Easiest Homemade Spinach and Artichoke Dip, A Chip's Delight

 Nothing beats a creamy, cheesy and delicious dip to go with your favorite chips, crudites and crusty breads. This recipe's main ingredient is courtesy of my little brother Allyn, who brought by some amazingly fresh and super huge artichokes.  I had some chopped spinach on hand for a quiche, but I had yet to deliver it, no stress, and the other ingredients were a perfect match, minus the eggs.  I prepared the artichoke dish in two vessels, each about 1 1/2 inches deep, to aid in cooking time and have one for now and one for later.  We really enjoyed the recipe and it also pairs nicely as a side dish to any protein, ours was the pork loin we had for dinner that night.
  Prep was done in two parts.  I cooked the artichokes the evening before, enjoying the outer leaves with a soy butter and lemon fusion. This is a messy yet delicious way to savor the little tidbits of edible artichoke flesh at the bottoms of each leaf.  Bronwyn and I were the only two up for this high energy partaking. I refrigerated the main portions, removing the choke and fibrous parts and chopped the rest. 
The spinach gives a super boost of substantial vegginess to the dish and compliments the artichoke well.  I used a combination of aged cheeses including Altu and Copper Kettle along with some cream cheese to add depth and flavor.  I made a bechamel to hold the fantastic cheeses and bind the dish together.  I also used a combination of minimal heavy cream and fat free evaporated milk for balance.  After baking for about 25 minutes at 375*F and allowing to stand for about 5 minutes, this versatile dip/side dish was ready to enjoy.


**Walmart has these Great Value brand Spicy Guacamole Tortilla Chips that are simply amazing and under a buck! They provide the perfect spice level and texture for serving as an appetizer!