Crabby

I've mentioned before that I am not the experimental one in our marriage when it comes to cooking. I don't really like to "try new things" and I don't like to deviate from the tried-and-true recipes.

So what I'm about to tell you could quite possibly knock your socks off.

For over three years, a group of six girls gets together on a somewhat regular basis to gab and eat. We rotate between restaurants and people's houses, and the host usually picks the menu (take-out or otherwise). Last Friday, it was my turn to host, and the deal was that everyone had to bring either an appetizer or a dessert and it had to be a recipe you've never made before.

This had me stressed out to no end. The pressure! I kicked myself all day on Friday for this idea. What if the recipe I chose was terrible?!? Usually Chad is my guinea pig on all new recipes - and he gives honest feedback.

I first narrowed down my appetizer to "dip" and then settled on crab dip. Why? It's so good, it's freakishly expensive at a restaurant, and there's no way I would ever just gamble on a new dip unless I was being challenged. Taunted, almost.

I found a recipe online that was popular, but many of the people who were reviewing it said it was a bit too bland. (It also called for onions, which I don't like.) So I did a little of this and a little of that to make it my own.

And, ifIdosaysomyself...it was fabulous. Even RT liked it.

Ellen's Almost-Famous Crab Dip

8 oz. cream cheese
4 T. mayo
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
16 oz. lump crab meat, drained
1 c cheddar or colby jack cheese
1 round bread loaf (Italian, sourdough, etc.)
1/4 c. cheddar or colby jack
 
Mix cream cheese, mayo, sour cream, garlic, Old Bay, 1 c cheese and a dash of salt and pepper. Gently add in the crab. Put it in a glass bowl and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

While it's baking, cut a hole in the top of the bread, tearing the pieces into chunks for dipping. Put the bread bowl and bits on a cookie sheet. Take the crab dip out of the oven, place it in the bread bowl and sprinkle 1/4 c. cheese on top. Put it back in the oven for 10 minutes.

Take out and serve.

The other food we had was also amazing: phyllo cups with brie, pear and honey; mini quiches with pepperoni and olives, plus some with just veggies and curry; mini mac and cheeses in ramekins, little pastries with hummus and veggies; strawberry shortcake; sweet potato and banana empanadas... And I think I'm missing something.

We ate for four straight hours. I was still full the next morning.