Artichoke and Spinach Dip

Artichoke and spinach dip is one of my favorites. It's amazingly simple and quick to put together, and it's perfect for snacking on during parties!

Best of all - no cooking is required to make the tastiest artichoke and spinach dip ever. And it'll be ready in about ten minutes! :D

This is my version of Alton Brown's famous artichoke and spinach dip - I've tweaked it a bit over the years and added more things!

Step 1: What You'll Need:

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/3-1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• good pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 14.5 oz can artichoke hearts, drained (this will be about 1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts)
• 1/2 cup chopped frozen spinach, defrosted and drained

You can mess around with the seasonings tons - this is just what I like. Sometimes I even do more red peppers than that - I love the spiciness along with all the creaminess. :D

Keep in mind that the parmesan will make this plenty salty, so it's best to taste test and then add additional salt.

Step 2: Chop the Artichoke Hearts and Drain the Spinach

Drain the artichoke hearts first, and chop them as finely as you like.

Next, defrost the spinach in the microwave - I like to pack it in a 1/2 cup measure and microwave it 30 seconds at a time, packing more spinach in on top of the defrosted spinach. :) This will take just a couple minutes.

Once the spinach is defrosted, squeeze out any excess water.

Set the spinach and artichokes aside once they're prepped!

Step 3: Heat the Cream Cheese in the Microwave

Place the cream cheese in a large bowl and pop it in the microwave for 1:30-2 minutes, or until nice and warm. It should be very soft and easily mixed when done.

Step 4: Add the Rest of the Ingredients and Mix!

Add in the spinach and artichokes, the seasonings, and the cheese, sour cream and mayo. :D

Mix very well - when you don't see any clumps of spinach you're good to go.

Step 5: Serve!

I typically heat it up in the microwave again once it's mixed - it's excellent hot!

If you have a crockpot, it's easy to keep it out and warm for hours, and I think buying a crockpot is worth all the delicious artichoke and spinach dip you'll be eating out of it. :D