California Crab Au Gratin Spread

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter or 2 tablespoons margarine, divided
• 1 teaspoon butter or 1 teaspoon margarine, divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup wine or 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 (6 ounce) can crabmeat, drained, flaked and cartilage removed or 1 (6 ounce) can chopped imitation crabmeat
• 1 (4 ounce) can mushroom stems and pieces, drained and chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons snipped chives
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tablespoon dry breadcrumbs
• assorted cracker

Recipe

• 1 in a saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter.
• 2 stir in the flour, salt and paprika until smooth.
• 3 gradually add cream, milk and wine or broth.
• 4 bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened.
• 5 stir in the crab, mushrooms and chives; heat through.
• 6 stir in cheese just until melted.
• 7 transfer to a greased shallow 1-qt. baking dish.
• 8 melt remaining butter; toss with bread crumbs.
• 9 sprinkle over crab mixture.
• 10 bake, uncovered, at 400° for 10-15 minutes or until bubbly.
• 11 let stand for 5 minutes.
• 12 serve with crackers.