Artichoke, Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato Dip

Update: My recipe was just published in the Taste of Home Holidays & Celebrations 2011 Cookbook. Tangy & creamy, this artichoke dip boasts the colorful addition of sun-dried tomatoes. Serve with plain or multi-grain baked tortilla chips. Developed for Ready Set Cook #11 - January 2008 Update 2/27/2013: Thanks to Racrgal for a really productive conversation regarding making this recipe in advance. That led me to run a series of tests. *I made four versions and found that it can be made a day in advance and refrigerated before baking, or made months in advance; frozen and then thawed before baking. Both oil-packed and dry-packed sun-dried tomatoes were tested to make sure the oil did not cause bleeding during thawing.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese
• 1⁄2 cup mayonnaise
• 2  shallots, finely chopped
• 1  tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 (6 1/2ounce) jar artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed & drained
• 3⁄4 cup asiago cheese, grated
• 1  cup sun-dried tomato, chopped (can use dry or oil-packed tomatoes)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease a 2 quart baking dish with cooking spray.
3. In large bowl combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, shallots & garlic.
4. Stir in artichoke hearts, spinach, tomatoes & cheese. *At this point you can wrap the baking dish in saran wrap and refrigerate overnight, or wrap in 2 layers of aluminum foil and freeze for 2 months (maybe even more). When ready to serve, remove from fridge or freezer and thaw (if needed) on counter before baking as directed.
5. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese that sticks out the top of the mixture begins to brown slightly.
6. Serve with fresh vegetables or baked tortilla chips for dipping.