Happy New Year & Grandpa Munsterman's crab rangoon recipe

Happy New Year, Sgt. Dunn readers! Wishing you and your family the best for 2025.

This has nothing to do with the books, but I'm sharing my crab rangoon recipe in case you want to try something different at home. We typically do this every year around New Year's Day. It started around 1983 or so.

Have fun with it!

Grandpa Munsterman’s Family and Friends Fun Arts and Crafts Crab Rangoon

Ingredients

• 2 pkgs (8 ounces) cream cheese. We prefer the taste of a 2-1 ratio, but some people prefer 1-1 ratio. Experiment and see what your family likes.
• 1 can  (8 ounces) crab meat, drained and flaked
• 1½ or 2 teaspoons Worcestershire or Soy sauce – this will darken the mix, don’t be alarmed.
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1 package won ton wrappers (usually found in produce section, and comes in packs of 100). If the store is out of won tons, you can buy a package or two of egg roll skins – it’s exactly the same product, just larger. You will have to cut them into four parts. A large kitchen knife works perfectly.
• 1-2 egg(s)
• Vegetable Oil (2 – 48 oz bottles).

Makes about 48. For us, it’s less because of the arts and crafts portion, below, and most people use more than a teaspoon of mix.

Equipment

• Deep fryer.
• If no basket for fryer, one or two metal slotted spoons to retrieve Rangoon from fryer. For heaven’s sake don’t put plastic in 400 degree oil!
• Wooden spoon for stirring the mixture.
• Two or more platters with paper towels on them to absorb excess oil.
• One or more small bowls for the egg(s).
• Enough butter knives for everyone – these work better than spoons.
• Family members and friends to make the Rangoons. They are the ’goonmakers.
• Kitchen or dining room table and chairs.
• Roll of paper towels, or kitchen towels for everyone to use to wipe the egg-won ton goo off their fingers!
• Enough plates for the ’goonmakers to create their magnificent, artsy Rangoons. Or plain ones. It all tastes the same, which is yummy.

Prep (Grandpa – cook)

1. Pre-soften the cream cheese. At least one hour prior to making, set out on counter.
2. Heat oil to 375 degrees F – if there are kids around, make sure fryer is far back from counter edge.
3. Open can(s) of crab and drain liquid.
4. Put cream cheese in large mixing bowl and using the wooden spoon, smooth out the cream cheese until texture is almost like instant mashed potatoes.
5. Mix in rest of ingredients in and stir mightily.

Making the Rangoons (‘goonmakers)

1. ’goonmakers sit around the table.
2. Place one or more bowls of Rangoon mix on table.
3. Place a package of won tons on the table.
4. Using the butter knife, scoop on about a teaspoon of Rangoon mix and put in middle of won ton.
5. Using the egg or water as “glue” on the won ton edges, each person tries to create the most interesting shape: folded, rolled, triangles, round, donut (yes, really), etc., or the largest one (using more than one won ton) that doesn’t break apart in the hot oil, or the tiniest one. Use your imagination!
6. Place completed Rangoon on a platter. When about a dozen are made, give platter to Grandpa for cooking.
7. Laughter and chatting welcome.

Extremely important note: Grandpa – cook gets the first taste of a cooked Rangoon. ’goonmakers can eat cooked Rangoons while they are still making new ones.

Cooking (Grandpa – Cook)

1. If you have a deep fryer with a basket, lift the basket out of the oil, and lay Rangoons in the basket, then lower gently into oil. Never drop Rangoons into hot oil – it will splatter and burn Grandpa or anyone nearby.
2. Be sure to put the fryer’s glass lid on.
3. Cook Rangoons about 1-2 minutes and turn them over with a metal spoon until both sides are golden brown about, 3-4 minutes. Your time may vary.
4. Lift out basket (or scoop Rangoons out with metal spoon) and put on a platter with paper towels.

 Serving:

1. Caution: Let cooked Rangoons cool about 2-3 minutes! These babies are really hot, and hot cheese can cause some serious burns.
2. For dipping, all or some of the following:
• Sweet and Sour sauce
• Cocktail Sauce
• Duck sauce
• If you’re adventurous, Chinese hot mustard.
• Catsup and mustard combined makes a pretty good dip, too.