Warm Deviled Crab Dip

I made this dip last night for New Year's Eve. I think it's fitting for a special occasion. Crab can be expensive unless you're in an area where you can catch your own. If that's the case, I envy you. For this recipe, I used claw meat because it's cheaper than lump crab. I think a combination of lump and claw would be wonderful. I wanted to recapture the flavors I love so much in deviled crab into this dip. I think I succeeded.

Warm Deviled Crab Dip

16 oz. crab meat (claw, lump, or combination of the two)

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 tbsp. Dijon-style mustard

2 tbsp. milk

1 tsp. seafood seasoning

3 drops hot sauce

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/8 tsp. red cayenne pepper

4 green onions, thinly sliced

Seafood seaoning and paprika for sprinkling on top

Crackers of choice

Pick through the crab for shells and set aside. In a medium bowl, blend cream cheese and next seven ingredients until creamy. Stir in the green onions and gently fold in the crab meat. Spread into a greased 1-quart baking dish. Sprinkle the top with additional seafood seasoning and paprika, if desired. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly. Serve warm with crackers.

Cream cheese mixture and green onions

Claw meat

Adding another little burst of flavor before it goes into the oven.

Serve with your favorite cracker. Even though I have sesame crackers in the photo, I think that a plain, buttery cracker or saltine works better. I ended up eating mine with Ritz crackers instead.

Happy New Year!