Make veggie platters more colorful and exciting with more than just carrots and celery. Use mini corns, green beans, asparagus tips, cherry tomatoes, leaves of arugula and more.

Hot and Classy Artichoke Crab Dip

A lightened up version of a great dip for Grey Cup or any entertaining.

15 mL unsalted butter 1 tsbp
250 mL onion, minced fi nely 1 cup
3 garlic cloves, minced 3
30 mL Western Family all-purpose fl our 2 tsbp
250 mL Western Family chicken broth 1 cup
125 mL 1 % milk ½ cup
125 g Western Family light cream cheese, cubed 4 oz
398 mL tin, Western Family artichoke hearts, 14 oz
drained and chopped
1 120 g/4 oz tin, Western Family crabmeat drained (or fresh crabmeat if preferred)
5 mL fresh dill, minced 1 tsp
2 mL each, salt and white pepper ½ tsp
2 mL lemon peel, fi nely grated ½ tsp
dash of hot pepper sauce, optional

1. Melt butter in a heavybottomed saucepan. Add onion and garlic and sauté over medium-low heat until onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Be careful not to brown.

2. Sprinkle with fl our and stor for 2 minutes. It will become dry and crumbly. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

3. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook until mixture thickens, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.

4. Stir in cream cheese and continue to stir until dissolved. Fold in artichokes, crabmeat, seasonings and lemon peel. Add hot sauce if using.

5. To serve, gently stir in a heavybottomed saucepan until bubbly and piping hot. Transfer to a serving dish and serve warm with toast points and endive leaves for dipping.

Makes 2 ½ cups (625 mL).

Nutritional analysis per serving:
Calories 54 Protein 5.1 g Fat 2.4 g Carbohydrate 2.7 g Fibre 0 g