Spinach Artichoke Dip

Hello and Happy Monday! I meant to post this over the weekend but I wasn't feeling quite as on top of my game as I would have liked. I think all the travel last week got to me more than I had hoped. Oh well, I had some time to recover and am feeling better- ready for another busy week back in the office. I have made this dip probably a dozen times and it's a HUGE hit- everyone always asks for the recipe so I figured it was probably about time to blog it. I originally had this at my friends Krista's house and asked for the recipe right away...over time I've adapted it a bit (the garlic, Alfredo sauce and types of cheese) but have pretty much come back to the same variation listed below. Please give this a try- it's SO easy and a definite crowd-pleaser. You can even prepare this a day or two in advance, pop it in the fridge and then just pull it out to bake when you're ready.

What you need for the dip:
2 cloves of garlic (I used one big one)
1 (10 oz) package of frozen chopped spinach (thawed)
1 (14 oz) can of quartered artichokes, drained
10 oz of Alfredo sauce (I usually use the Classico light as I don't think you can tell and it saves a few calories)
1/2 of an 8 oz package of cream cheese (softened)
1 heaping cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I even go up to 1.5 sometimes!)
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (plus a little extra for topping)

To make the dip:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a small casserole dish with non stick cooking spray.
2.Place garlic in a small piece of foil- leave skins in tact. Bake in the preheated oven 15-20 minutes, until soft. 

3. In the meantime, drain your artichokes and chop into bite size pieces.

4. Now, spend some time draining your thawed spinach. This can take a while but be patient because you don't want watery spinach in your dip. I use paper towels and push down several times into a colander until I feel it's pretty dry.

5. Once your garlic is roasted, remove from heat and let cool. When it's cool enough to touch, squeeze softened garlic from skins into the bottom of your casserole dish. Spread it around with the back of a spoon. 

6. In a large bowl, mix your spinach, artichoke hearts, Alfredo sauce, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, and cream cheese. 

All mixed up!

7. Transfer to your casserole dish and top with a little extra Parmesan cheese.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, or until cheeses are melted and bubbly. Serve warm with tortilla or pita chips! I often transfer mine into a small crock pot so we can keep it warm while we munch!

Before baking...

and after!

ENJOY!

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