Call Me Mrs. Rapp: Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip

This is not the first post I've done for spinach artichoke dip. In fact I made up my own recipe awhile back, which has gotten excellent reviews at bachelorette parties I've been to. A fellow bridesmaid told me it tasted like pizza! It is a great dip if you want something hearty and made with all nonfat ingredients.

This dip, is not the same. It is creamy. Very, very creamy. The kind of creamy where the cheese stretches as you take a dip into it with toasted pita bread. This, was the kind of spinach artichoke dip I was craving today. While always great as an appetizer, I'm a big fan of making appetizers whole meals. If I did at my wedding, why not here? :)

It should not come as a huge surprise to you that this recipe came from Pinterest. It's impossible not to love because it bookmarks all your favorite things in one place, and doesn't crowd your toolbar! This recipe can be found on Joyful Abode. I made a few modifications for lighter ingredients (I'll shave calories wherever I can!), and for our taste preference. In retrospect, I would add a little more mozzarella cheese, and a little less artichokes, but that's just how I like my dip. Let me know what works for you!

Ingredients:
*8 oz. light cream cheese
*1/4-1/3 cup light sour cream
*1/4 cup light mayonnaise
*1 cup spinach (I used fresh spinach, cooked, but you can use frozen, thawed)
*2 cans or jars of non-marinated artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
*1 tsp garlic powder
*1 tsp salt
*sprinkle of chili powder (she says you can go all out, but I kept it minimal)
*1 cup shredded skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation:
*Warm cream cheese in the microwave for about 1-2 minutes to soften it. This will make it easier to mix in the other ingredients.

*Mix all ingredients together in a baking dish. Broil in the oven (mine was 500 degrees broiling) until cheese is browned and dip is warm throughout (mine took about 20 minutes).