Bena Mae’s Kitchen: The world is safer today

I’m giving up my car keys.
This was a decision made by my heart doctor, my son, and not reluctantly myself during my doctor visit this week. There comes a time when you’re forced to face reality and that time had come for me.
“But can’t I drive short trips around town” I asked the doctor, “Maybe to the drug store or grocery store?”
“You can get killed going to the grocery store,” the doctor said. (And there’s always the danger of causing an injury to someone else. Made sense.)
I loved the car. It wasn’t a luxury car in any sense of the word. Like me, it was nothing flashy, probably one of the last cars you would pick out on the parking lot. It certainly wasn’t built for speed and it didn’t have all the high tech extras that come with the latest models. But it liked me. It sensed that I wasn’t a high-powered driver and settled down to my style of driving. It was very low maintenance, never cost me anything for repairs. We made a good team. It served me well for the short time I had it. It was the best car I had ever owned so I guess it’s good to end a relationship on that level.
The irony is, I had just gotten it paid for.
I gave the car to my son. I wanted to keep it in the family. I didn’t want strangers driving my car. They wouldn’t give it the love and care it deserved.
This may be a part of the story of a life changing, evolving. I have found that my physical health defines my life more and more and I have also found it best to take it in my stride. As people are prone to say “there’s always the alternative.” But not for me, not yet.
And always the optimist, I try to see a light at the end of the tunnel of this long dark illness that has slowed me down for the past several years. I may have another book rattling around in my head.

Impossibly Easy
Mini Crab Cake Pies

2 cans (6 oz) crabmeat, drained, flaked
1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)

Baking Mixture
1/2 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs

Crab Cake Aioli
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 12 regular-size muffin cups with cooking spray.
In small bowl, mix crabmeat and 1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning; set aside. In 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook onion and bell peppers in oil 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Add crabmeat mixture, stirring until mixture is heated through. Cool 5 minutes; stir in cheese.
In medium bowl, stir baking mixture ingredients with whisk or fork until blended. Spoon 1 scant tablespoon baking mixture into each muffin cup. Top with about 1/4 cup crab mixture. Spoon 1 tablespoon baking mixture onto crab mixture in each muffin cup.
Bake about 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and tops are golden brown. Cool 5 minutes. With thin knife, loosen sides of pies from pan; remove from pan and place top sides up on cooling rack. Cool 10 minutes longer.
While crab cake pies are cooling, in medium bowl, mix aioli ingredients. Serve each mini pie topped with generous tablespoonful of aioli.
Makes 6 servings (2 mini pies each)