by Beverly Nevin

Created on: October 10, 2010   Last Updated: April 05, 2011

I went to a housewarming party for my niece and her new husband several months ago. Among the many items offered as appetizers was a Spinach and Artichoke Dip, which she served with a variety of crackers, corn chips and pita chips. It was so good; I could not stop eating it. The texture is nice and creamy, and the flavor is mild – not too bland nor too spicy.  I made sure I asked my niece for her recipe before leaving the party. Several weeks later, I made this wonderful dip for a family cookout. Everyone, including my young grandchildren, loved it. The beauty about using a spinach and artichoke dip is that you can serve it for many types of occasions, from birthday parties to summer cookouts to football games. It’s a nice change from the standard French Onion, ranch or salsa dips, and is easy to make.  The recipe is as follows:

 What you need:

 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

½-cup sour cream

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

¼ tsp. pepper

½ tsp. salt

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened

1 8 oz. package fat-free cream cheese, softened

1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine 1 ½ cups mozzarella, sour cream, 2 tbs. parmesan cheese and next five ingredients. Stir well until completely blended. Spray baking dish or casserole dish with cooking spray of choice. Spoon the mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheeses. Bake for thirty minutes. Serve warm with any crackers or chips of your choice. Refrigerate any leftovers. You can reheat any leftovers – if you have any - in the microwave on low setting for two minutes.

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