2008 November 23 | dinner with Julie

Archive for November 23rd, 2008

Day 328: Sticky Drumsticks and Crab, Spinach and Artichoke Dip

I’m not really sure what we had for dinner tonight, to be honest. Or whether we technically did have dinner – we kind of skidded right through and suddenly it’s after 10 and I’m making creme brulee and curried squash soup, which would have actually made a fine dinner. I have two events tomorrow that require food, and because I didn’t get the final details of one until around 4 I headed out to grocery shop over dinnertime, thinking I was smart to go during the Grey Cup. It seems a lot of people had the same kind of smarts.

I made some chicken drumsticks for the occasion (Grey Cup) – threw them in the Crock Pot and sort of forgot about them, except for the occasional waft that crept by my nose. I am a big fan of chicken wings, but not a fan of all that skin and fat, which is really all there is to a chicken wing. If you pull the skin off of chicken legs they are far less in fat, have much more meat, and you can still eat them with your fingers. Try them with any kind of wing sauce and cook them in the oven, on the grill or in the slow cooker.

Sticky, Spicy Drumsticks

These are reminiscent of sweet and sour chicken, but with a spicy kick. Use less hot sauce if you’re feeding kids; more if you like to live dangerously. These do the trick when I’m craving a big sticky basketful of chicken wings. Cook them under the broiler or throw them on the grill for a smokier flavor.

8 chicken drumsticks, skinned and trimmed of any fat
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1/4 cup red wine or balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. Tabasco or other hot sauce
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed

Combine everything but the drumsticks in a medium bowl. Add the drumsticks and stir to coat.

Grill or broil the drumsticks, brushing with marinade, for about 20 minutes or until cooked through. If there is extra marinade, bring it to a boil in a small pot and simmer for a minute, until thoroughly cooked. Serve with the drumsticks for dipping.

Makes 8 drumsticks.

Per drumstick: 144 calories, 2.2 g total fat (0.6 g saturated fat, 0.7 g monounsaturated fat, 0.6 g polyunsaturated fat), 13.3 g protein, 18.6 g carbohydrate, 47.7 mg cholesterol, 0.3 g fiber. 13% calories from fat

So those sort of got picked at over the course of the afternoon. And because my sister was coming by I made a crab, spinach and artichoke dip (faster than it sounds) which was baked until bubbly and eaten with grainy crackers.

Hot Crab, Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Omit the artichokes if you want just a cheesy crab dip, or replace it with half a package of frozen spinach, thawed with the extra moisture squeezed out. If it seems too thick for your taste, thin it with a little milk.

1 – 8oz. (250 g) tub light cream cheese
1 cup low fat sour cream
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. grated purple onion
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 small clove garlic, finely crushed
2 drops hot pepper sauce (optional)
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 – 1 lb. lump crabmeat, cartilage removed (or 2 – 170g cans, drained)
1 – 14 oz. (398 mL) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
half block of frozen chopped spinach, thawed with moisture squeezed out (optional)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan or old cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Stir in sour cream, lemon juice, onion, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Stir in the crabmeat, artichoke hearts, spinach and cheese.

Spoon into a shallow baking dish or pie plate and bake for 20-30 minutes, until heated through and bubbly around the edges. Serve warm with baked tortillas, crackers, pita or bagel chips or fresh veggies. Serves 8.

Per serving: 165 calories, 8.6 g total fat (4.8 g saturated fat, 2.5 g monounsaturated fat, 0.5 g polyunsaturated fat), 12.3 g protein, 10.2 g carbohydrate, 41.4 mg cholesterol, 2.3 g fiber. 46% calories from fat