Super Fat Tuesday

Super Tuesday is under way in 24 states around the country right now and I don't know about you but I am super excited to see how it will all pan out! It's also fat Tuesday. For those of you who aren't familiar with fat Tuesday it is the day before Ash Wednesday which ushers in the Lenten season leading up to Easter. In the old days people used the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday to eat and drink as much as they could to prepare for the fasting and abstaining that was required by the church during Lent. The guidelines for fasting and abstaining aren't as strict as they used to be but many people still enjoy the tradition of fat Tuesday.
I had quite a few people ask me to share the recipe for the Maryland crab cakes and the cheesy pepper quesadillas from this weeks' menu plan, so here they are. They are both from Cooking for 2 magazine from spring 2005. I haven't made the crab cakes before but the recipe sounded wonderful, not too bready (???). If anyone else tries them tell what your families think!

Maryland Crab Cakes
2 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp minced celery
1 Tbsp minced green pepper
1 tsp butter
2 Tbsp egg substitute
2 Tbsp mayo
2 Tbsp seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 tsp seafood seasoning (like Old Bay)
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
6 oz fresh or canned crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed
1 Tbsp canola oil
Tarter sauce, optional

In a small skillet, saute the onion, celery and green pepper in butter until tender. In a bowl, comine the egg substitute and mayo. Add the veggies, bread crumbs, seafood seasoning, mustard and Worchestershire sauce; mix well. Fold in crab. Shape into four cakes.
In a skillet, cook cakes in oil over medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Serve with tarter sauce if desired. Serving size: 2 cakes each
**This recipe only serves two people so you may have to up ingredients to feed the amount of people in your family that will be eating them.**

Cheesy Pepper Quesadillas

1 Tbsp butter, melted
2 flour tortialls (8 in)
1/2 C shredded Monterey jack cheese
1/4 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 C julienned sweet yellow pepper
1/4 C julienned sweet red pepper
1/4 C julienned red onion
Garlic salt; optional
Salsa and sour cream; optional

Brush butter over both sides of tortillas. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Over half of each tortilla, sprinkle 1 Tbsp Monterey jack cheese and 1 Tbsp cheddar cheese; layer with peppers, onion, garlic salt if desired and remaining cheeses. Fold tortillas over filing.
Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is melted. Cut into wedges. Serve with salsa and sour cream if desired. Serves 2.
**Again you may have to double or even triple this depending on how many you have in your family.**

So I hope you all enjoy these. I know I'm looking forward to them! Have a great day!