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Little Dipper Spinach Artichoke Dip

Most of you will have a little dipper Crockpot that came with your grown-up slow cooker. If not, you can purchase one separately for less than ten dollars. Most people take the little one and put it in the back of a cabinet and forget about it. But any recipe that's dip sized and needs to be served warm is perfect for this little guy.

I seem to entertain all through December. I don't know about you, but most of the people I know get grumpy when they have to wait too long to eat. So I always have some snacks set up for early arrivals.

A rich warm dip set out with fresh veggies and crackers quells their hunger, but they can still sit down and eat a big meal. This one is lower in fat to prepare for the decadent meal to come, but your guests will never guess.

Little Dipper Spinach Artichoke Dip
  • 1 package neufatel cream cheese (It has less fat and more moisture than regular cream cheese.)
  • 1/2 box frozen spinach (no draining necessary)
  • 1 jar (or can) artichoke hearts
  • 2 TB milk, yogurt, or sour cream (whatever you happen to have on hand)
  • 1 tsp dried thyme or 1 TB fresh
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup 2% grated Italian blend cheese
Turn on your little dipper so it can start to warm up while you get your ingredients out of the fridge. You can spray the crock with a little oil to make cleanup easier.

First add the cream cheese and milk in the crock to soften up. Keep stirring it until it's soft enough to mix the other ingredients in. You may need to cover it to speed this process up a little. It should only take a few minutes. Add more milk (or even a little wine if you're adventurous) if needed.

Once you can stir the cheese, add the rest of the ingredients and stir together. Add more milk if it's too dry.

Grab an extension cord and a trivet. Plug in the little dipper and put it on a side table where guests will gather. Cut up broccoli, brightly colored bell peppers, summer squash slices, and carrots, of course. Serve in your best Noritake Colorwave. I love the accent plates in this series; they really help the colors of the veggies pop.

Author: Kathy Hester

Posted: Thursday 10th December 2009, 6:24 AM



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