3 Cheese Spinach Artichoke Dip with Crostini

In college, I began to get a reputation for being a good cook. Though I have made much progress since then,  I had built a foundation of great appetizers; this is one of them.  With the help of my handy, dandy food processor to puree all the ingredients together, you end up with a smooth, creamy texture in one minute or less. Fantastic! 

Dip:

1 1/2 c. fresh baby spinach leaves 

1, 12oz. jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained 

1-2 cloves garlic, peeled 

1/2 c.  sour cream 

4 oz. cream cheese, softened 

2 tbs. half and half (optional)

1/2 c. fresh grated Parmesan cheese 

3/4 c. shredded Mozzarella cheese 

1/4 c. shredded Asiago cheese 

• Preheat oven to 425 and lightly grease a small baking pan. 
• Place all dip ingredients into the bowl of a food processor. 
• Pulse until all ingredients combine and are well chopped.Pour dip into pan. 
• Bake 20-25 minutes (dip should be bubbly and lightly browned around edges.)

Crostini:

1 french baguette, thinly sliced 

extra virgin olive oil

• For crostini, pour 2 tbs. olive oil or so into a small dish. 
• Using a pastry brush, lightly brush each baguette slice with a olive oil. 
• Place each slice onto a baking sheet. 
• Place dip and crostini into the oven at the same time. 
• Bake crostini 10-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned and bread is crisp.