We rented a very large house in South Chatham for the Fourth of July week, July 2-9, 2011. We needed to accommodate our entire family so we chose a house close to the beach (1/3 mile walk) but only midway down 'the Cape.' The house was perfect with five bedrooms and at least five bathrroms and an upstairs family room that had a futon for extra sleeping. The kitchen was perfectly outfitted (we admit it lacked enough cutting boards, colanders, a garlic press and good knives)but it was large enough to work in with sometimes six of us cooking. And the dog underfoot! The dining room was large enough to cozily seat fifteen one night.
We ate only one meal out - that was lunch the day we arrived while we waited for the house to be cleaned and ready at 3:00 pm. Luckily, the house is across Route 28 from the Box Office Cafe which has outdoor seating (for Baker, the pup) and great sandwiches. Our breakfasts were homemade cinnamon rolls fresh from the oven, strata, waffles or oatmeal with blueberries and lots of fresh fruit and coffee. Lunches were salads, sandwiches and leftovers from the night before. Dinners were Spinach Salad, whole wheat pizzas by Rob and Beth, Apricot-Artichoke Chicken, fresh Ricotta Braids, Gerry's spaghetti and meatballs, Carolyn's Clam Chowder and a Fourth of July barbecue with Charlotte's Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Potato Salad, fresh fruit salad and ribs.
The very first day we arrived I discovered the owner's own book, Sleep on It: Prepare Delicious Meals the Night Before That You Can Pop in the Oven the Next Day! Alyssa made the Artichoke Spinach Dip (page 10) and I made the Hot Crab Dip (page 5.) Both were yummy served with crackers and toasts. We doubled the crab dip recipe and amended as necessary due to the fact that I gave up on finding the plain prepared horseradish when lost in the grocery store and we had run out of onions.
Hot Crab Dip
8 ounces cream cheese
2 tsp. milk
2 tsp. grated onion or shallots
1 tsp. prepared horseradish sauce
4 ounces fresh crabmeat
Slivered almonds to taste
Combine all but crabmeat and mix well. Add crabmeat and fold together until thoroughly blended. Transfer to an ovenproof baking dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, sprinkle the dip with the almonds and bake about 20 minutes. Serve hot with sturdy crackers.
