I promised the Mrs. that I would share my crab meat casserole/spread. It takes me awhile to write recipes because I lost all my beloved culinary bibles to Katrina. Since they were all stored in an under cabinet, they were ruined with the nasty, foul water that overtook my home. A few of my favorites that I used often were "The Joy of Cooking" & "Creole Gumbo and All That Jazz". This book is heralded as the premier seafood cookbook for this area. Not only does it teach, it has great stories and factual historical tidbits and a lot of crazy tales. I've got to just order these online.
My crab meat recipe came from this book. I've made it so many times, sometimes tweaking it a bit and it is still delicious. It can be served as a spread or as a meal. I've served it many times along with a marinated flank steak, surf and turf style to stretch the meal. Either way, it's a hit.
Start with fresh white "special" lump crab meat. We are lucky to be able to get this in my area. I used the larger container, not sure of the ounce size. It costs around $24 here. Make sure to check for any leftover shell. Mix with one package of really soft cream cheese, 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 4-5 chopped stalks of green onion, salt, 1/2 cup of Monterrey jack cheddar mix shredded cheese, and 1/2 cup of chopped & TOASTED pecans. Mix well, put in a baking dish. I sprinkle a little bit of the cheese on top. Bake for about 10-15 minutes at 375 degrees. Crab meat should not be baked or cooked too long, just make sure it's hot and bubbly. Then serve. Enjoy!
