Recipe: Savory Seafood Cheese Spread

SAVORY SEAFOOD CHEESE SPREAD

1/2 cup finely crushed thin wheat crackers
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 small onion
2 packages (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
2 cans (6 1/2 oz. each) minced clams, shrimp, or crabmeat
2 eggs
1/2 sour cream
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
TO SERVE:
Lemons, garnish
Fresh dill weed, garnish
Shrimp cocktail sauce, optional
crackers
sliced vegetables
cocktail sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter 1 1/2 quart baking dish with straight sides, or loaf pan (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2); cut a piece of wax paper the same size as baking dish bottom and line dish; butter wax paper and sides of dish.

Mix together crushed crackers and melted butter, press into bottom of baking dish.

Cut onion into fourths and place in food processor. Finely mince onion. Soften cream cheese and add. Drain clams or other seafood and add; add eggs, sour cream, cheddar cheese, dried dill weed, salt and hot pepper sauce; process or beat until smooth. Pour into prepared baking dish.

Bake approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight before serving.

TO SERVE:
Run a metal spatula or long knife around edges of pan; invert on plate, remove wax paper and place on serving plate - crust side down. Garnish with lemon slices, sprigs of fresh dill weed. Serve with crackers, sliced vegetables and optional cocktail sauce.

Makes one 6-inch cake, serves approximately 14-20