The Daily Rant: How To Get Kids To Eat Vegetables

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

How To Get Kids To Eat Vegetables

Can't get your kids to eat spinach? Encase it in hot, cheesy goodness!! OK, so maybe it's a little on the fattening side; send them out to play a few extra times that week. Ed and I love to get hot spinach and artichoke dip wherever we can. It’s usually served with tortilla chips, but I prefer the plain pita chips – like the "Simply Naked" ones that Stacy’s makes.

Ooooh, and by the way, they have fantastic Cinnamon Sugar ones too....oh, I wish I had one of those right now. Crispy. Cinnamony. Sugary. DEEElicious. Oh my, they're just the BEST. As my friend Gi-Gi would say, "Nom Nom Nom".

OK, so back to the recipe…this is the dip I made as my contribution to the Thanksgiving appetizer line-up and it was a big hit. Thankfully, I made two dishes so we’d have a second opportunity to indulge. It couldn’t have been easier. Try it out for yourself.

HOT SPINACH AND ARTICHOKE DIP

THE INGREDIENTS
1 10oz. package of frozen chopped spinach
15 oz. artichoke hearts, chopped (I bought two cans of whole hearts and chopped them myself)
2 cups shredded parmesan cheese, ¼ cup (or less) set aside to sprinkle on finished product
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 package (8oz) Philadelphia Cream Cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup of mayo (I only use Hellman’s!)
Cayenne Pepper, to taste
Black Pepper, to taste

THE PROCESS
1. Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Thaw spinach and drain the liquid from it. I just squished it against the colander with a big wooden spoon to get all the water out.

3. Combine spinach, artichokes and garlic in a bowl and set aside.

4. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, parmesan cheese (remember to set aside ¼ cup), mayonnaise, cayenne and black pepper. Cream together.

5. Add spinach to the cream cheese mixture and mix well.

6. Put mixture into a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes.

7. Take foil off, sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese and bake uncovered for another 15-20 minutes until the top gets golden brown and the cheese melts. I like getting it a little crispy on top, which ensures it’s nice and hot.

8. Serve with tortilla chips (I prefer the white corn ones), pita chips or even toasted slices of baguette.

9. Enjoy!!

Click HERE to get the recipe to print out.