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Spinach Artichoke Dip

Good food is one of my favorite holiday traditions. Over the years, my family has gathered a list of “go to” recipes that we enjoy. Spinach Artichoke Dip is high on our list. And now it can be on yours.

Warm up the dip and you’ll be enveloped in a heavenly aroma. And it tastes even better than it smells. Enjoy.

Click on the link for a .pdf copy of the recipe.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

1 package frozen chopped spinach

1 small jar artichoke hearts, chopped

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 cup butter

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

4 oz. heavy whipping cream

8 oz. cream cheese

8 oz. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

4 oz. shredded Swiss cheese

4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

4 oz. shredded Parmesan cheese

Thaw and drain the spinach. Squeeze the spinach well, and set it aside.

Saute the onion and garlic in butter. Stir in the cayenne pepper.

Using a mixer at medium speed, whip the cream. Gradually fold in the cream cheese until it makes a creamy mixture. Add in all remaining ingredients.

Marinate the dip in the refrigerator for at least two hours. Heat the dip in a slow cooker or bake in a 9 x 13 pan at 350* until the cheeses are melted. Serve with chips.

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Chocolate Raspberry Crème Brulee

A Tribute to Jacquelyn Williams

My sweet mother-in-law, Jackie Williams, passed away a few days ago, nine weeks to the day after my father-in-law, Gene Williams, died. We miss them both.

Jackie was kind and gentle, which led her to pursue a career in nursing. She loved the Savior, her family, and baseball. (Go D-backs!) And tenors. She loved to listen to tenors, especially George Dyer.

Jackie supported my cooking obsession. Whenever I posted a photo on social media of something I had cooked, Jackie always acknowledged my efforts, usually with a single word: “Yummy.” She regularly told me that if I opened a restaurant, she would be the first person in line. I’m glad that she liked my cooking.

For more than 20 years, I have made Christmas Eve Dinner for my family. When Gene and Jackie retired to Arizona, we invited them to join us for our holiday meal. They always came.

One year, I served crème brulee with our meal. It was her first experience with the smooth, creamy dessert. She was hooked.

After that point, whenever I asked my family for suggestions for the holiday menu, Jackie always responded, “Crème brulee.” If the proposed menu included some other dessert, Jackie would sigh, “No crème brulee?” If I made a different dessert, she would remark, “It was good, but it’s not crème brulee.”

She loved crème brulee.

Over the years, I made a number of different versions of crème brulee for our dinner: chocolate, orange, lemon (Gene loved lemons), lime, and raspberry. She loved them all.

A few weeks ago, as we were settling into our lockdown phase of life, I got an urge to make a tart and creamy blend of two of my favorite flavors, chocolate and raspberry.  Jackie liked it. I hope you do as well.

Chocolate Raspberry Crème Brulee

Adapted from The Pastry Chef’s Little Black Book

  • 8 oz. chocolate (72%)
  • 1 qt. heavy cream
  • 8 oz. whole milk
  • 1/2 vanilla bean (split & scraped)
  • 4 oz. raspberry puree
  • 8 egg yolks
  • 10 oz. sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler and set aside.

In a saucepan, bring the cream, milk, and vanilla bean to a boil.

Stir in the melted chocolate and the raspberry puree, and bring the mixture to a scald.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and salt. Slowly add the hot chocolate cream into the egg yolk mixture until smooth and homogenous. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer.

Remove excess air bubbles from the top of the creme brulee custard by placing a piece of plastic wrap or paper towel on the surface and then removing.

Bake in a water bath at 275* until the custard trembles slightly when shaken (about one hour). When the custards have cooled, sprinkle them with turbinado sugar or brown sugar. Use a torch to melt the sugar to form the brulee topping.

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Pickled Red Onions

A number of years ago, I was in charge of the food for about 250 young people and their adult leaders at a church-sponsored youth conference. As we got close to the date of the conference, the conference chairman looked over the menu.

“Pickled onions?” he asked in disbelief. “The kids aren’t going to eat that!”

“Just trust me,” I replied.

He did. The pickled onions were a hit.

Pickled onions are sweet, sour, and crunchy. They bring a crispy bite of acid that complements fish tacos and smoky meats, nachos and burgers, salads and beans.  You just can’t go wrong. Serve them in a bowl at the table, and people will gobble them up.

Pickled Red Onions

  • 2 large red onions
  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tsp. salt

Slice the onions in half through the root end. Trim the ends of the onions, and slice the onions into 1/8 inch wide half-moon pieces.

Blanch the onion slices in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain the onions in a colander. Dissolve the sugar and salt in the vinegar in a heavy non-reactive pan. Return the onions to the brine, and add enough cold water to just cover the onions.

Bring the brine to a boil over high heat. Simmer the onions for 1 minute.

Transfer the onions and the brine to a large glass jar. Store the jar in the refrigerator. The onions will become crisp and turn bright pink as they cool. They are as beautiful as they are tasty.

Variations:

  • Different types of vinegar bring different flavors to the table, so feel free to experiment.
  • Add 2 tablespoons Mexican oregano and 2 bay leaves to the brine to vary the flavor.
  • Add 6 to 8 cloves of peeled garlic to the onions in the brine to bring a richness to the brine. (Garlic makes just about everything better.)
  • If you want to bring some heat to the onions, add jalapeno slices or red pepper flakes to the brine.
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License to Cook

Early in the pandemic while I was working at home, I went out to check the mail and found an oversized envelope from the Department of Motor Vehicles. Curious, I opened the envelope and found vanity plates highlighting two of my biggest interests: Legal Chow and Arizona State University.

I inadvertently ruined my wife’s birthday surprise for me. Oops!

Thanks, Sweetie. I’m now officially licensed to cook.