Spinach Artichoke Dip
Something about the fall season & football games makes me want ALL THE SNACKS. And when I say Snacks, I’m definitely referring to finger foods – and actually that usually mean Dips. 7 Layer Dip, Buffalo Chicken Dip ((mine is the best, ya heard?)) and Spinach Artichoke Dip lends a hand to make you feel a little healthier because its green, ya know?
I personally feel like I have been a connoisseur of Spinach & Artichoke Dip for many years. I have had them each separately and both have missed the other component of each other. The plain Spinach Dip is too watery & the plain Artichoke Dip is too mushy…..its amazing how these 2 ingredients truly balance each other out to combine a well-loved dip!
not-so-classic.
I want my Spin-Art Dip ((I like to shorten things, just go with it)) Cheesy AF, seasoned to perfection & bubbling-hot like crazy. I want thin, but not too thin chips – super crunchy pita chips also work great – and I want a SUPERB cheese pull…..just like the one that probably grabbed your attention on my Instagram page to lead you here *clickbait*
arrival at…
So you’re probably wondering : How do I achieve all these magnificent things, adoring readers? Well lucky for you, I’mma tell you & I’mma show you. Like I said, I’ve tried many-a Spinach Artichoke dips in my lifetime & I truly deem mine the best – probably one of the healthiest too because NO MAYO. Yea. You heard it first here. Idk something about Mayo being hot & heated up just really gives me the slick-ick slimy feeling. GROSS. Never fear – nothing but ooey-gooey cheesiness ahead with some delectable veggies thrown in.
I personally enjoy my recipe best because there’s no thawing of Frozen Spinach & then making a god-awful mess in your kitchen or ruining kitchen towels trying to squeeze out all the excess water – GROSS. Fresh spinach is the perfect alternative & wilts beautifully in the oven when mixed together with everyone else – it’s a win-win for sure!
anotha one….
ONE MORE THING
So I feel like this needs to be addressed….I know its been an echo for years but I’ve been seeing a revival of blatant hate on the internet towards bloggers so I really just want to use my platform to complain out into an open field – I’m saying this genuinely & with no nastiness because I don’t know how many dedicated readers I actually have….but tell your friends : people need to fucking STOP complaining about ads / stories / content on blog pages with recipes. Like grow the hell up. This is free shit. They should be grateful. Lucky for you, I post my recipes out of the goodness of my heart & because I actually enjoy this outlet. Sorry if we want to give you a little backstory or maybe make you laugh. Trust, you ain’t gonna find a content-free or ad-free blog anywhere other than here, so get over yourself. *end rant*
ANYWAY.
I will drive home one last time why my Spinach Artichoke Dip is truly the best – it heats up perfectly, it is quick to assemble, tasty as all getout & pleases everyone, and not a watery mess ((I’m lookin at you, Frozen Spinach)) so if you’re ready for a dip that will impress all who come in contact with it, then let’s get to it!
Ingredients
· 5 Oz Bag Raw Baby Spinach
· 8 Oz Brick Cream Cheese, reduced fat & room temp
· 1 Jar, 12 Oz Marinated Artichoke Hearts (save the juice in the jar!)
· ½ Cup grated Parmesan Cheese
· 4 Oz Shredded Italian Blend Cheese (or Mozzarella will do just fine)
· 4 Oz Garlic & Herb Goat Cheese, room temp
· ½ small Mozzarella log – chopped into small pieces
· 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
· 2 TBS Dijon Mustard
· 1 TBS Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute
· Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions, 1
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
In a chopper, fish out every single artichoke heart & throw into the chopper along with the 3 cloves of garlic – scrape down the sides & chop to a fine consistency.
In a large bowl, mix together the goat cheese & cream cheese until blended.
Roughly chop the spinach to a smaller consistency – it will shrink a bit in the oven so don’t worry about perfection, but nobody wants a big ol’ chunk of spinach in their bite, either.
Mix in the chopped spinach, chopped artichokes & garlic into the bowl with the softened cheeses.
IMMEDIATELY you will smell the garlic & marinated artichoke hearts – it will be divine. Go ahead & juice the lemon directly into the bowl as well – stir well to combine.
If you still feel your mixture looks a little sticky or dry, this is the part where the oil / juice from the artichoke hearts jar comes into play! Spoon a few tablespoons of the liquid into the mixture & see how it relaxes and mixes better – choice is yours!
Measure out the shredded Mozz / Italian Cheese as well as the grated Parmesan and add that into the bowl. Stir well to combine.
I usually add the Dijon Mustard & 21 Seasoning Salute last.
Give everything one last good stir to incorporate everything.
Into a greased casserole dish, empty the entirety of your contents and smooth out with the back of a spatula.
Instructions, 2
Now is when the LOG of Mozzarella comes in – LAWD it’s a beautiful thing.
Dice the mozzarella log into small pieces – these pieces will sit directly on top of your dip to then be bubbled & broiled to perfection!
Scatter the Mozzarella pieces overtop the entire casserole dish, cover with tin foil & place in the oven for 20 minutes.
Remove the foil & allow to cook for another 10 – the cheese will be completely melted, ooey-gooey and totally inviting for chips.
If you prefer your cheese to be ULTRA bubbly – feel free to broil the top for a couple extra minutes (BUT WATCH IT CAREFULLY) for that extra effect.
YUM OMG I’m so excited for you! This dip will certainly feed a crowd – although I realize the pictures I showed you were on a MUCH smaller scale but hey, that was the time I decided to document the journey so just give me a little trust, mmkay?
Perfect to serve with tortilla chips, pita chips, garlic triscuits & veggies just for that extra health factor *wink* I promise, it will be the talk of the table! Enjoy!
double-down.
I feel like I was particularly emotional as I wrote this entry. Life & the shit that goes on (either directly or indirectly) with you can take its toll whether we realize it or not. Hopefully ya’ll can accept that I am very much human, very flawed & THE MOST emotional. Thanks, though. The world continues to be a shitty, scary place sometimes so any place we can get a spot of sun or a whiff of flowers, it needs to be good enough to make us feel like life is still in balance. Maybe I’m making sense, maybe I’m not. Shit has just been tough lately so LAY OFF hating people for ads or having some stories to tell along with your FREE recipe, some people are just twerps so I’ll just take that with a grain of salt & move on :)
If you have stayed with me this long, then many thanks, I appreciate it because I actually hope you enjoyed my Spin-Art Dip recipe & make it for ALLLLL the football games to come since we are barely in the middle of the season — trust me, it will be welcome at any tailgate house gathering, or save this up your sleeve for a SuperBowl party — you won’t regret it!
In closing, thanks for your support, making my recipes & sharing your thoughts with me. Feeling very much like Julie Chen-Moonves as I type this but you can deal : Be Kind To One Another.
Thanks for stopping by!
I appreciate you stopping by! If you loved it, I’d love to hear from you.
If you hated it, then same.
Have a great day & look for my next entry!
© 2021 Cookin’ & Cussin’
