Crab Dip/Salad

Toasted homemade canape bread that I baked in a metal flower-shaped tube accents a mini crab salad for an individual serving. I bought the adorable mini flare dish in a set  of 24, which includes twelve flares and twelve petite tasting spoons, from Pier 1 Imports.  Love them!

Here it is served as a dip, served with store-bought bagel crisps to scoop it up. 

There have been many requests for my crab dip/salad recipe, and I finally am posting it.  It's so delish to snack on if you are a fan of imitation crab meat, cream cheese and veggies, which apparently, I am.  I have adapted this from a recipe in one of my old Pampered Chef Season's Best Recipe Collections.  Enjoy!

• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small bell pepper, chopped
• 1 handful of fresh (rinsed and patted dry) parsley, chopped
• 8 ounces imitation crab meat, chopped
• 2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• juice from 1/2 of a large lemon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, diced

I usually chop the onion, bell pepper, parsley, then imitation crab meat, one by one in my food processor by pulsing each ingredient a few times, then put it in my Kitchen Aid stand mixer with the paddle attachment, and blend everything together until well mixed.  The most time consuming thing is perhaps dicing the grape tomatoes, and that's completely doable. This recipe comes together in a snap and is excellent served in individual mini cups, with some type of bread, bagel crisp, or cracker, or served family style in a chip and dip set-up.  Refrigerate until serving.