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Crab Bisque & a Muir Glen Giveaway

Dinner· seafood· Soups, Stews and Chowders

Yankee Candle puts crack in their products. That is the only logical explanation.

The thing is, I haven’t purchased a Yankee Candle in forever. I moved on and went with the less expensive and more convenient Bath and Body Works candles and home scent thingies. I had weened myself off of their big fancy candles. But the other day I got one of those buy one get one free coupons and the perceived value lured me back in. (Still, $30 a candle = crazy. Right?)

Before I knew it I was walking around the house huffing ‘Autumn Leaves’, literally huffing, and back to my old ways filling every room in the house with one or another of their products  I have never been so over come by one smell and I cook with bacon. Real bacon. A lot. I’ve never walked around huffing bacon, though, now that I think of it…

SO yes, I am convinced that Yankee Candle must lace their product with coke, or some other highly addictive drug to keep us stuck on them and coming back for more. At this point, I may or may not shamelessly have a stock pile of Autumn Leaves flavored sway now that could last the average person three seasons and I am clinging to them like a hoarder preparing for the rather stinky zombie apocalypse. Not normal.

 

Crab Bisque

from Emeril on Food Network.com  Bam. 

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
  • 1/2 cup seeded and chopped green bell peppers
  • 1/2 cup chopped celery
  • 1/2 cup chopped carrots
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 2 1/2 teas salt
  • 1/2 teas cayenne
  • 6 gumbo crabs*, each cut in 1/2
  • 1 cup peeled, seeded, and chopped fresh or canned tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup brandy
  • 8 cups seafood stock
  • 1 teas liquid crab boil, optional
  • 1/2 cup chopped green onions, green parts only
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 lb lump crab meat, picked over for shells and cartilage

Preparation:

Combine the flour and oil in a large stockpot until smooth. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is the color of peanut butter, about 10 minutes. (For a while it may seem like a peanut butter color is not going to happen, but it will just don’t let the mixture get too brown). Stir in the onions, bell pepper, celery, carrots, bay leaves, salt, and cayenne. Cook about 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft.

Add the crabs and tomatoes. Cook for 10 minutes longer then add the brandy, stock, and crab boil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered for 1 hour and 45 minutes.

Stir in the green onions and parsley. Discard the bay leaves. Remove from heat and stir in the cream until combined.

Serve in bowls with a large portion of fresh crab meat on top.

*best I could figure with the research I did, gumbo crabs are similar to blue crabs we fish out of the Chesapeake in my region. I used local blue crab for the recipe.

 Now for those of you who made it to the bottom, a special treat 😉 

Muir Glen Harvest Reserve Kits Giveaway! 

The kit contains:

  • One 14.5 oz can Reserve Harvest Sunset Organic Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
  • One 14.5 oz can Reserve Harvest Sunset Organic Diced Tomatoes
  • One 14.5 oz can Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies
  • One 14.5 oz can Muir Glen Organic No-Salt Added Diced Tomatoes
  • A recipe booklet featuring a variety of recipes created by award-winning chefs from around the country made with the 2011 Reserve Tomatoes

5 readers will be chosen at random to win. Seriously, enter – and enter a lot. Muir Glen tomatoes are amazing. Since trying them last year, they are pretty much the only canned tomato product you will find in my house. Their salsa is awesome. I eat their spaghetti sauce from the jar. No pressure, but this stuff is life changing.

Leave a comment here telling me what soup you would love to see in the soup kitchen this fall.

 

Earn Extra Points by doing the following:

Entries accepted through October 12th at Midnight EST. Winner will be contacted on 10/14/12.

 

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Comments

  1. Mallory says

    Crack is whack unless in candle form…then it is totally OK. I do the whole huffing thing with cinnamon candles…and those cinnamon pine cones that appear every Christmas. It happens to the best of us!

    Reply

  3. Jen @ Savory Simple says

    I’ve never been able to buy a Yankee Candle. I get migraines and I’m super sensitive to fragrances. It sucks because I know everyone loves them and I feel like I’m missing out! This soup sounds wonderful. I am a huge fan of bisque and as a Marylander I love anything with crab!

    Reply

  4. Tanya C. says

    I love candles, since having all these crazy munchins I have switched to the warmers that melt the wax. I love having my house smell like Pumpkin or apple spice, makes me happy! I would love to see a kicked up version of potatoe soup, I love this soup, but DH finds it boring and lacking. It doesn’t stop me from making it though!

    Reply

  5. Mary at n00bcakes says

    Haha, I feel like fall time is *always* the time for candles. Rich fall flavors (be it autumn leaves, pumpkin pie, or some sort of plain ‘old cinnamon) always seem to make a living space feel warmer. Which is good, because I’m too cheap to keep my heat on all the time.
    I really like this recipe – when I think of bisque I tend to think of something richer than what you have described; maybe more butter for a roux-like base. But this doesn’t look too bad-for-your-health at all! What sort of additional flavor does the brandy add to this?

    I’m looking forward to some warm, tasty butternut squash soup this fall! Delicious!

    Reply

  6. diane says

    I just have to say that the bisque is amazing!!! You won’t regret making this!!! Thank you for my drive by fooding!!!

    Reply

  7. amanda @ fake ginger says

    bahaha! I avert my eyes whenever I walk past the Yankee store in the mall. They’re so good.

    Love this soup! I was obsessed with crab last fall/winter and I have a feeling it’ll be the same this year. I wanna make this today!

    Reply

  8. The Mom Chef ~ Taking on Magazines One Recipe at a Time says

    I have their Mountain Lake candle right here on my desk. It’s such a clean, fresh scent. When it’s not burning, I have been known to just remove the lid, stick my nose in and inhale deeply. Yeah, I know what you mean. I gave my sister-in-law a Christmas present of their candle of the month club once. She loved it.

    Anyway….the bisque is amazing-looking. Since Emeril and Mario are good friends and Mario would say to use what’s local whenever possible (if it grows together, it goes together), I say you did good with the blue crabs.

    Reply

  15. Shari says

    There’s a Corn Chowder with Chilies (Pioneer Woman) that I’ve made a lot the last couple of years. It’ll heat you up! Not only is the chowder hot (duh!), but the chilies will clear out your sinuses, so it’s a twofer! 😉

    Reply

  16. Shari says

    I’m hoping you meant for us to leave a comment for each extra entry we do… that’s the way it usually works. If not, sorry for what’s about to transpire! 😉

    I’m following you on Facebook.

    Reply

  22. sara says

    What a great giveaway, and that soup looks awesome! The soup I’d like to see is a vegetarian chili for fall, maybe with sweet potatoes or butternut squash.

    Reply

  28. Priscilla | ShesCookin says

    I’ve been buying Muir Glen tomatoes for years – now I have to buy their No Salt diced tomatoes, but at least they have them and they’re organic! Must try their spaghetti sauce. I’m in the mood for meatball soup, so how about Albondigas 🙂

    Reply

  47. Helen says

    Broccoli, blue cheese, and nutmeg soup! It’s warm and seasonal and indulgent and oh-so-good to come home to on cold evenings!

    Reply

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