This post has an affiliate link at the bottom for the cookbook source. This recipe is by a member of the Junior League of Sarasota. Sorry all pictures are from my iPhone.

I really enjoyed using this cookbook while at the beach in October. I did end up using three other cookbooks, so you’ll see me change it up in the future. We used Simply Sarasota for several recipes and this recipe is one I did as an unhealthy, ‘we are on vacation so who really cares’ treat for Mom and I. I did try to cut the fat down where I could.

Crab-stuffed Endive
Yields: 2 dozen hors d’oeuvre

• 16 ounces (reduced fat) cream cheese, softened
• 3 pounds crab meat, flaked
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon fresh dill weed
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 4 dashes of hot red pepper sauce (Tabasco)
• 5 ribs celery, chopped
• 2-3 heads of Belgian endive, separated into spears

1. Beat the cream cheese in a bowl until smooth, scraping the sides occasionally. Add the crab meat, lemon juice, dill weed, salt, and hot sauce and beat until mixed. Stir in the celery.
2. Spoon equal amounts of the cream cheese mixture onto the stem end of each endive spear. Okay, so personally-speaking the big chunks of fresh flaked crab meat and chopped celery did not want to easily be spooned onto the delicate endives. So instead I took a gallon-size Ziploc bag and cut off the tip and piped the mixture in. Really clean and nice take on everyone’s makeshift pastry bag. Garnish with sprigs of dill weed. Serve immediately or chill, covered, for up to 12 hours.

These came out great once I figured out how to get them on the endives. They kept well for a few days, so Mom and I would have the cold spears as snacks when coming in from the beach or pool during the hot afternoons. Might make them spicier next time using some spice, not Tabasco, as you do not want it to be too wet. Would do Old Bay but do not want the celery salt part, so I am thinking a tiny bit of chili powder might be best. I think I would chop the celery finer next time, too.

Recipe adapted from:
http://rcm-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&nou=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=worth0c-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=0977910407