Next, It's New Years Eve - Try Some Spinach Parmesan Dip

Hello everyone!  We survived December 21, 2012, to celebrate a joyous Christmas.  Thankfully, the Mayan calendar just repeats.  Here's hoping your Christmas was wonderful as well.  Now that the hooplah has died down a bit (just a bit, there is more to come on Saturday), it's time to kick back and think about New Year's Eve.

Do you go out?  Do you have plans?  Do you share the evening with friends, family or just your special someone?  Do you have a potluck or prepare everything for a party yourself?  Whew, there is always so much to think about and plan.

I thought today I would start you with some New Year's Eve ideas for delicious snacks that we have been enjoying for years.  For Christmas Eve, I made our favorite spinach dip.  Our youngest son Tyler and I are BIG fans of spinach dip.  Since he was just a little fellow, he and I have always shared spinach dip as an appetizer when we go out to eat.  Actually, we have eaten spinach dip for our dinner on several occasions.  Why?  Because it is SOOOOO good.

This recipe comes from my St. Louis Days, St. Louis Nights cookbook that is one of my favorites.  The copyright in the book is 1994, so I have been making this delicious dip since then and it never fails to please.  Here is what you need:

1 10 ounce package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
1 1/3 cups grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 jar drained artichoke hearts (optional - we love them)
salt and pepper
thinly sliced jalapeno peppers, optional

Defrost and squeeze excess water out of spinach.  Mix together spinach, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, onion, garlic, cream cheese, and mayonnaise.  Season mixture with a little salt and pepper to taste.  (I actually don't add any).  Place in a greased casserole dish.  Top with thinly sliced jalapenos, if desired, and remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.  Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.  MMMM, MMMM, delicious!!

My friend Don's son got married a few years ago and I made a huge pan of this for his wedding shower.  It was a major hit - there wasn't any left.  Everyone wanted the recipe and so I gladly shared.  It is not only easy to make, it is easy to eat waaaaay too much of it.  I just keep telling myself it's spinach and spinach is good for you, right?  That's my story and I'm sticking too it.

This recipe is easy to multiply.  For Christmas Eve, I doubled the recipe for our family.  For Don's son's wedding shower, I made a roasting pan full and it tasted just as good as the original recipe.  Just make sure your pan is big enough to hold whatever you make.

Give this fabulous recipe a try, you are going to like it!!  Hopefully, we won't be buried in snow or ice come New Year's Eve and everyone will get to have a good time.  Here's hoping 2013 is a wonderful year for all of us!

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.  We are going to put words on them ourselves.  The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.  ~Edith Lovejoy Pierce