Thursday, January 5, 2012

Pantry Challenge: Spinach Artichoke Dip



I have had a jar of artichoke hearts in my pantry for a couple of weeks.  It was purchased to be backed chicken bacon alfredo.  But that didn’t happen, and I’m glad it didn’t because as I was looking through my pantry I saw it and knew that Spinach Artichoke dip was in my future.

To Cut Up Messy Canned foods--Like Artichokes 
Just cut them right in the can with your clean kitchen shears or use a knife cutting the food against the side of the can. This recipe takes about 1/2 a jar of artichokes.

Spinach Artichoke Dip
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
2/3 cup sour cream powder (add to ¼ cup hot water mix well, don’t worry if it is a little lumpy, after you bake it the lumps will be gone.)

1 cup FD Spinach (rehydrate in 1 cup hot water and drain)
1 cup coarsely chopped artichoke hearts, drained
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/4 teaspoons

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 400°. 

In a medium bowl -combine sour cream and hot water mix well,
Add the cream cheese.  Beat till smooth, either by hand or on low speed with a hand mixer. 

Add in the salt.

Fold in the drained spinach, garlic, artichokes, and Parmesan cheese.

Spread into a small baking dish or hollow our a loaf of artisan bread and fill the cavity with the dip.

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until the top is slightly browned.  Avoid over baking to prevent it from separating.

Sprinkle additional grated Parmesan cheese over the top if desired, during the last 5 minutes of baking.

Serve warm with baguette slices, pita chips, crackers, etc...

Recipe Substitutions
If you don’t have the sour cream powder that I used, use regular sour cream or 1/3 cup sour cream and 1/3 cup mayo.
If you don’t have Freeze Dried Spinach it is okay to use fresh cooked spinach or defrosted frozen spinach, just make sure that whatever you use is very well drained.