoning and mix it well with the tomatillo salsa, then pour it over the top of the enchiladas.
Sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese and bake for another 5 minutes or until the cheese has melted, remove from oven and serve!