Cooking for Zo

Taste Level: VG
Cost: $20 and under
Serves: 2-4
Prep Time: 20-25 min.
Cook Time: 5-10 min.
Difficulty: 1

What happens when a Crab and a Jalapeno have a wild liquor fueled night out? 9 months later they have a Crabapeno popper they have to push around in a stroller. Let that be a lesson to all of you hot Jalapenos and crazy Crabs out there! This is one of my continuing flavor adventures of what to do with soft-shell crabs and why in the world does cream cheese taste so great with them? I have not figured it all out yet but man these were really good. Make sure the oil does not get to hot (I ruined two of them but they still tasted good.) I do not know if these are a finger food or dinner item. I think they could be both! We watched the NFL Draft while eating them for dinner since we felt they were kind of finger foodish. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
4 soft-shell crabs

Stuffing
1 jalapeno (diced)
1/2 cup medium cheddar cheese
3 tbsp low fat cream cheese (softened)

Coating
2/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
sea salt (to taste)
fresh crack pepper (to taste)
1/4 cup Sweet European Butter (melted)

Coating
Whisk together all ingredients (except butter) in a small bowl until even.

Stuffing
Mix together all ingredients in a small bowl until mixed well.

Crabs
Heat oil in a medium sauce pan.

Dry soft shell crabs with paper towels. Once dried use a fillet knife to separate the back half of the top shell from the crabs (make sure to leave the front connected.) Fill each crab with 1/4 of stuffing and then fold top shells back over the stuffing.

Melt butter and then roll each crab in it and then in the bread crumb mixture until coated well. Take coated crabs and place into heated oil, cook for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oil using a slotted frying spatula and place on a plate covered in paper towels (push down tops back into the cheese if coming up.) Once all crabs are cooked serving hot. Enjoy