Well, it’s that time of year again, when we look back at the old and look forward to the new. It’s also a time for a little entertaining and special treats for those in your family or your associates.

One of my favorite foods is baked artichoke hearts with additions, and one of those special additions is lump crab meat. Aww; come on. Don’t go getting cheap, here. It’s a once-a-year special occasion and the extra cost is well worth it.

But, so we’ll still be friends, I can tell you that you can use the imitation crab meat instead of lump crab, or you can use frozen cocktail shrimp chopped up to add to the appetizer.

If you’ve never shopped for lump crab meat you can check out the canned meats section of your market or the frozen seafood section. We live a long way from where live crab is available, and the canned or frozen is a lot easier to work with without boiling, cracking the shell and picking out the bits of meat.

Party Crab-Artichoke Dip

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 (6 ounces) jar artichoke hearts, chopped

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

6 garlic cloves, crushed

2 green onions, chopped

8 ounces lump crab meat, or the options mentioned above

Use your mixer to blend together the parmesan and the softened cream cheese. Then add the chopped artichoke hearts, mayonnaise, dried dill and garlic and mix well.

Now use a rubber spatula and fold in the chopped green onions and the crab meat. You don’t want to use your electric mixer for this step, as you will tear the lump crab into very tiny pieces.

Bake this at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes. Serve in the warm baking dish with a selection of nice party crackers.

You should probably put two or more butter knives in the dish so your guests will get the idea to spread a little on each cracker instead of being uncouth double-dippers frowned upon by all the decent people in attendance.

This can also be jazzed up with the addition of a little vodka or brandy – with the emphasis on “little.” You should probably add the little vodka or brandy after you take the dish out of the oven. If you happen to be cooking with a gas stove, the early addition of too much of the alcohol liquids could blow the doors off of your oven.

Readers with questions or comments for Dave Kessler may write to him in care of this publication.