Spinach and Artichoke Dip From The Puffy Muffin
By: Pam Melton
Now, let's be c lear, I DON'T DO CREAMY! The only thing creamy goin' in my mouth is coffee. And Honey...don't even get me started on mayo and mustard, ewww. I can't even be in the same zip code with deviled eggs (much to my husband's chagrin). So, when the ladies of the Puffy Muffin answered my call for a couple of recipes for Totally Tailgating, shuddered at the Spinach and Artichoke Dip (you know we won't write about anything without tryin' it out first). The old man loves stuff like this, but no way am I gonna let him ever eat a whole thing of dip by himself.
The opportunity arose to test it out when the Christmas Party that we throw for my husband's office staff came around. Guess what - timing worked out great to hit Super Bowl Sundy with a fab Hands On Women nosh nugget. Everybody loved it (thankfully - since I couldn't taste it)!
I must say, I've never dealt with an artichoke in my life. I'm thinkin' "drained and coarsely chopped" meant wash, drain and chop - no problem. The only thing is, they seemed really hard. Doubt drove me searching, and every recipe or instruciton regarding artichokes that I found, cooked 'em first. So I did. The other think is that all of the other recipes called or just using the inside...you can't chop that stuff, it's mushy! So, I leftthe leaves intact nd chopped. Let me tell ya, that was a hot mess - I get annoyed when the composition of something won't let me use my cool tools (believe me, I've got really cool chopping stuff). I'm thinking that simply cleaned and chopped without the cooking part might actualy work. Of course I could call Kristi at the Puffy Muffin and simply ask her - but where's the adventure in that?! Here it is - total time was about a half hour, but part of that time is cooking the artichokes, so it's really only about 15 minutes of you actually messing with it. Since everybody raved about the dip (and these are folks who prefer to say nothing, rather than spout insincere happy talk). For your enjoyment....
Puffy Muffin Spinach & Artichoke Dip
1-1/4 cups artichokes, drained and coarsely chopped
8 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1-1/4 cups parmesan cheese
3/4 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup Half & Half
1 cup heavy cream
Shredded Swiss cheese - topping
Combine all of the main ingredients and mix well. Let sit in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, place the dip in a greased casserole dish and sprinkle the top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.
|
