LOVE

LOVE that was what our past weekend in Denver was about. Love my nieces, loved sitting in the Hot Springs with Snow falling on my face, loved that work didn't call me (paid for that one upon my return-oh well) and Love getting in the Kitchen and Talking about food with my sister. We started with a blue cheese grape appetizer that Eli had seen on Giada. 

Walnut and Blue Cheese Grapes

• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) blue cheese, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 18 to 20 seedless red grapes, chilled
• 1 cup (4 ounces) finely chopped walnuts, toasted (see Cook's Note)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• In a food processor, blend together the cream cheese, blue cheese, and heavy cream until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add the grapes and stir until coated with the cheese mixture. Line a small baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside. In another small bowl, mix together the walnuts, sugar, and parsley. Using a fork, transfer the grapes, one at a time, to the walnut mixture and, using clean hands, gently roll in the mixture until coated. Place the grapes on the prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours and serve.
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• Oven-Roasted Dungeness Crab
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
• 2 large **Dungeness crabs, cooked, cleaned, and cracked (about 4 1/4 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
• 1/2 cup blood orange juice or regular orange juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated blood orange peel or regular orange peel
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 500°F. Melt butter with oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic, shallot, and dried crushed red pepper. Add crabs; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped thyme and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley over crabs. Stir to combine. Place skillet in oven and roast crabs until heated through, stirring once, about 12 minutes. Using tongs, transfer crabs to platter. Add orange juice and peel to same skillet; boil until sauce is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Spoon sauce over crabs. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon thyme and 1 tablespoon parsley and serve. **We used snow crab legs and stone crab claws instead.