Fast and easy dinner - Crabmeat Rolls

For a fancy looking sandwich night, we created a budget-friendly version of our favorite lobster roll from The Mermaid Inn which has quickly become a family favorite. Admittedly, I'm a terrible cooking instructor, as I am constantly experimenting and changing recipes with my "add a little curry to the marinara" here (which is FABU) and "I'm out of this ingredient, how would this be" there attitude. My flexible attitude in the kitchen makes for some great meals, but becomes very hard to nail down on paper or pass along a recipe...but here goes!

We've become fans of one of my childhood favorites for budget cooking - imitation crabmeat. While it's definitely not up to par with Alaskan King crabmeat, it's an affordable, family-friendly alternative that still gets seafood on the table and breaks up the "what chicken dish is for dinner" monotony. Besides, it's ready-to-eat, so you don't have to cook it or deal with raw meat juice to clean up after. We've sauteed in olive oil with pasta, made a budget version of paella, and our new favorite - sandwiches!

This recipe is super fast (talking 5 mins!) unless you have to thaw the crabmeat, but even then, I only spent 15 mins in the kitchen last night, and just finished the leftovers for lunch...mmmm! I thought thawing the imitation crabmeat would be alot of brain damage, but it's either an overnight in the refrigerator (had NO time for that), or under warm/cool running water. Solution: I put the package in the sink under running water, and finished the dishes from lunch (yes, they'd been sitting in the sink most of the day. I'm happy for you if this never happens if your house) and by the time I was done the meat was thawed!


Imitation Crabmeat Salad Sandwiches
Serves: 4
ingredients:

4 brioche rolls
1 lb package imitation crabmeat, thawed
1/2 cup mayonaise (we use light mayo)
salt, pepper, basil flakes, paprika, or whatever else you like to taste!


Toast brioche rolls, I put them in my oven straight on the rack for 5 mins on 350 degrees, but only because I don't have a toaster oven handy. While toasting rolls, throw some frozen corn in the microwave or whatever side you are having with dinner. In a large bowl, break up the crabmeat by hand to smaller pieces, but not too small, large chunks are good. Add mayo and seasonings and mix. Add heaping scoops to rolls and serve.


'til next time,
It's a BusyLife
-Danielle