Stovetop Spinach & Artichoke Dip

Christmas this year has literally crept up on me! I think I’m nearly done with my shopping and I’m about ready to celebrate. I found myself feeling more festive this year and I think it’s because we missed out on a lot of celebrating last year when we were in Europe. Don’t get me wrong, celebrating the holiday season in Prague, Munich and Italy was seriously magical but there’s something about being surrounded by friends and family that makes it extra special. This year I’m soaking up all of the  holiday festivities and also enjoying time alone with home with my husband and snacks like this easy Stovetop Spinach & Artichoke Dip.

Let’s sidetrack for a minute and talk about one of my favorite home activities: puzzles. Is anyone else with me? Last year for Christmas my husband and I bought a puzzle of Florence while we were living in Florence and spent time putting it together. I love that it’s challenging and it’s something fun to do together instead of just watching television and clicking around on our phones.

I recently stumbled upon Piecework Puzzles and instantly fell in love with their fun designs! Their puzzles are great to do alone, around a table with friends or they also make a great hostess gift! They sent me the Forbidden Fruit puzzle to put together and I was in love with the fun, vibrant colors and the mix of juicy, exotic fruits and cocktails. Doesn’t that just sound like fun?

You’re going to want one of these puzzles for the cold winter nights spent inside with your friends or loved ones and nothing goes better with puzzling than a glass of wine and fun snacks. I love this stovetop spinach & artichoke dip because it’s super easy to make and takes out the need to cream the cheese together before baking. You don’t even have to bake it! You can easily serve this dip at your next gathering at home or bring it to a fun holiday party.

Before we get to the recipe, let’s talk about the giveaway! Piecework Puzzles is giving one of my lucky readers their Forbidden Fruit jigsaw puzzle! Here’s how to enter:

• To enter the blog giveaway: Leave a comment on this post telling me about your favorite way to spend time with your friends and family during the holiday season.
• Bonus Entry #1: Head over to Instagram and follow my profile AND comment on today’s post. Then come back here and comment on this post telling me you have done both.
• Bonus Entry #2: Head over to Instagram and follow Piecework Puzzles and then come back here and comment on this post telling me you did so!
• Bonus Entry #3: Share this giveaway on your Facebook page then come back here and leave a link to your post.
• US entrants only, winners will be chosen 12/23/19 and notified via email the next day! GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED

And now for the recipe!

Stovetop Spinach & Artichoke Dip

 

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Author: April | Food n' Focus

Ingredients

• Bread Bowl
• 1 large sourdough boule or other round country loaf (about 10" in diameter)
• 5 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Kosher salt
• Spinach-Artichoke Dip
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 6 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2 15-oz. cans artichoke hearts, drained, quartered
• 10 oz. baby spinach or frozen chopped spinach, thawed
• 1½ tsp. (or more) kosher salt
• 16 oz. cream cheese, cut into 1"-thick slices
• 3½ oz. finely grated Parmesan (about 1 cup), plus more to top
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more
• Pita chips, pretzel chips or crackers for serving

Instructions

1. Bread Bowl: Preheat oven to 350°. Using a serrated knife, cut about 1" off top of boule. Using your hands, scoop out bread from the inside of the loaf, leaving about a 1" -thick wall all around. Tear bread and top slice into 1½" pieces. Place torn bread and bread bowl on a rimmed baking sheet, discarding any small crumbs. Toss torn bread with 3 Tbsp. oil and season with salt. Coat inside of bread bowl with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil.
2. Bake until edges of bread bowl are golden and crisp and torn pieces are browned, 25–30 minutes. Let cool.
3. Spinach-Artichoke Dip: Melt butter in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring often, until very fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Add artichokes and cook, tossing, until well coated in butter, 1–2 minutes longer. Add spinach and salt and continue to cook, stirring and folding often, until spinach has wilted and most of the liquid is cooked off, 7–8 minutes. Add cream cheese and cook, stirring constantly, until melted. Add 3½ oz. Parmesan and 1 tsp. pepper and stir until melted and creamy. Taste and season with salt if needed.
4. Transfer dip to bread bowl. (If it doesn’t all fit, serve remaining dip on the side or refill bread bowl as it gets eaten.) Top with Parmesan and a crank of pepper.

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