Maryland Crab Melt-Aways

Yummy AND convenient. Are there two better words out there when it comes to appetizers? The yummy part will become self-evident as you imagine these ingredients working together. Convenience? Well. you assemble these and then freeze them...the Ziploc bags sitting there enticingly for your next impromptu soiree. (Which might, by the way, simply involve you and a nice glass of white wine.)

Maryland Crab Melt-Aways
Recipe courtesy Anne Legg (adapted slightly)

1 stick unsalted butter
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, cubed (Cotswold or Brie)
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic powder (or garlic pepper)
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 teaspoon Louisiana hot sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
8 ounces fresh crab meat, picked over and flaked
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
4 tablespoons finely chopped roasted red peppers
6 English muffins

Place butter and mayo in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until smooth.

Drop Gouda cheese into the processor with the motor running and process until smooth.

Add seasonings, hot sauce and lemon juice and process to blend.

Scrape mixture into a bowl and fold in the crabmeat, parsley and red pepper, mixing well.

Using a serrated knife, evenly split the English muffins.

Divide the crab mixture evenly among the English muffin halves. Using a spatula, spread the mixture to the edges of each muffin.

Freeze melt-aways in single layer on a cookie sheet until solid, about 2 hours.

Once frozen, cut English muffins in even quarters. Bag and keep frozen until ready to use.

To serve, broil crab-side up until browned and bubbly, about 10-12 minutes.