Friday, May 4, 2007

Spinach Artichoke Dip

This dip is chunkier than some others I've seen since I didn't use creamed spinach. I wanted it creamy in flavor and texture but keep the vegetables substantial enough that they could hold their own. I served this in the glass dish I baked it in, but you could reasonably put it in a small crock pot after baking to keep it warm.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 14 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped (You could use marinated artichoke hearts if you wanted to add some additional flavor. They were a lot more expensive, so I decided not to.)
1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed but not drained
1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (You could use a blend of Parmesan and Romano if you wanted.)
1 cup shredded Mexican four cheese blend (You could substitute Monterey Jack or similar if you cannot get the blend.)
1 tsp garlic, minced
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp lemon juice

1- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2- In a small baking dish (I used a glass 8"x8".) , mix together the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice and cayenne pepper.
3- Once well blended, add the garlic, artichoke hearts, spinach, Parmesan cheese and Mexican cheese blend.
4- Bake for about 25 minutes until warm and bubbly. (The top gets a slight crust on it that can be avoided if you cover the dish with foil before baking.)

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