There was a restaurant near our house in Alaska called Evangelo's. It was an Italian place and surprisingly upscale for Wasilla. We probably went there 4 times in 2 years and you're probably thinking, "Wow, it couldn't have been that good, Kristin, if you only showed up a handful of times". But it was and the reason why we didn't go often is because we would start off with a baked crab dip and loaf of baguette. And then I would usually follow that up with a calzone. Not a meal you want to eat often, right? Or maybe you do because it was that good.
Sometimes I still think about that place. Almost in the same way I think about Vagabond Blues and their Greek wraps and all the fabulous sushi places and the Kaladi Brothers coffee they'd have in the staff lounge because Alaskans don't drink wimpy coffee. And I think about my beautiful, like-new classroom that I had…and my shiny (albeit expensive) gym…and…well, then I get all nostalgic and I probably shouldn't think that way because there's no way I would make it through another winter in Alaska. I just wouldn't. If the darkness in December has affected me in Colorado, I don't think I'm made of tough enough stock for that nonsense anymore.
However, the point of this is to tell you that I made a fabulous crab dip and we enjoyed it on Christmas. It would make a tasty addition to any party spread. The Superbowl maybe? Or those winter night get-togethers where you just want to supply some comfort food. I used Wildtree Red Bell Pepper and Garlic Blend seasoning in this dip. There are very few ingredients, including garlic and coriander. You could use any kind of seasonings, such as Old Bay.
We ate it with Club crackers but baguette would be amazing too. I tried it with tortilla chips and it wasn't a good fit. Go for crackers or bread.
Baked Crab Dip
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Keywords: bake appetizer gluten-free
Ingredients (9 inch pie pan)
- 1 block cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 ½ T. seasoning (I used Wildtree, but I would recommend 1 t. Old Bay + 1 t. garlic powder + 1/2 t. coriander)
- 1-2 garlic cloves, pressed through a garlic press or very finely minced
- 1 cup shredded/diced crab meat
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything together with an electric mixer in a large bowl. I’m convinced this is the secret to getting a smooth dip: I use a handheld mixer. Spread into a pie plate-sized dish. Bake for 20 minutes, or until browned on top.
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Many of you seemed excited by this challenge I'm attempting for the next 52 (now 51) weeks. Do you have any recipe requests? Any ideas I should try out? I have a few that are ready to share, but I'll need more!
