Slay the Vacay’s Fresh Family Recipes

I love my job. I love talking to fascinating people and going to interesting places. I am honored to share people’s stories. But what I really love is testing the recipes from local restaurants and chefs for our Fresh Family Recipes.

For this issue, we’ve got two delicious recipes: heavenly tea cakes from Loft22’s own Tareka Lofton and a delectable warm crab dip from Fixe Southern House. Yum!

Warm Bacon and Crab Dip

Fixe Southern House

I admit that I love a warm crab dip. There is something that is so decadent about combining crab with yummy, melty goodness. Add some bacon, and this Southern girl is happier than a clam (crab?) at high tide. [Editor’s note: I have changed the proportions for easier home use.]

Ingredients

¼ pound thick-cut bacon, diced small

½ medium-sized yellow onion, diced small

2 to 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

½ large jalapeño, seeded and minced

12 button mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 ounces white wine

1 cup heavy cream

2 8-ounce blocks cream cheese [Editor’s note: use the real stuff, please!]

3/4 cup Parmesan, grated, divided use

3/4 cup cheddar, grated, divided use

¼ teaspoon paprika

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon kosher salt

3/4 pound lump crab, gently picked for shell pieces

4 green onions/scallions, thinly sliced

Crackers, pita chips, or sliced and toasted baguettes to serve

Directions

In a saucepan over medium heat, render the sliced bacon. Once the bacon is crispy, add the onion, garlic, and jalapeño and sauté until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté for another 5 minutes.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and add in the white wine. Bring to a boil and reduce the wine by half. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil.

When the cream comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and add the cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese is melted. Once the mixture is smooth, add ½ cup of the grated Parmesan, ½ cup of the grated cheddar, and all the seasonings. Stir until the grated cheeses are melted and the mixture is smooth.

Remove the saucepan from the heat and GENTLY stir in the crab and the green onions. You want to keep the lump crab as whole as possible. Allow the mixture to warm through.

While the mixture is coming to temperature, turn on the broiler.

Transfer the mixture to a small casserole dish and top with the remaining grated cheeses. Broil until the top is bubbly and browned. Immediately serve with crackers, pita chips, and/or toasted baguette slices. Makes enough for 8 as an appetizer.

Grandma Sarah’s Old-Fashioned Tea Cakes

Tareka Lofton of Loft22

Fort Worth’s celebrity baker (and Madeworthy cover story!) Tareka Lofton shared her grandmother’s recipe for tender, delicious tea cakes. These make a delightful breakfast or late-night snack. Or, if you’re my voracious teen, you simply take the whole batch, put it in a Tupperware container, and take it to school without telling Mom.

Ingredients

1 cup butter-flavored Crisco

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon evaporated milk

½ tablespoon vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°.

In a large mixing bowl, cream the Crisco and sugar together. [Editor’s note: Using a stand or hand mixer for this is easier, but you can do it by hand if you want.] Slowly add the eggs, milk, and vanilla and stir to incorporate.

In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and nutmeg. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients 1 cup at a time, making sure to incorporate all the dry ingredients. The batter will be slightly stiff once all the dry ingredients are mixed into the wet ingredients. Cover the dough and chill for at least an hour for good consistency.

Once the dough has cooled and rested, spray an ice cream scoop with nonstick spray and flour your hands well. Place a scoop of the dough onto your hand and then pass back and forth from hand to hand to shape the dough into a soft round about ¼ of an inch high. If you prefer a crisper teacake, make the rounds thinner.

Place the cake on an ungreased cookie sheet and repeat. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the teacakes are lightly browned and the tops are beginning to crack. Makes 12 to 15 teacakes, or enough for one teenager.