Spicy Artichoke/Spinach Dip

Lande Hoffman's Note:

Quick party favorite of mine. Great to fix while watching the games or just having people over. I like to make it spicy to quench my Cajun taste buds.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

• 1 (14 ounce) package frozen spinach leaves
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts (not marinated)
• 4 -6 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 4 ounces parmesan cheese
• 3 garlic cloves (chopped or pressed)
• ¼ cup chopped onion
• 1 stalk celery , chopped
• ¼ cup green onion , chopped
• 1 (4 ounce) can mushrooms
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 4 ounces butter
• salt & pepper
• cayenne pepper or red peppers or any hot spices , you like
• Italian breadcrumbs
• ½ cup flour
• chips or French bread

Directions:

1. In a sauce pan simmer olive oil, butter,onions, green onions, celery and garlic until onions are soft.
2. Using a food processor, drain and chop up the artichoke hearts, mushrooms and the spinach (must thaw and drain spinach before chopping, fresh spinach can be substituted) Set aside.
3. In a medium size pot bring milk, cream cheese, parmesan cheese to a soft boil.
4. Add salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste.
5. Add ingredients from sauce pan (onions, butter garlic, olive oil, butter, celery).
6. Whisk flour into mixture a little at a time so it does not lump up.
7. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
8. In a medium baking dish mix the ingredients set aside (artichoke hearts, spinach, mushrooms) and contents from the pot simmering on the stovetop.
9. The mixture should be no more than two inches thick in the dish.
10. Once mixed sprinkle a very light layer of bread crumbs over the top of the dip.
11. Cover dish and bake in over for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
12. Uncover dish and bake for additional 15 minutes.
13. Serve hot with chips or I prefer very thinly cut french bread broiled to be toasted in the oven with a mixture of garlic and butter lathered on them. As soon as they start to turn brown they are toasted. They will burn shortly after.

Reviews

[riffraff]

Let me begin by saying that this dip performed like no other. It was good warm it was still getting compliments later as it had cooled off. It did not get solid or oily it was still "dippish". I only used about half the flour as I was afraid it would get tooo solid later. Now the bad part. If I had been a novice cook I would have chunked this around step 2. I had everything measured out ahead of time and still got confused. I think that it would be clearer if you made 2 steps out of step 2, personally. I am going ahead with the 5 stars because , like I said, it is such a winner, I just had to.