Recipe : Crock Pot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Another recipe I felt the need to make for the Pampered Chef party.  Have I mentioned that entertaining unleashes a normally well-restrained monster inside me?  LOL

No picture of my own, but check this one out:

The recipe is from A Year of Slow Cooking... an awesome blog with a daily slow cooker recipe.  Many of them are VERY yummy-looking.   This particular recipe is here:

http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/12/crockpot-spinach-and-artichoke-dip.html

I made a couple of revisions.  The website said to make it in a 4-qt crock.  I didn't want quite THAT much dip, so I used my smaller crock.  I put in all the ingredients as stated, except the spinach - for that I just used as much as I could stuff into the crock.   Also, I added a half a small block of cream cheese.  And it was good.  Really, really good.  A total diet wrecker, though, I'm afraid.

The cooking time is a bit variable, and probably depends on what kind of crock you're using.  It says two hours on low or one hour on high.  I cooked it two hours on high in my little one, and it was doing all right but still needed another hour of cooking before it was really ready.  And I think adding the cream cheese thickened it up quite a bit, because in her original recipe she called for a good bit of time cooking uncovered to clear up extra liquid, but I really didn't have any issue with that.

For serving - I had Triscuits crackers and that was good.  It would also be nice with sliced veggies, or I saw a suggestion online about serving dips like this with chunks of bread that have been buttered and toasted in the oven.  I think that would be fabulous.


Crock Pot Spinach and Artichoke Dip


Ingredients:


1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 (9-ounce) bag baby spinach, chopped
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise  (Miracle Whip would work as well)
3 T jalapeno slices, chopped


Drain and chop artichoke hearts, and add to the crockpot. Scrunch the spinach and chop it well, and add to the crockpot. Add mayo, sour cream (and cream cheese), and chopped jalapenos. Add 1/2 cup each shredded mozzarella and Parmesan.

Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, or high for 1. Stir. The spinach should begin to wilt. If it hasn't, cook some more. When the spinach is totally wilted, take the lid off and add the remaining cheese.  Let it melt while the lid remains off.   Stir together well.   Serve hot with your favorite chips, sliced veggies, or bread cubes.