Spinach-artichoke dip

Spinach-artichoke dip reminds me of being in high school or even early college... it's the appetizer we would get when my friends and I first starting eating out by ourselves (i.e., without parents around). It was really popular at every chain sit-down restaurant (and probably still is). I haven't had spinach-artichoke dip in years and I've never made it at home until now. I've looked at recipes for it over the years, but I always found them to be full of mayo and just not that appealing when it was broken down into its ingredients. But, I recently saw a recipe on the Smart Cookie's blog that inspired me to make some spinach-artichoke dip at home. I loved this recipe - it was soooo gooey and creamy, but it also had a lot of spinach flavor as well as a slight onion and garlic flavor. Underneath that layer of golden cheese is a ton of spinach. It was way better than any dip I remember eating in those restaurants back in the day.

Forgive my not-so-pretty dish -- I don't have that many broiler safe dishes. Also, there was no way we were waiting to eat this dip while I tried to get a great shot or transfer the dip to a different serving dish. You want it while it's hot and bubbling! Serve this dip with corn chips, celery sticks, and any other vegetable of your choice. Make it for your next gathering - it's perfect for a game night or while watching a movie. Everyone will be happy to dig in to this old favorite.

Spinach-artichoke dip
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 pint heavy whipping cream
1 (10 oz.) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 can (8 oz.) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese, divided
sea salt, to taste
fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

Preheat the broiler.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic, cook, stirring often, until just soft. Add the flour and whisk until it become a light blond color.

Slowly whisk in the cream. Let it cook for about 3-4 minutes while whisking often. Add the spinach. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the mixture thickens.

Stir in the artichokes. Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the mozzarella and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese until melted and combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Pour into a broiler safe dish. Top with remaining cheese. Place under the broiler until the top is brown and bubbly, about 4-5 minutes.

Serve immediately with your chosen chips, crackers, and/or veggies.