Shelly's Crab Dip

I am fortunate to have been in a book club for almost 10 years. My girls and I have read close to 100 books and discussed them over riotous nights of wine and hysterical laughter. One of the best things about our club is that we all love to eat, cook, bake and drink.

There are six of us and we switch off hosting - whomever hosts also picks the book. Whomever hosts also has had the shared of experience of having a complete and total pre-book club meltdown due to things just not going as planned. The thing is, we've all had some unfortunate kitchen disasters, or picked a crappy book, or just couldn't get it to all come together, but that's never what anyone remembers.

What we remember is the time that Lisa strutted out of the kitchen triumphantly presenting a crown roast of pork (with the little hats!) for our always special Christmas book club, or Tanya making so many courses, including 2 kinds of bread that she baked herself, that we all waved off dessert and sort of moaned for a while. Or when Christie borrowed her parents Raclette grill and introduced us to the joys of eating cheese on absolutely everything. Diana, our calmest member, knocks out multi-course dinners like it's a breeze, leaving us in awe of her total togetherness which her husband claims isn't the case in the hours before we all arrive.

This dip, from one of our alumni who moved to California a few years ago, is a book club classic. Shelly would always serve it as we arrived next to some delectably greasy tortilla chips she would buy from the Mexican restaurant down from her house. I have made it countless times since and it stands to reason it's so addicting...it's essentially fat+fat+crab=goodness. I have doubled the recipe for parties and watched it disappear fast. I like to serve it with some carrots so I can pretend they will somehow make it less unhealthy. What are carrots good for anyway if not as a vehicle for dip?

For about 2 cups:

• 6 ounce can lump crab meat, drained
• 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 4 scallions, white and light green parts chopped
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

In a bowl stir together the crab meat, cream cheese, mayo, scallions and red pepper flakes until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate until ready to use. This dip can be made a day ahead. Serve with tortilla chips and carrots.