While my computer techs were upgrading software, I took advantage of the down time and prepared an appetizer for some guests my husband was hosting from work. As usual, I did a scavenger hunt of the pantry and fridge. The two cans of crab meat caught my eye. Many of my Blimpy Girl recipes are about the challenge of creating something from nothing while keeping caloric intake to a minimum. There are times of HURRAH along with many OOPSIES. This was a HURRAH with minimal prep time.

How many this serves will depend on how you plate it. Recipe easily makes 16 crescent balls with left-over filling (enough for at least 4 Crabby Patties).

As a first course, plate as shown in the above picture. If serving as an appetizer, display on a platter, drizzle with sauce and call it a finger food.

I prefer to serve this dish hot from the oven, but it does hold up to serving at room temperature. Letting the dish cool a minute or two before serving will bring out the full flavor of the crab. Don’t ask me why, it just does.

Prep time is around 15 minutes; bake time is 13-14 minutes. You can prepare ahead, cover and store in fridge, to pop in the oven just before guests arrive.

Here’s what you need to whip up a batch of these Crabby Crescent appetizers.

• Two 6-ounce cans crab meat, drained (save and freeze the juice for a future dish)
• 2/3 cup unseasoned bread crumbs (finely grated type)
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley (if you have parsley, use 1/2 tablespoon)
• 1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely diced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• (2) wedges of Laughing Cow Swiss cheese wedges (consider this a wet ingredient)
• 3 tablespoons fat-free liquid egg substitute
• 1 tablespoon fat-free mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon fat-free cream cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon Dijonnaise mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 2 tablespoons each: finely shredded carrots, finely diced zucchini, finely chopped onion, finely chopped celery
• 1 tablespoon reserved claim juice from the cans of drained clam meat
• 1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

Add all the dry ingredients into a medium size mixing bowl. In a smaller mixing bowl, blend the wet ingredients until nice smooth.

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredient bowl and fold until you have a paste.

Form the paste into small balls. You will need 16 balls and should have enough paste left-over for 8 small crabby patties. Open the can of crescent rolls and separate. Cut each triangle in half. You need 16 crescent triangles.

Gently fold the crescent triangle around the Crabby ball. Roll in you hand to seal all the edges. Place the balls on a cookie sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking oil. Form small Crabby Patties with the leftover paste.

Bake in 375 F degree oven for 13-14 minutes. You want  a light brown crust on the crescent dough.

Now for the sauce (the yummy part):

• 2 heaping tablespoons of low-fat mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (more or less to your liking)

Whip the sauce until smooth and then spoon drizzle over base of plates and the rolls/patties.

Let’s talk calories. The mini Crabby Patty is in the neighborhood of (you’re not going to believe this!!) 20 calories each. The drizzled sauce adds 5 calories.

Each crescent covered crab balls is 75 calories. The dish pictured above with sauce (two rolls, one crab patty) is 175 calories.

You can forego the crescent wrapped balls and opt for three mini crab patties (with the awewome sauce) for a whooping 75 calories. LOVE< LOVE< LOVE!! This dish received the Wine Guy’s seal of approval. He had two helpings at dinner last night.