Join us on an educational adventure through each state in the USA! Each post in this series focuses on one state, and includes a regional recipe from that state. This is a fun way to get your kids involved in cooking, as well as learn a bit about United States geography! The post also includes a link to the featured state’s website, where you can learn more about the state. We also include free forms that you can download and print to use along the journey. Geography has never been so delicious!

Make sure to check back each week for the next post!

Did you know that most of Maryland’s food products come from the Chesapeake Bay? This includes crabs, clams, and oysters. Poultry is Maryland’s primary agricultural product, and Maryland is also known for producing milk, apples, and tomotoes.

This recipe takes advantage of those incredible crabs – a recipe that is sure to please kids of all ages!

MARYLAND Baked Crab Cakes

What You Will Need:

• Vegetable Oil Cooking Spray


• 4 Scallions


• 1/2 Green Pepper


• 2 teaspoons Olive Oil


• 2 tablespoons sliced Pimientos, drained


• 2/3 cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs (we like to use the herb and garlic variety)


• 1/2 teaspoon Paprika


• 1 teaspoon dried Parsely Flakes


• 1 pound Lump Crab Meat, shell pieces and cartilage removed


• 1 teaspoon Soy Sauce


• 3 to 4 tablespoons Mayonnaise


• 9″ Square Baking Pan


• Nonstick Skillet


• Small Bowl


• Large Bowl


• Shallow Baking Dish

What You Do:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.


• Spray a baking pan with vegetable oil cooking spray and set aside.


• Wash and dry the scallions, then slice the white part of the scallion into 1/4″ pieces. Discard the root end.


• Wash the pepper and pat it dry. Use a knife to trim the white ribs out of the inside of the pepper. Slice the pepper into 1/4″ wide strips, then cut each strip into small pieces. This is a great opportunity to teach your children how to use a knife safely.


• Put olive oil into a nonstick skillet and heat on medium heat for two minutes.


• Saute scallions, peppers, and pimientos until they are soft and translucent.


• In a small bowl, mix together bread crumbs, paprika, and parsley until well blended.


• In a large bowl, mix together crab, sauteed scallions, peppers, pimientos, and 1 tablespoon of the bread crumb mixture. Add the soy sauce and mayonnaise and mix well.


• Form the mixture into 4 to 6 flat crab cakes. Kids love this part!


• Pour the remaining bread crumb mixture into a shallow baking dish.


• Coat the crab cakes on all sides with the bread crumb mixture.


• Place the crab cakes in a prepared 9″ baking pan and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the cakes are golden brown.


• Remove crab cakes from the oven and serve!

Maryland State Information – Click this link to learn more about Maryland attractions, activities, and to request free brochures, maps, and so much more!

US Geography Journal Pages – Use these journal pages to create a geography journal as you collect information about each state.

Maryland Outline Map – Use this state map to label capitals, major rivers and lakes, and other areas of interest. Draw a star on the place you would most like to visit in this state!

United States Outline Map – Use this USA map to track your journey as you “eat your way across the USA”! Color in each state that you’ve tried one of recipes for.

• The United States Cook Book – Take a Tasty Tour of America’s 50 States, and learn a lot of United States geography along the way! (PLEASE NOTE: The recipe featured above is not included in this book.)


• US History Cook Book – Serve up a heaping lesson of history with delicious recipes from our nation’s past… from the pilgrims’ first feast to today’s high-tech, low-fat fare.


• Maps of the United States – This reproducible book contains geopolitical maps of each of the fifty states; political maps of the six regions; and political, physical, and thematic maps of the United States. You’ll also find fun facts, geography bee-type questions, and review pages.


• DK State-by-State Atlas – More than an atlas, this book shows and tells young geographers who, what, when, where, and why.


• The Geography Book – From finding directions by the stars, to mapping your neighborhood, to making an earthquake in a box, you’ll have a great time learning about the world with The Geography Book.


• Professor Noggins USA Geography Game – From rural farming communities to urban cities, from snow-capped mountains to tropical islands, this game covers both the natural and political geography of the United States. Learn about the states, cities, and natural geographical wonders that make this country such an interesting place to visit.


• State by State Card Game – Learning about United States geography is made fun and memorable with this unique deck of cards!


• GeoPuzzle USA Puzzle – GeoPuzzles provide a hands-on approach to learning geography.

Make sure to check back next week for the next state in this series!

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