Spinach Artichoke Dip

Who doesn't love spinach artichoke dip?! No one I have met (really). This recipe is kind of an amalgamation of a few recipes, and based mostly off this one from the Food Network. BUT never ever use frozen spinach. There is really no substitute for real fresh spinach wilted with garlic. The frozen, spongy, old-shoe gunk doesn't save you that much time and it's just bad. Please don't use it? Another bone to pick is why use garlic powder when you can use real garlic in this situation? I fully understand the need for garlic powder and use it! But real garlic can be used here with ease. A few fresh ingredients can really elevate a dish, and this is one of them.

An entire bag of spinach wilts down to about a cup. If it makes more just use all of it, but a cup is what I shoot for.

I omit salt because the cheese is plenty salty and I add double cheese! About 2/3 cup cheese is sufficient, but feel free to add a whole cup if you grate it.

I buy whatever Reese artichokes are on sale. It doesn't matter if the hearts are whole, quartered or chopped since you chop them up the same in the end.

I chop them fairly small, I like the dip to be easy to eat with some goodness in each bite.

Use full-fat ingredients! This is not diet food and will not be as good if you sub out these base ingredients for low fat options. I've found greek yogurt passable for sour cream, but it needs to sit about 24 hours to lose its tangy yogurt taste and absorb the other flavors. 

Cream cheese, sour cream, mayo and red pepper flakes combined.

Roughly chopping the cooled spinach. Aim to cut large pieces down so the dip isn't stringy.

Mix it all up. If I am serving this somewhere I have oven access I heat it, if not it can be served room temp. Often it sits out a while and cools down after you heat it anyway so don't stress it! It vanishes quickly either way.  I like to serve this with tortilla chips but crackers or pita chips or veggie sticks would be great too. You can make this the night before you serve it and make it really easy. Just remember garlic intensifies over time so don't max out on it if you're serving the dip the next day. Or DO if you love garlic!

Uhhh, always taste your work right?

*drool*