I haven't had a lot of time to cook this week...mostly because I'm lazy and I have a lot of Lean Cuisines in the freezer, so there isn't a whole lot of motivation to do anything fancy. Actually, nix that. The other night, I made some rice and then realized the green pepper I was going to stir fry to go with it was completely covered in mold, so the next best idea (not necessarily good idea) was to mix my rice with salsa. Yup, that half-empty jar of salsa in the back of the fridge. And it tasted...like rice mixed with salsa. Sort of gross. I tried to spice it up with a little chili powder, but somehow that pinch I put in added WAAAAY too much spicy and I couldn't really eat the rest without gagging a bit. So note to self: don't mix salsa with rice. Ever. At least, not without adding many, many other ingredients as well so the salsa no longer tastes like boring ol' salsa.
Alright! So on to this week's recipe! This is a favorite I have made a hundred times before and it is gloriously delicious. It is the crowd favorite at office potlucks and tailgates and other get-togethers when you need an easy appetizer. I think I found this recipe on epicurious.com, but I can't for the life of me find it there right now, so please don't sue me Fancy Chef Who Invented This Recipe.
Ingredients:
10 oz. package of frozen chopped spinach
16 oz. jar of your favorite salsa
2 cups shredded cheese (I tend to use the Mexican or Taco blend)
8 oz. bar of cream cheese
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Bag of your favorite tortilla chips
Instructions:
Thaw spinach and be sure to squeeze out as much excess water as you can. Mix all ingredients (except for chips) together and put in an oven-safe dish. Bake at 350 degrees until the dip starts to bubble, usually 20-30 minutes (I think...you can experiment with different temperatures and times...since I lost the original recipe, I have no idea how long the dang thing really needs to be in the oven). Enjoy!
My Own Improvements:
-The chunkier your salsa, the better. I haven't tried any salsas with beans or corn in them, but maybe I will next time. Sounds yummy! And feel free to add chopped tomatoes, peppers, onions, or whatever else your little heart desires. You can't really mess up this dish (which is perhaps why I make it so often).
-Fat free or low fat shredded cheese and cream cheese work just as well as anything else I've tried, so if you're looking to cut back on calories, go right ahead. The flavor of shredded cheese all depends on your own personal desires...the taco blend will add a little kick, which I personally enjoy.
-For an even spicier dip, add a pinch of chili powder or dried pepper seeds.
-There was one time when Alex and I were really hungry and I just wanted to make something fast, so I put the dip on top of a wheat pizza and cooked it. It turned out pretty darn well! Hooray for thinking outside of the box!
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3 comments:
try black bean salsa with it! yummmmmmmmers.
This sounds AWESOME! How long does it take you to thaw frozen spinach? That's the part I always screw up.
I'm usually REALLY impatient about waiting for spinach to thaw, so I fill a mixing bowl with hot water, unwrap the spinach, and put the whole frozen block in there. Wait ten minutes or so, then you can start breaking pieces off the block, squeezing the water out, and adding it in with the rest of the ingredients. The water will turn a delicious shade of green, too, hahaha.
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