Okay, here’s my attempt at recreating that spinach artichoke dip, following your instructions:
My Go at Houston’s Spinach Artichoke Dip
Alright, so I’ve been craving that amazing spinach and artichoke dip from Houston’s. You know, the one that’s super creamy and cheesy, with just the right amount of, well, everything? I decided to finally try making it myself, rather than driving all the way there. Figured I’d save some gas money and, you know, learn a new skill, maybe?.
First, I gathered all the stuff I needed. I’m talking about:
- Frozen spinach, because who has time to deal with fresh spinach?
- A can of artichoke hearts. Make sure they are the ones in water, not oil.
- Cream cheese, because, duh.
- Some Parmesan cheese, because more cheese is always better.
- Mayonnaise.I know it sounds weird, but I find it made the texture super smooth!
- A little bit of * is best, but powder works, too.
- Salt and pepper. Add it step by step.
I started by thawing the spinach. I just tossed it in the microwave for a few minutes until it wasn’t a solid block of ice anymore. Then, and this is important, I squeezed the heck out of it. Seriously, you gotta get all that extra water out, or your dip will be a watery mess. I used a clean kitchen towel and just twisted and squeezed until I was sure no more water would come out.
Next, I chopped up the artichoke hearts. I didn’t want huge chunks, so I diced them up pretty small. Then, in a big bowl, I combined the spinach, artichokes, cream cheese, Parmesan, mayonnaise, garlic, salt, and pepper.
I mixed everything together with a big spoon. At first, it looked kind of… unappetizing. Like, a weird, lumpy mess. But I kept stirring, and slowly but surely, it started to come together. The cream cheese softened and everything blended into this beautiful, creamy concoction.
Once it was all mixed, I transferred the dip to an oven-safe dish. I sprinkled a little extra Parmesan cheese on top, because, why not? Then, I popped it in the oven. It was preheated to, like, 350 degrees Fahrenheit, I guess. I didn’t really time it, I just waited until it was bubbly and golden brown on top. Maybe 20 minutes? 25?
Finally, I pulled it out of the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. I served it up with some tortilla * was really good!
It wasn’t exactly like Houston’s, I will be honest. But honestly, it was pretty darn close! And way cheaper than going out. Plus, now I can make it whenever I want. Win-win!
