Fleur de Lolly: Hot Crab Dip

We had friends over a few nights ago and I wanted to offer a new dip recipe for us to try.

I knew we all love crab and anything with cheese is always a hit so why not combine those two ingredients with a mix of our other favorites to see what would happen. A quick online search resulted in a new recipe that I know I'll make again and again. This one rocks friends. If you don't like crab, use small cooked shrimp and chop them small enough to be bite-sized.

Don't worry about the $$$ of fresh crab. The canned version is perfect for this dip. Make sure you drain it really well and gently check for any bits of shell.

If you use cheddar, use the mild version so it doesn't overpower the crab. Also, please shred a block of cheese. The pre-shredded kind has a powdery coating that keeps it from sticking in the package, but that also keeps it from blending well in this dip.

I chose Club crackers, pita chips, and celery sticks to use as our dippers. If you're watching your carb or sugar intake, one of my friends told me that the celery sticks were ideal to use as a dipper instead of the crackers/chips.

2 (8-oz.) blocks cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups shredded mild cheddar, divided

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, divided

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. Dijon mustard

2 t. Worcestershire sauce

1 t. hot sauce, such as Tabasco

1 t. paprika

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. lump crab meat

Toasted bread and crackers and/or celery sticks, for serving

Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, 1 cup cheddar, ¼ cup Parmesan, and mayonnaise. Add green onion, garlic, mustard, Worcestershire, hot sauce, paprika, and lemon juice and mix until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in crab meat.

Add dip to a medium oven-safe 8 x 8 baking dish and top with remaining ½ cup cheddar and ¼ cup Parmesan.

Bake until bubbly and cheese is melty, about 35 minutes.

Top with more green onions and serve warm with bread and crackers, or celery sticks.