Recipe: Creamy Crabbies (appetizers, freeze ahead)

CREAMY CRABBIES

"These freeze beautifully and are soooo good! (They were originally called Creamy Crabmeat in Toast Cups, but over the years got nicknamed Creamy Crabbies.)"

2 loaves Pepperidge Farm Thin Sliced White Bread
1 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced green onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Dash ground black pepper
1 (7 1/2 oz) can crabmeat, drained and flaked

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Cut circles from bread, about 2 3/4-inch round. Brush rounds on both sides with melted butter and press into tiny muffin-pan cups.

Bake for 5 minutes or until golden brown.

Melt butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Stir in flour and cook until bubbly, about 1 minute. Stir in milk and continue to cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly. Stir in cheese until melted. Add remaining ingredients, except crabmeat. Stir in crabmeat. Fill each toast cup with 1 tablespoon of the mixture.

May be frozen at this point.

Bake frozen cups in hot oven (400 degrees F) for 15 minutes or until piping hot.

Makes 30 appetizers
Source: Anne Hughes