Hawkeyes and Seafood

Odd pairing, right? Not if you were at our house last Saturday.

We had the food:

We had the Bloody Mary’s:

We had the football gear:

You put it all in a big pot:

Cook it for a bit:

Protect the table with newspaper and freezer paper:

Pour it in the middle of the table:

Dig in and enjoy!

Clean up and watch football:

Truth be told I really don’t care for the Hawkeyes, I would choose Northern Iowa, but it was a great game. Everyone else likes them, so guess I can accommodate for one day. :)

The seafood boil is super easy and fun. If you want to try it, here’s the recipe. It was originally from Old Bay, but we tweaked it a bit.

Roll up your sleeves and enjoy!

                             Seafood Boil

Ingredients
10 quarts Water
2 can (12 oz) Beer; (optional)
1 1/4 cup OLD BAY® Seasoning
2 tablespoons salt
4 pounds small red potatoes; cut into pieces if large (3 per person)
2 pounds Smoked sausages; cut into 2-inch pieces1/4 lb per person
1 pound Andouille sausage; cut into 2 inch pieces
8 ears Corn on the cob; shucked and halved crosswise 1 per person
4 pounds jumbo shrimp; (21-25 count) 1/2 pound per person
2 pounds Crab legs; broken into pieces 1-2 legs per person (optional)
2 pounds Crawfish; (if in season)
2 whole Lemons; halved
2 whole Onions; cut into quarters
10 cloves Garlic; smashed
Butter; melted

Instructions
Cover your table with newspaper then freezer paper. This helps keep the juices from seeping through to the table.

Bring water, beer, OLD BAY Seasoning (2 Tablespoons per quart of water at least) and salt to boil in large stockpot on high heat (we use our fish cooker). Can add some Zatarain''s liquid boil if wanting it more spicy. Go careful, though it is very spicy!

Add potatoes & corn (if fresh). Cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are just starting to soften (may take longer, check your potatoes). Corn could be added a little bit later if using frozen (only take about 7 minutes for frozen ears)  Add sausage, onions, garlic, lemons & crab (if using). Cook 5-7 minutes (check to see if crab is done. Larger legs may need more cooking time).

Remove from heat, add shrimp & crawfish (if using). Cover and let stand 3-5 minutes or until shrimp is pink. Any longer than that and they will be tough.

Drain cooking liquid. Pour contents of pot into mound on paper-covered table. Sprinkle with additional OLD BAY Seasoning and lemon juice, if desired and serve with melted butter in containers. (we serve this on the side).

Serves 8 with large portions.

We use plastic forks and do not use plates. We do use table knives as crab crackers because I don't have these. The restaurant we usually go to uses small homemade hammers for this. I need to have Al make some for me!

It's that time of the year....

There are many many things I miss from Wyoming.....I miss the mountains, I miss the quiet, and I miss family there.

And there are things that I like about Iowa that Wyoming doesn't have.....like green all summer long, and not much wind!

But one of the best things in Iowa that we really don't have in Wyoming (although I do remember stopping at Alcova when I was little at a stand there) is this:

Sweet corn! On every street corner they are starting to pop up. Stop and get them....$4.00 for a dozen. Then squeeze lime juice and chili powder on....YUM!
And on another note.....Al went to the Dr. yesterday and is back to work today. He's on a 20lb weight limit, and had to go buy some new clothes, but other than that he's good to go. He has another appt. in 4 weeks to see if the nerve is coming back in his leg.

This is a new recipe that Al and I have been using for a few weeks. It's actually a Weight Watcher's recipe, but it is so good. I thought I would share it:

Potato and Canadian Bacon Slow Cooker Chowder

Ingredients:
2 cup(s) potato(es), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large carrot(s), diced
1 cup(s) leek(s), chopped, white part only
1 medium garlic clove(s), minced
4 cup(s) fat-free chicken broth
1/2 cup(s) uncooked barley
1 piece(s) bay leaf
1/4 tsp dried thyme, crushed
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 oz Canadian-style bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 cup(s) fat-free evaporated milk
2 oz fat-free half and half

Instructions
In a slow cooker, combine potatoes, carrots, leek, garlic, chicken broth, barley, bay leaf, thyme, pepper and Canadian bacon. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or until vegetables and barley are tender.
Stir in evaporated milk and half-and-half and heat through, uncovered, about 10 minutes. Yields about 1 2/3 cups per serving.

ENJOY!