Holiday Recipes

What is a celebration without food? We're celebrating Christmas In July in the shop right now and I thought this would be a good time to share some of our favorite celebration recipes - foods that we make when we have a get-together. It's a perfect time to collect some new recipes and try them out as we enjoy summer picnics or reunions. And get a head start on our menus for Christmas parties. I thought I would start the ball rolling with a very simple recipe that I received from my sister. For many years our family would get together at Christmas and have a hors devours table as a simple but delicious fare after gift opening. We cooks each had our traditional favorites we would bring. Among my sister's specialities is a Crab Dip that is simple and delicious. I hope that you enjoy it.

Crab Dip

1 8oz. package of Cream of Cheese
1 can Crab Meat
Cocktail Sauce*
Assorted Crackers

Use a small bowl and soften the cream cheese by gently stirring with a spoon until it's smooth and softened slightly (you want it to be easily spread on a cracker but still firm enough to hold it's shape. Place cream cheese on a serving plate and form it into a round, dome shape (your preference to shape but I usually make it about a six inch circle about 1-1/2 inches tall). Open can of crab meat and drain. Gently flake. Cover the cream cheese with the drained, flaked crab meat. Cover the crab meat with a light coating of cocktail sauce. Serve with crackers.

* I personally don't like pre-made cocktail sauces. I make my own. This is one of those recipes that I don't measure, but I usually take about 1/2 cup of ketchup with a 1/2 teaspoon of bottled horseradish. This is adjusted to taste - I like a little "zip" to the sauce but not overpowering. You may wish to double this to 1 cup ketchup to 1 tsp horseradish, depending on the preference to how much sauce you prefer.