Goodbye chip and dip, hello quick, easy, and showy appetizer

 

It seemed that pandemic would bring about the end of buffet lines. Nobody wanted to dip into a pan of mashed potatoes or a pile of fried chicken that half the world had already dipped into. I mean, who knows if the guy in front of you had clean hands? Maybe he coughed or sneezed while choosing his piece of chicken? My daughter has never liked buffets unless she could be the first one through the line. So she rejoiced at the end of communal dining of that sort—and declared chip-and-dip appetizers off limits. That meant canapes of one sort or another, but if you’re serving more than three or four people, making canapes is time-consuming. Thanks to neighbor Margaret Johnson for a great canape appetizer that is showy, delicious, and easy to make.

Crab canapes

Makes 48 pieces

1 stick butter (not margarine), softened to room temperature

1 6-oz. can crabmeat, drained

1 5-oz. jar Kraft Old English cheese spread

1 Tbsp. mayonnaise

½ tsp. garlic powder

6 English muffins

Stir together butter, crab, cheese spread, mayonnaise, and garlic powder until thoroughly combined. Split muffins and spread each half with the crab mixture. Spread out on cookie sheet or baking pan (may take two pans) and freeze for thirty minutes. This makes the muffins much easier to slice.

Cut each muffin half into quarters. Heat the broiler. Spread canapes out on baking sheet and broil until lightly browned and bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature and prepare for raves and recipe requests.