Spicy Spinach & Artichoke Dip

This isn’t a true “oldie” but it is a goodie!  I got this recipe from a coupon booklet that had a Tabasco coupon in it.  The coupon has an expiration date of 12/31/02 so it’s at least that old!  I was in college at the time so me and my roomie decided to try it.  It is soooo good.  It’s the best spinach dip I’ve ever eaten.  I like others but none compare to this recipe.  I’ve never actually put the Tabasco sauce in it but I’m sure it’d still be yummy.  I don’t make it often enough but it makes more than two people can eat so I only get to make it when entertaining.

One of our favorite restaurants serves a spinach dip and they serve it with sour cream and salsa on the side and that is a yummy combination with it.

They have you stirring in a lot of things all at once.  I always do the cream cheese and sour cream first and get that good and incorporated then the cheeses then the spinach and artichokes.  It mixes a little easier not doing it all at once.

Recipe taken from – 2002 coupon booklet

½ c (1 stick) butter or margarine

1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)

2 (10 oz) pkgs. Frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese

1 (8 oz) pkg. sour cream

1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Salt to taste

Corn chips or crackers

Melt butter in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Stir in spinach, artichokes, cream cheese, sour cream, ¾ cup Monterey Jack cheese, ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, Tabasco Pepper Sauce, and salt.  Stir until well blended and heated through.  Pour mixture into a ½ quart casserole dish and top with remaining Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350 oven until cheese starts to brown, about 10 minutes.  Serve with corn chips or crackers.  Makes about 4 cups.

Give this yummy appetizer a try and get your “healthy” dose of spinach in for the day!

Sharon's Salad

We love black beans and salsa so this sounded like it’d be a winner.  We went over to a friend’s house to swim and visit so what a great opportunity to make something new!  This was great!  We ate it as an appetizer with chips but it could just as easily be a side dish to a meal.  It made a lot and yes, we ate nearly all of it.  We can be piggies when something is good and this fit the bill.  

I didn’t make any changes.  It was easy to make it just took a bit longer than expected because of all the chopping.  Oh, we let it marinade overnight.  I would say that the avocados and tomatoes at the end are optional.  Yes, they are good in it but it was just as good without them too.

Recipe taken form – Wish Cookbook*

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 c frozen kernel corn

½ c cilantro chopped

½ c picante sauce

1 large red bell pepper, diced small

1 large red onion, diced small

Dressing:

Juice of one lime

¾ c Italian dressing

2 cloves garlic minced

Mix dressing and toss with other ingredients and chill for several hours.  Add just before serving 1 large tomato chopped and 2 avocados.

This is from the Make-A-Wish Foundation.  This is an amazing organization that was established to grant wishes of children between the ages of 2 ½ and 18 who have life threatening or terminal illness.  My family benefited through this amazing organization and we will be forever grateful.  If you ever are in need of a charity to donate to please keep them in mind as they help kids dreams come true.

Try this one soon it delivers for sure!