This year we had super easy cocktail weenies, spinach and artichoke dip, pecan crusted cheese ball, raw veggies, and peanut butter rice crispy bars. All our little eats came together very quickly. They were perfect game day treats.
Last year I tried a spinach and artichoke dip that was, well, a little lack luster. I was so bummed. I was determined to make a spectacular dip this year. I scoured the copycat websites, blogs, and recipe collection sites. Then I checked where I should have in the first place- my cookbooks. And there it was- Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip (Delish!). I don't recall where I acquired this recipe, but I apparently thought it was "delish" since I had hand written it into the title!
The recipe called to be baked in the oven for 30 minutes, but I really didn't want to turn on the oven and heat up the house. Instead, I mixed everything together in my crock pot insert Saturday. I had Jon pop the insert into the crock on Sunday. When I got home from work it was creamy, bubbly, and ready to go.
From the very first bite, I knew it was a winner. Jon even took a break from his beloved little smokies to enjoy some chips and dip.
We had some leftover dip that I will be re-purposing as a sauce over chicken and pasta. I am looking forward to revisiting the bold flavors in new dish.
Hope you all had a tasty and enjoyable Superbowl Sunday 2012!
Here's to you and your culinary adventures, friends. Cheers!
Creamy Spinach & Artichoke Dip
Crock Pot
7 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed- DO NOT DRAIN*
3 large handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped*
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup parm-ramano cheese mix (I used the grated variety)
½ cup mozzarella
12 oz prepared alfredo sauce**
1 TBS minced garlic
5-6 oz soft cream cheese
½-1 tsp onion powder
black pepper
Mix all ingredients into a crock pot insert.
Cover with saran wrap and let sit overnight in the fridge.
Remove insert from fridge. Take the saran wrap off and place the lid on the dish. Place the insert into the crockpot. Heat on low for 2 hours, stirring once after about an hour.
Thicken with a small amount additional Parmesan if needed.
Serve with tortilla strips.
* You may use 10oz frozen, thawed spinach in place of the combined fresh and frozen spinach.
**A quick note about this recipe: it is not gluten free by nature. If you are gluten free, be sure to check your ingredients carefully. If you can't find a prepared gluten free alfredo sauce, look for a gluten free alfredo sauce mix. Prepare it according to the package directions and proceed with the recipe.
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