I am moving!

I am on a countdown. We are moving in less than 2 weeks and I couldn't be busier. I miss cooking so much but I would have to choose between cooking and packing - and guess what I have to do? We only know how much we accumulate when we move. I am not a pack rat. I Spring clean my house every year, donate things I haven't used, give away things I don't find a use for. But we still have tons of things to pack and move. Our new place is less than 8 miles from our current place. However, 8 miles in a town where traffic is jammed at 5 in the morning can add up. So we are moving 8 miles closer to work. Our goal is to shorten our commutes into something more manageable.

Fall is my favorite cooking season. I am taking 5 minutes here and there to read the Fall Food posts on my favorite blogs. Mouth-watering recipes, breathtaking colors, I can almost smell their dishes from my computer screen.

When I thought nothing else could be made with Zucchini

Zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables. I often make roasted Zucchini, Zucchini Frittata, Zucchini Tempura, and so many other things. I thought nothing else could be made out of ordinary with Zucchini... I was wrong. This dish is fresh, delicious and has only 80 calories per serving. It is great as a side dish or a refreshing snack.

Grilled Zucchini Rolls with Herbs and Cheese (from Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger)

3 zucchini (about 1/2 pound each), sliced lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 ounces reduced-fat soft goat's cheese **
1 tablespoon freshly minced parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 cups baby spinach leaves
1/3 cup basil leaves

Discard the outermost slices of zucchini and brush the rest of the slices with the oil on both sides. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated grill or grill pan for about 4 minutes on each side, or until tender.
In a small bowl combine the goat cheese, parsley leaves and lemon juice, mashing with a fork.

Put 1/2 teaspoon of the cheese mixture about 1/2-inch from the end of a zucchini slice. Top with a few spinach leaves and 1 small, or half of a large basil leaf. Roll up and place seam side down on a platter. Repeat with the rest of the zucchini slices.

** I used soft ripened goat cheese instead.

Signs of fall are everywhere

Indulgence

The meaning of indulgence has changed in so many ways for me lately. Before I would indulge myself with a decadent dessert, an exotic dish, a 5 star restaurant, a massage, a bottle of champagne... Now sleeping past 6 am is my biggest indulgence. I had a long and stressful day on Tuesday. When I got home I decided to indulge myself with spicy crab cakes and beer.

I live very close to Maryland -- famous for blue crabs. Every restaurant and every family pride themselves with their own take on crab cakes. Restaurants like Clyde's have a very light crab cake that hasn't much there besides crab meat. That's the recipe I make more often. This time I made a hot and spicy recipe.

Light and Spicy Crab Cakes

1 pound lump crabmeat, shell pieces removed
1-1/3 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1/3 cup minced green onions
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon 2% low-fat milk
2 teaspoon hot sauce
2 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 egg whites
1-1/3 cups fresh breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
Lemon wedges (optional)

Combine first 10 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Divide crabmeat mixture into 8 equal portions. Place 1-1/3 cups breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Dredge crabmeat portions in breadcrumbs, shaping into patties about 3-1/2 inches wide and 1/2 inch thick.
Heat 1 tablespooon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-highheat. Add 4 patties, and cook 3 minutes. Carefully turn patties over,and cook 3 minutes or until golden. Repeat procedure with the remaining oil and patties. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.