Does Spinach And Artichoke Dip Really Need Spinach And Artichokes?

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It was the first spontaneous get-together with my sister when we were both fully vaccinated. This called for sparkling rosé and an unhealthy appetizer. I decided on the tried and true standby: spinach and artichoke dip. A classic recipe passed down from my mom and now poorly written on an index card.

Five ingredients. This was an easy choice or so I thought.

My Instacart shopper — Kerilyn — was flying through my weekly order until she refunded me for the frozen, chopped spinach. Hmmmm. Given the appetizer's name, I don't think I could forgo spinach. Kerilyn was already at checkout. There was no time for a last-minute addition of a seven-layer dip or potato skins.

So, the next morning I found myself at Safeway. After grabbing a bag of spinach and an impulse People magazine purchase, I was checking out.

Once home, I began to prep the dip. I thawed the spinach in the microwave and drained it in the colander. I grabbed one cup of mayonnaise, followed by one cup of parmesan cheese. Check, check, check. Next, a can of chopped, green chiles.

Last ingredient – the artichoke hearts. Strange, I didn't remember putting those away when I unpacked my Instacart order. Searching my pantry, I realized they weren't there. Kerilyn forgot them. Correction. I forgot to put them on my order. Whoops. Artichokes, another key ingredient for this appetizer.

My husband took pity on me at this point and ran out to the grocery store so I could complete the nearly finished appetizer.

The morals of this story? Spinach and artichokes are strongly recommended when preparing spinach and artichoke dip. Go figure. Plus, always have ingredients for a quick appetizer on hand. I could've saved three trips to the grocery store from three people. I'm kicking myself that I didn't have these already because the spinach can go in the freezer, while the other unopened ingredients can reside in my pantry. Anyhow. Here is the recipe for your next social gathering – enjoy!


Spinach & Artichoke Dip Recipe

Ingredients

10 oz. frozen, chopped spinach, drained

1 small jar (6.5 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, chopped

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup parmesan cheese

1 small can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles

Instructions

Step 1: Mix together all five ingredients in a casserole dish

Step 2: Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes

Step 3: Serve with tortilla chips or crackers

Lauren Burke Meyer is a Severna Park native who was inspired to write Lauren’s Law as a humorous play on the well-known Murphy’s Law adage: “anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.”

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