CHEEZY CRAB HORS D'OEUVRES

Cheezy Crab Hors D'oeuvres
1 cup (8 oz.) crabmeat
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. instant minced onion
1/2 tsp. horseradish
salt and pepper, to taste
1 (2 oz.) package slivered almonds

Remove cartilage from crabmeat. Blend together cream cheese, milk, onion and horseradish. Gently mix in crabmeat. Add salt and pepper. Put in shallow baking dish (1 quart), sprinkle almonds over top. Bake at 350F until lightly browned on top, about 20 minutes. Serve hot on crackers or as a dip. Makes about 2 cups.

CRABMEAT SUPREME WITH PIMIENTO SAUCE

This recipe is from Ginger Silvers, Food Editor-Sentinel Newspapers, who has authored several cookbooks and wrote a popular food column. I haven't tried it, but it sounds really good. Let us know if you try this one by leaving a comment at the end of any post.

Crabmeat Supreme
INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. backfin crabmeat
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3/4 cup Lite mayonnaise (I like Smart Balance)
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp. liquid hot pepper sauce
Sea salt, to taste
10 oz. pkg. frozen patty shells, thawed in package
Pimiento Sauce (see recipe below)

Remove cartilage from crabmeat. Combine crabmeat with next 6 ingredients; set aside. Roll out each patty shell into a circle. Spoon about 1/3 cup crab mixture into center of each shell; fold up ends to completely enclose crabmeat. Place patties, sealed ends down, on an ungreased baking sheet. At this point you may refrigerate puffs for 4-6 hours. Bake in 425F oven for
35-45 minutes, or til pastry is puffed and lightly browned. Serve with Pimiento Sauce.
Makes 6 puffs.

Pimiento Sauce
INGREDIENTS:
1/4 cup Smart Balance buttery spread (or butter if you prefer)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2-1/2 cups milk (or fat-free half and half -- Land o'Lakes, only because it won't curdle)
1 tsp. finely chopped onion
1 tsp. lemon or orange zest
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup chopped pimientos

Melt Smart Balance in a 1-quart saucepan; blend in flour. Gradually stir in milk. Add onion, zest, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened. Add pimientos. Serve with Crabmeat Supreme. Makes about 2-1/2 cups sauce
NOTE: This sauce may be prepared and refrigerated one day in advance. Reheat in double boiler (or microwave).

CRAB BISCUITS

Here's an easy appetizer for your next get-together, courtesy of Newtown Catering Services, Pocomoke City, Maryland.

Crab Biscuits
10-oz. pkg. refrigerated biscuit dough
1/2 lb. crabmeat, cartilage removed
1/4 cup Lite Mayonnaise
1 tsp. prepared mustard
5 slices American cheese

Cut biscuit dough into quarters. Bake according to package directions. Combine crabmeat, mayo and mustard, mixing thoroughly.

Slice each biscuit in half, 3/4 of the way through; open gently, and fill with about 1/2 tsp. crabmeat mixture. Cut each slice of cheese into eighths. Top each biscuit with a piece of cheese.

Arrange biscuits on cookie sheet and cover with aluminum foil. This can be done ahead of time and refrigerated. When ready to serve, put covered biscuits in 250-300F oven and bake until cheese melts and crabmeat mixture is hot, about 20 minutes. Serve hot. Makes 40 appetizers.

HELLMANN'S CRAB-STUFFED MUSHROOMS

The nice people at Hellmann's have some very good recipes for us. When a food company develops a recipe, they want something that people will like and use, so that their product is used. So you can usually depend on them to come up with a good one. I haven't tried this, but it sounds yummy, and I do love Hellmann's mayo. If I were to make this, I'd sub the Hellmann's Lite, because that's what I use. If you try it, please come back and leave a comment so we'll all know if it's a winner, as I suspect it is. Or maybe you will tweak it -- if so, let us know how. Your comments are much appreciated and will help other readers -- and me. All you have to do is click on the comments link at the bottom of this post. You'll find the recipe at the Hellmann's site.