Ingredients

• 6 ounces crab meat
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon celery
• 1 teaspoon parsley
• 1 teaspoon onion
• 1 teaspoon green bell pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3 drops hot sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 12 jumbo shrimp, raw, shelled with tails on

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450° F.
2. Finely chop crab meat, celery, parsley, onion and bell pepper.
3. In a bowl mix crab, bread crumbs, 3 tablespoons melted butter, celery, parsley, onion and bell pepper; set aside.
4. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
5. Wash and de-vein shrimp; pat dry.
6. Use a sharp knife to cut a 1/2″ deep pocket in inner curved side of shrimp from tail along center, leaving 1/2-inches at end. Do not cut through back of shrimp. Use finger to widen pocket.
7. Use about 2-1/2 tablespoons crab mixture per shrimp. Place portion in hand and squeeze to mold. Place crab in shrimp pocket and distribute to fill. Place shrimp on baking sheet. Repeat, preparing all shrimp.
8. Brush shrimp with melted butter. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Do not over cook.
9. Serve with a side dish of melted unsalted butter if desired.

Helpful hints

• Use fresh or frozen deveined, shelled shrimp with tails on to make this recipe extra quick. (16 to 20 per pound).
• For a fancier presentation you can butterfly the shrimp, flatten and stuff then secure tail on top of stuffing with a toothpick.
• For a lower protein diet decrease serving size to 2 shrimp (18 grams protein) or the amount that matches your meal plan.
• One jumbo shrimp is about 1 to 1-1/2 ounces, headless and with shell. You can substitute 16 large shrimp and increase serving size to 4 pieces.
• If fresh crab is unavailable, buy the lowest sodium frozen or canned crab.