Easy Recipe Alert: Spinach and Artichoke Dip

This cooking novice is all about starting off easy - so for the Superbowl, I decided to whip up some homemade versions of my favorite dishes. I love knowing where the food I'm eating is coming home - albeit, I prefer to buy organic although we don't always and who the hell knows where mayo comes from?

I am obsessed with appetizers, if I could only eat cheese and crackers, chips and dip and mini quiche for every meal, I would be set. So our Superbowl dishes consisted of rotel and chips (good Midwesterners are all too familiar - my east coast friends had never heard of rotel!), crescent wrapped mini hot dogs and spinach and artichoke dip. Here's my super duper easy recipe for Spinach and Artichoke Dip:

You will need: 2 cups Parmesan cheese (we only had 1.5 cups on hand, and it worked great), 1 box (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach (thawed), 1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts (drained and chopped), 2/3 cup sour cream, 1 cup cream cheese (8 oz = regular Philly Cream Cheese box), 1/3 cup mayo, 2 teaspoons minced garlic and some sort of dipping cracker/bread/pita (we made our own from french bread, butter, and salt).

Bread Directions: 

Using about 1/3 of a large french loaf, we cut thin slices, placed them on a cookie sheet, drizzled a bit of butter and salt on the top. Pop them in the oven on Broil for 1-2 min, turn over and repeat on the other side. Perfectly toasted bread - and we know where it came from (healthy + yummy)!

Dip Directions: 

(Could not be easier!) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Mix together the Parmesan cheese, spinach and artichoke hearts.

All I think of is "BLOB" - I love how ugly this looks pre-mix. :) 

Combine remaining ingredients (sour cream, cream cheese, mayo and garlic).

Mix remaining ingredients in with spinach mixture.

Bake 20-30 minutes. Voila! And SO YUMMY!