I know this is a cooking blog BUT

if you are ever in the mood for a real Maryland crab cake and are near this place you should check it out http://www.gandmrestaurant.com/. They only take reservations for groups of 5 or more and it does get packed as this is definitely a local establishment (re - no dress code). For the meat eaters of the group, the pork chops are also a great deal (and good).

Anyway, I had the crab cakes for dinner this Friday (takeout and it was just as good as eating there) and decided to share the word.

Sesame Pasta Salad

This one is for Katie by special request. I like this pasta salad as it's easy to make and does not contain the white death in any form. It's also good cold and even better the longer it sits.

To make it even heartier you could add chicken (I've found that rotissery chicken works really well) or cherry tomatoes or red pepper strips or anything really.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
1/2 cup vegetable oil (JHM - I usually use closer to a 1/3 cup)
1/3 cup light soy sauce
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil (optional - but I use it)
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup chopped green onion

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add sesame seeds, and cook stirring frequently until lightly toasted. Remove from heat, and set aside.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain pasta, and rinse under cold water until cool. Transfer to a large bowl.

3. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine vegetable oil, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, sesame seeds, ginger, and pepper. Shake well. (a zip lock bag will do in a pinch, just make sure it's sealed tightly)

4. Pour sesame dressing over pasta, and toss to coat evenly. Gently mix in cilantro and green onions. (I usually put it in a zip lock bag - save room in refrigorator or cooler until ready to serve). Is ok at room temp for awhile as there isn't anything to spoil.

Beat this Rachael Ray

Ok, I'm not food blog ignorant. I do understand that people want to see pictures of the actual food, not empty plates, but this was so good and let's be honest we were pretty hungry that the idea to actually blog about this recipe didn't strike until after everything had been polished off.

This is quite possibly one of the quickest meals I have ever made, hence the blog title. This dish is not only quick and easy, but it was very tasty. It may even become one of our regular press release week meals.

Basil & Tomato Shrimp
Adapted from an Ellie Krieger episode

Ingredients
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined (we used the frozen stuff that had been defrosted)
12 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 c. basil, chopped
2 T. garlic, chopped
2 T. olive oil
1 c. white wine
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
2. Add the shrimp and saute for 1 minute; turn the shrimp and saute for another minute. You want the shrimp to start to turn pink, but not completely cooked through.
3. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a plate.
4. Using the same pan, add the garlic and saute for about a minute.
5. Add in the tomatoes and saute for another minute.
6. Add the wine and let it come up to a bubble (2-3 minutes).
7. Add the shrimp back into the mixture and let them come up to temperature. (1 minute)
8. Season with salt and pepper and add in the basil.
9. Serve and enjoy.

Mike & I had this over orzo with a salad on the side. It really was a perfect light meal.