Fish and Veggies is having our first giveaway! Old Bay Seasoning is celebrating their 70th anniversary and would like to give a Fish and Veggies reader one of the giftbags shown above. To enter the giveaway just leave a comment on this post before Sunday at 9 pm (CT). The winner will be announced Monday morning. Check out my favorite Old Bay recipes: Steamed Shrimp, Crab Cakes, Hollandaise Sauce ***Thank you for all the entries and kind words!!! After a random drawing, Dave is the winner of the Old Bay Seasoning give away. Congrats. Your gift bag will be coming in the mail.

It's 100 degrees in Texas, and I decided to make Rack of Lamb. Not exactly a summer dish, but I had never made it before, and I was curious. Check out Gordon Ramsey's video of Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb. I didn't follow this recipe at all. Not even 1%. I opted for an extremely simple version of rack of lamb, and it turned out delicious. I served with a summery caprese salad, and called it a success. You basically just put it in a pan and cook. Give it a try. Rack of Lamb 1. Season lamb generously with salt, pepper and any lemon/pepper seasoning that you have in your cupboards. 2. Place directly in shallow baking pan, fat side up. (This allows the fat to flavor the lamb all the way through.) 3. Place in preheated oven at 300 degrees, and cook for 1 hour. Or until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees. 4. Remove from heat. Loosely tent with foil and let rest for 10 minutes. This allows the juices to remain in the lamb. 5. Fat side up, slice in between each rib, and serve 3-4 pieces per plate.

A recent trip to Detroit was surprisingly enjoyable. Having never been to Detroit, I assumed it was a land of smoky factories. I'm sure there are plenty of smoking factories, but I found myself walking along a beautiful waterfront, overlooking Canada.

Slows Bar-B-Q was the stop for dinner and even this Texas girl was impressed. I ordered the pulled pork.  True to it's name, it came as a pile of pulled pork.  That's it.  Served on a huge plate. Hello delicious.

Niman Ranch provides all of Slows' meats. Niman Ranch is a network of independent farmers and ranchers committed to sustainable and humane agricultural methods.

The macaroni and cheese were like creamy shells of heaven. (imagine creamy shells of heaven.) And the array of sauces on the table, could please anyone. Apple flavored sauce, ridiculously hot sauce, nice medium bar-b-q sauce. I smothered my plate.
If life's adventures take you to Detroit, plan a quick, delicious stop at Slows.

Please forgive the repeated mentions of my new man. We're in that glorious, ding-dong phase where I seem to talk about him every 2 seconds. That being said . . . my man makes some mean crab cakes. Huge chunks of crab with delicious Old Bay Seasoning. We took it one step further and made Crab Cake Benedicts, with poached eggs and Hollandaise sauce on top. Serve with heirloom tomatoes and avocado slices. Hello Brunch!!! Crab Cakes 1 lb. lump crab meat 2 eggs slightly beaten 2 tbls. mayo 1 tsp. yellow mustard 4-5 ritz crackers crumbled 1 tsp worchestire sauce 1 tsp parsley Old Bay seasoning Mix all ingredients in a bowl and then gently add crab. Refrigerate for at least a half hour. Shape into cakes and place on foil covered broiler rack. Broil until golden brown (7-9 minutes), flip and brown other side. Poached Eggs Recipe adapted from “Mastering the Art of French Cooking: The 40th Anniversary Edition” by Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle and Simone Beck (Knopf, 2001) White vinegar 4 large eggs Salt

Fill a medium saucepan or deep skillet with 5 cm (2 inches) of water. Add 15 ml (1 tbsp) of vinegar per litre of water. Bring to a very gentle simmer over medium heat.

While water heats, fill a large bowl with cold water.

When water in pan is just simmering, break one of the eggs into the water, holding it as close to the water as possible. Immediately and gently, use a wooden spoon to push white over yolk for 2 to 3 seconds.

Maintaining water at the barest simmer, repeat with remaining eggs. After 4 minutes, one at a time use a slotted spoon to remove eggs. The whites should be set and the yolks still soft to the touch.

Place eggs in bowl of cold water to rinse vinegar and stop cooking. The eggs can be kept for several hours in cold water, or drained and refrigerated.

When ready to serve, use a knife to trim off any trailing bits of white. Fill a large bowl with hot water and add 7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) of salt per litre. Place eggs in hot water for about 30 seconds or until heated through.

Use a slotted spoon to remove eggs from hot water, rolling egg back and forth a bit to drain.

Makes 4 servings.

Hollandaise Sauce Recipe by Tyler Florence 4 egg yolks 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted (1 stick) Pinch cayenne Pinch salt

Vigorously whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl and until the mixture is thickened and doubled in volume. Place the bowl over a saucepan containing barely simmering water (or use a double boiler,) the water should not touch the bottom of the bowl. Continue to whisk rapidly. Be careful not to let the eggs get too hot or they will scramble. Slowly drizzle in the melted butter and continue to whisk until the sauce is thickened and doubled in volume. Remove from heat, whisk in cayenne and salt. Cover and place in a warm spot until ready to use for the eggs benedict. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water before serving.

Every time a grill involved, I think "Life is good." This weekend I got to grill all sorts of goodies: salmon, portabella mushrooms, corn on the cob, and my newest friend, grilled leeks. Leeks are a vegetable in the onion and garlic family. This might not sound appetizing to eat on it's own but their flavor becomes more subdued when cooked. Imagine a smoky flavor, with olive oil, salt and good goat cheese crumbled on top. Delicious. Chop leaks, or leave in long sheaths if you prefer. The white and light green stalks are the parts good for eating. Just make sure you give them a good thorough rinse as a lot of dirt can get caught in the layers. Place in boiling water for about 3 minutes, until slightly softened, but not cooked through. Remove from heat, and place directly in ice water to stop the cooking. Grill on foil, until the thickest part can be pierced easily with a knife. Top with olive oil, salt and crumbled goat cheese.

I just saw Julie & Julia, and I don't know quite what to say. Absolutely everything was well done about this movie. The writing, the acting, the plot, the cinematography. I laughed so hard that my man had to cover my mouth (i was squeeking.) I also cried (ugly cried) at how universal our struggles are: Trying to find purpose. Overcoming tedious days to pursue true passions. Being grateful for the people who encourage those passions. And the appreciation of delicious food. What were your favorite parts of the movie??? And here are the real characters!!!! Julia Child The real Julie Powell and her husband.

Whole Foods had a display of Pluots today. The nice man in the produce section explained that a Pluot is a hybrid between a plum and an apricot. Then he promptly washed one and cut it up for me to taste. Right there in the store. I love Whole Foods. I bought a few of the fancy named fruits (Mango Tango Pluot and Dinosaur Egg Pluot) and enjoyed every bite. Smooth skin of a plum, but the tangy flavor of an apricot. It's hard to beat that.

America's Test Kitchen just put out their yearly Cooking For Two magazine. Their magazines make the world a better place (well, it makes me happy at least.) They test every recipe about 100 times, changing every detail, and explaining why these certain ingredients make the best combination. This seafood risotto turned out delicious. It's still a little hot in Texas, but sometimes you just need a nice cozy meal. I recommend topping with Parmesan cheese. Seafood Risotto Featured in America's Test Kitchen Dinner for Two 2009 serves 2 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 small onion, minced (about 1/2 cup) Table salt and ground black pepper 2/3 cup Arborio Rice 1/2 cup dry white wine 6 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 6 ounces sea scallops, muscle removed, quartered if large, halved if small 1 tomato, cored, seeded, and chopped fine 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil 1. Combine the chicken broth and clam juice in a large microwave-safe measuring cup, cover and microwave on high until hot, 1 to 3 minutes; set aside. 2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and saffron and cook, stirring often, until the ends of the rice kernels are transparent, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine and cook until it has been completely absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes. 3. Stir in 1 cup of the hot broth mixture and continue to simmer, stirring every few minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the bottom of the pan is almost dry, 7 to 9 minutes. 4. Stir in 1/2 cup more broth mixture every few minutes as needed to keep the pan bottom from drying out (you may not need all of the broth mixture), and cook, stirring often until the rice is al dente, 10 to 12 minutes. 5. Vigorously stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter until melted, then gently fold in the shrimp, scallops, tomato, and basil. Cover the skillet, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the seafood is cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

We just finished a season of The Next Food Network Star, and the winner is . . . Melissa d'Arabian. She may be a little uptight, but she has great ideas. Her four step chicken is simple and straightforward. I don't really like chicken. You will notice none of my posts are about chicken. But I watched this video of Melissa, and I got excited to cook chicken. 1. Dredge chicken (or pork or fish) in flour and saute in oil until cooked through. Set aside 2. Add any "aromatic": onions, garlic or shallots and any fresh herbs you like 3. Add liquid: dry white wine, chicken broth, or lemon juice 4. Finish sauce with butter and serve Here's my own combination with mushrooms. I was dreaming of serving over mashed potatoes, but I'm on a stupid low carb diet. If you are a stupid dieter like me, this tomato salad or arugula salad go great on the side. Four Step Chicken with Mushrooms Adapted from Melissa d'Arabian 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced in half crossways (butterflied, cut all the way through) 1 cup flour Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 shallot finely chopped 4 cloves garlic finely chopped 1 portabella mushroom, sliced 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup chicken broth Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over medium heat and add the oil. Dredge the chicken in flour, add to the hot oil and saute until cooked through. Set chicken aside to rest on plate tented with foil.

In same saute pan, over low heat, add shallots and garlic and cook until aromatic. Add mushrooms and stir.

In a measuring cup, measure out wine, if using, and chicken broth. Turn the heat up to high, and deglaze the pan with the broth mixture until starting to reduce.

Remove the pan from the heat and finish the sauce by whisking in butter. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve.

Abacus is a swanky Dallas restaurant created by chef Ken Rathbun (famous for beating Bobby Flay on Iron Chef.) The food is ridiculous. If you go, please order the Bacon and Eggs, but let's focus on the Lobster Shooters. Lobster dumplings, deep fried and served in a shot glass with broth made of coconut milk, sake, mirin, ginger, red curry paste, shallots, kirin leaves, and a whole lot more. The ingredients would be a tad extensive (and expensive) to cook at home, but perfect to enjoy at a nice dinner. Next time you're looking for a nice dinner out in Dallas, Abacus will not disappoint.

My friend Yvonne never ceases to amaze me. Her food blog The Fifth Tine is one of my favorites, and I couldn't wait to make this Shrimp Stuffed Zucchini. My new man grilled a Rib Eye and took tons of photos of the cooking process.

Shrimp Stuffed Zucchini

• 2 - 4 zucchini zucchini, cut in half
• Olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small onion
• 1/4 Teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 ear corn, de-kerneled
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil
• 8 Shrimp, cut into bite size pieces
• 10 grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
• Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out inner flesh leaving a 1/4 inch lip. Chop 1/2 of the flesh and reserve. Place zucchini in a baking dish or sheet pan.

Over medium heat in a non-stick skillet, saute onions and garlic in 1 T olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add crushed red pepper, corn, diced zucchini from above, tomatoes, lemon juice and capers. Saute for an addition 2-3 minutes. Turn off heat and mix in shrimp, breadcrumbs and basil. Season with salt and pepper.

Fill zucchini halves with mixture and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and top each zucchini with parmesan cheese and a drizzle of olive oil. Return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Enjoy!

**Post mortem note: I used the leftover stuffing to make stuffed mushrooms the next night, and they were great!

I've been craving Key Lime Pie. Besides Ice Cream, it's the best summer dessert. It's cool, refreshing and light. Here are some action shots of the ridiculously simple recipe (that turned out great) This is a modification of several recipes I found online. Key Lime Pie 1 Graham Cracker Crust (premade, if you're lazy like me) 2 cans sweetened condenced milk 4 egg yolks 1 cup key lime juice 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 2. Combine the egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk and lime juice. Mix well. Pour into unbaked graham cracker shell. 3. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Top with whipped topping and garnish with lime slices if desired.