Spinach Artichoke Dip

Friday night, Morgan and Blake came over to join Eric and me for a night of bad for us appetizers, beer and board games. It was the perfect end to what felt like a really long week (even though it was 20% shorter than the average week). We made pigs in a blanket, crustinis with shallots and goat cheese, nachos, chili dip and spinach artichoke dip. And we ate, and we drank and then my heart stopped beating from all the abuse I just hit it with.

Well, my heart didn’t actually stop, but I did almost die on Friday. You have to promise that when I tell you this story you will not judge me. Promise? Uncross your fingers. Okay, I’ll tell you.

I know this may come as a surprise to you, but I am a little competitive. Just a little. Barely even a smidge. But, sometimes my competitive nature gets the best of me. Usually when I am drinking and playing board games. Even though Eric is totally aware of this, he still plays with me. Bless his heart. After five scoreless rounds of Cranium, I was more than a little frustrated. On turn number six, the time wound down with out us getting the answer right, and something inside of me snapped. What happened was not intentional. I did not mean to chuck the Playdough at Eric’s head. I did not mean to hit him square in the forehead at 90 miles per hour. It just happened.

The look on Eric’s face after what I can only refer to, as “the incident” was hands down the scariest thing I have ever seen. It was a mix of anger, shock and sadness. Instantly, I realized that what I had done was a big deal. A REALLY BIG DEAL. And oh man was it AWKWARD. Not only did Eric want to kill me, but also Blake and Morgan wanted to run out the door so they weren’t witnesses to the beating I totally deserved.

However, Eric is a much MUCH better person than me. So, he let me live. He even did his best to salvage the night and we even went on to win the game. Thanks to Eric, I am still alive today to tell you this story (you said you would not judge) and to show you the amazing food.

Thank you Eric! Enjoy

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1½ cups (6 ounces) finely shredded or grated Parmesan cheese, divided

1½ cups (6 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

2/3 cup sour cream

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 garlic cloves, finely minced

Paprika, to taste (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Press the excess moisture from the spinach. Combine the artichokes, spinach, 1¼ cups of Parmesan cheese, 1¼ cups of Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, and garlic in a bowl and mix well.

Spoon the artichoke mixture into a 1½-quart baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheeses on top, and then sprinkle with paprika, if desired. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve warm with tortilla or pita chips, crackers or vegetables.