If there’s one thing I don’t do…it’s live in the past.  Being a “glass half full” kind of girl, I reflect on the past only to identify the lesson to be learned and then move on.  2010 was a pretty tough year for a lot of people, myself included.  As I reflect on this past year, there are a few new lessons as well as some that have resurfaced from previous years.  Among all that I’ve learned in 2010,  the overarching theme is that I must keep moving forward in order to discover new opportunities.  Moving forward does require a little more effort than just putting one foot in front of the other though.  First, it requires letting go of the things that are not within your control.  Spending time on things you can’t change will certainly keep you tied down.  You also need courage.  Doing something different and new is scary sometimes and means that you have to be willing to take a risk even though you can’t see what’s on the other side.  It’s so easy to get sucked into old feelings and patters that are familiar.  We all do it!  Keeping a positive attitude through all of this is the most important and probably the most difficult part for some.  For me, it’s the easiest.  Now, I can’t say that I’m positive every second of every day but I do tend to always look on the brighter side, not just trying to make the best of something but looking at ways to improve things.  I guess I’m resourceful and it’s easy to have hope and be positive when you have resources.

The spotlight of this post was inspired by the New Year, of course.  With a new year comes a willingness to try something new and the courage to make it happen.  I love crab but have always been a little intimidated by cooking seafood so never mustered up the courage to try it.  This was a perfect opportunity.  While doing some research on foods that bring luck in the New Year prior to this post, I discovered that lobster and crab are believed to bring bad luck if eaten on New Year’s Day.  The fact that lobsters and crab walk backwards is believed to represent “setbacks” for the individual who indulges in their succulent meat.  I decided on Crab Cakes anyway and proceeded to build my grocery list.  What a surprise it was to see a huge display of crab legs and lobster tail at the entrance of the grocery store on New Year’s Eve after my discovery….and there were people lined up for them!  I kept my new found knowledge to myself and just figured they were being courageous like me.

Contrary to my previous belief that making Crab Cakes would be difficult, they were one of the easiest things I’ve ever made.  The most difficult part was keeping them together while turning them in the pan.  This is a great recipe and comes from the MAY 2010 issue of Cooking Light magazine.  I will definitely make these again and may even be tempted to stay in rather than going out to order them at one of the local restaurants with excellent Crab Cakes on their menu.  The Spicy Rémoulade is amazing as well!

I have never made a New Year Resolution because I don’t believe in them.  Moving forward isn’t just for the new year…it’s for all year, every year.  Growth is a part of life but cannot happen without forward movement.  Working with a new food ingredient is one small, courageous step in the right direction.  I encourage you all to try something new…not just in the New Year.  Interestingly enough, additional digging turned up some intriguing findings…crabs can indeed move forward.

Crab Cakes with Spicy Rémoulade
Crab Cakes
2  Tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1  Tablespoon  chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2  Tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/2  teaspoon  grated lemon rind
1  Tablespoon  fresh lemon juice
1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
1/8  teaspoon  ground red pepper
1  large egg
1/3  cup  panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1  pound lump crabmeat, drained and shell pieces removed
1  tablespoon  olive oil, divided
Rémoulade
1/4  cup light mayonnaise
1  Tablespoon  chopped shallots
1 1/2  Tablespoons  capers, drained and chopped
2  teaspoons  Creole mustard
1  teaspoon  fresh lemon juice
1/4  teaspoon  ground red pepper
1/8  teaspoon  kosher salt
To prepare crab cakes, combine first 8 ingredients. Add panko and crab, tossing gently to combine. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes.
Fill a 1/3-cup dry measuring cup with crab mixture. Invert onto work surface; gently pat into a 3/4-inch-thick patty. Repeat procedure with remaining crab mixture, forming 8 cakes.
Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 crab cakes to pan; cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden. Carefully turn cakes; cook 4 minutes or until bottoms are golden and crab cakes are thoroughly heated. Remove cakes from pan; keep warm. Wipe pan dry with paper towels. Heat remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in pan. Repeat procedure with remaining 4 crab cakes.
To prepare rémoulade, combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise and remaining ingredients in a small bowl; stir with a whisk. Serve with crab cakes.