Lobster Dinner!

Lobster is one of my favourite things to eat but I only get to eat it a few times when we visit Mike's family because they're not very fresh where we are and they're ridiculously expensive. Well, our local grocery store had them on sale for a very reasonable price and they just received a huge shipment in from Nova Scotia the day we went to get them, so it doesn't get much fresher than that (here anyway). So, we indulged a bit...

There's no need to be afraid of lobsters. If you pick them up by the center of the body and hold on tight, they can't get you. They're also very easy to cook. The trickiest part about them is eating them without getting too messy, but don't worry too much about that. Clothes can be put in the washing machine, kitchens can be wiped down and, well, you can have a shower! There are many different ways to cook a lobster, but we boil ours, so the following recipe will explain how to boil a lobster.

Lobster

INGREDIENTS

2 lobsters (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds each) - The smaller the lobster, the sweeter and tastier the meat will be

STEPS

• Half fill a large pot with hot water and bring it to a boil on the stove. Once boiling, put the lobsters directly into the water being careful not to splash hot water on yourself.

• Place the lid back on top of the pot . Once the water returns to a boil, allow the lobsters to cook for another 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the rest of the meal. In our case, we set the table, make a salad and pour some beer :)
• Oh, we also make garlic butter. In a small bowl (per person), mince a clove of garlic, add 1 tablespoon of butter and microwave until the butter has melted.

• While we patiently wait for the lobsters to cook, the kitties also wait patiently. They know that they always get a little treat when we have lobster. Generally just a few scraps of claw or knuckle meat. They love it!

• When the lobsters are cooked, they will turn bright orange.

• Carefully remove them from the pot using a slotted spoon and place them on a plate.

• Using kitchen scissors, cut off the elastic bands that are holding the pincers shut. Then flip the lobster on its back and insert the tip of the scissors into the thin shell just below the tail fins. Cut the shell all the way up to the belly to make it easier to remove the tail meat.

• Then, flip them back over and get out the crackers, tear those bad boys apart and dip the meat into the garlic butter. Don't forget to put lots of paper towel on the table. You're going to need it!
• Oh, and don't forget to call the kitties for their share!

• Note, this recipe can be adjusted for more lobsters. You can easily do 4 lobsters in a large pot but you may need to add a bit more water. Cooking time remains the same.

Not Just for Christmas!

We were invited to a friend's house for some food and fun while we watch a hockey game. We were asked to bring something for dessert, so I thought long and hard about what would be a good dessert. Rum balls came to mind. They're normally a treat enjoyed during the Christmas season, but I don't see why we shouldn't have them whenever we want! This is an easy recipe to follow and is a lot of fun to make. You can even substitute any kind of nuts or alcohol that you like, or you can leave out the nuts for those with allergies. Play with the recipe and make it your own!

Rum Balls

INGREDIENTS

3 cups crushed vanilla wafers

3/4 cup icing sugar

1/4 cup cocoa powder

3 tablespoons corn syrup

1 1/2 finely chopped walnuts

1/2 cup rum

STEPS

1. Using a blender or a food processor, crush the vanilla wafers into a powder like bread crumbs. You can use vanilla wafers with the creme filling if you like your rum balls a bit sweeter, otherwise you can use plain vanilla wafers without the filling. These can be found at your local bulk food store. You can even experiment with different flavors of wafers like chocolate or strawberry.
2. Using the blender or food processor, finely chop the walnuts (or whatever nuts you choose to use). If you like a bit of crunch in your rum balls, leave the nuts a bit chunkier. If you like them smooth, then chop them until they turn to a powder.
3. In a large bowl, stir together the crushed wafers, icing sugar, cocoa powder and nuts. Then blend in the corn syrup and rum.
4. Using about 1 teaspoonful of the mixture, shape it into 1-inch balls. You can roll the balls in sweetened cocoa powder or icing sugar. I learned the hard way that coconut and sprinkles don't stick very well unless you dip the balls in more alcohol or cover them in melted sugar first.
5. Store the balls, refrigerated, in an airtight container for several days to develop the flavor. Roll again in icing sugar or cocoa powder before serving. Makes approximately 30 balls.

This is a versatile recipe and you can change the ingredients around to suit your tastes. I divided up the recipe into thirds and made two of the batches with almonds and the other with walnuts. I used rum in the walnut batch, triple sec (orange flavored liqueur) with one of the almond batches and amaretto (almond flavored liqueur) with the other. But you can use anything you like. Try it with pecans, hazelnuts, pistachios, or whatever you like. You can even make the balls a bit more exotic by using alcohol like Bailey's or Kahlua. Have fun playing with the recipe!