Feeling a Little Crabby Today

One of my absolute very best favorite dips/spreads to make and eat is technically called "Crab Salad". I use this as a spread with crackers. If you wanted to make it a little more healthy, or are watching carbs and/or gluten, you could probably put it on celery sticks.

Here is the basic recipe:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 c mayo or Miracle Whip
• 1 t garlic salt
• 1 t worchestershire sauce
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1/2 c grated cheddar cheese
• 6-8 oz crab meat

Allow the cream cheese to soften, then mix in mayo/miracle whip and seasonings. Once well blended, sitr in grated cheese and crab meat. Refrigerate for several hours-overnight is best, it lets the flavors really blend. It gets really stiff when cold, be sure to remove from the fridge for a while before serving, to allow it to soften back up a little for ease of spreading.

Most of the time I use imitation crab meat--you know the stuff I'm talking about--I drain it, and chop it fine before adding to the cream cheese mixture. If I do use real crab meat, I break it up a little with my fingers before mixing it in. I double this recipe a lot, and when I do, I usually use one package of the fake crab meat, and one can of real crab meat, or frozen if I can find it. (I seldom have the budget for fresh crabmeat, but by all means use fresh if you have access to it). If you buy canned, fresh, or frozen crab meat, buy the cheaper stuff, not the more expensive white or lump crab meat. Save the expensive stuff for a fancier recipe than this one.

As far as seasonings go, I use Tony Cachere's Creole seasoning mix in everything, so I use about a teaspoon of Tony Chay Chay's as we call it in my family, and leave out the garlic salt & the pepper. I do use the worchestershire sauce, though.

If you don't like crab, or you have someone who is allergic to shellfish, leave out the crab meat, add about an extra cup at least of grated cheese, to make it more like a cheese ball.

I usually put this in a pretty pink fluted glass serving dish that I have, that has a matching round serving dish that I use for the crackers. You can garnish it with a little parsley if you'd like.

Tune in tommorrow for another good dip/appetizer recipe.

Good cooking (sort of) and good eating!