Shelly's Recipe

CRAB STUFFED TWICE BAKED POTATOES

Category: Twice Baked Potatoes

4 large baking potatoes
2 tablespoons of cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1/2 stick of real butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 turns of the pepper grinder
1/4 teaspoon of Slap Ya Mama or your favorite
Cajun/Creole seasoning, or to taste, optional
2 teaspoons of grated onion
1/4 to 1/2 cup of half and half or cream
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 pound of fresh crab meat, or 2 pouches/cans, drained
Paprika, to garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Scrub potatoes and poke several holes in each of them. Bake for 45 minutes directly on the oven rack, spacing them at least an inch apart. Check by inserting a knife into the potato to see if it is tender; if not, return to the oven for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or as needed. Set aside to cool.

Turn out the crab into a colander; pick through for shell and set aside to drain. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the potato pulp. Combine the potato pulp with the cream cheese, butter, salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, and onion until well blended. Add enough cream to moisten the potatoes; stir in the cheddar. Add the crab meat and toss gently to combine. Refill the potato shells and sprinkle each potato lightly with paprika.

If serving immediately, bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes, until heated through. Otherwise these can be flash frozen individually and then wrapped and packaged for the freezer.

Tip: To make these regular twice baked potatoes, eliminate the crab and increase the shredded cheese to 1-1/2 cups. Can also add some extra cheese on top toward the end of baking if desired. Use small red potatoes and serve these as a party appetizer.