Spinach and Artichoke Dip
(Recipe courtesy
Emeril Lagasse but George likes it too)
Prep Time:
20
min
Inactive
Prep Time:
--
Cook
Time:
30
min
Level:
Easy
Serves:
6
to 8 servings
Ingredients
2
(10-ounce) packages fresh spinach, well rinsed and stems trimmed
4
tablespoons unsalted butter
1
cup chopped yellow onions
1
tablespoon minced garlic
1
teaspoon salt
1/2
teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4
teaspoon cayenne
1/4
cup all-purpose flour
1
cup milk
1
cup heavy cream
2
teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1
cup 1/2-inch cubes rindless Brie
1
cup grated Monterey Jack
1
(6 1/2-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
4
strips bacon, fried crisp, drained and chopped
1/4
cup grated Parmesan
Assorted
chips for dipping (pita chips, tortilla chips, bagel chips)
Directions
Preheat
the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-inch round chafing dish and set
aside.
Bring
a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the spinach in batches and cook until
wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and refresh under cold running water. Squeeze to
remove all excess water and chop. Set aside. In a medium pot, melt the butter
over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add
the garlic, salt, pepper, and cayenne, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add
the flour and cook, stirring constantly, to make a light roux, about 2 minutes.
Add the milk and cream in a steady stream, and cook, stirring constantly, until
thick and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cooked spinach and lemon juice, and
stir to incorporate. Add the cubed and grated cheeses, artichoke hearts, and
bacon, and stir well. Remove from the heat and pour into the prepared dish. Top
with the Parmesan and bake until bubbly, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven
and serve hot with chips.
What Haunts Me - Review by Martha A. Cheves, Author of Stir, Laugh, Repeat; Think With Your
Taste Buds; A Book and A Dish
“I noticed a woman of
about thirty standing just off the sidewalk on the grass. Her appearance
was right out of the 1940's; her dress hung below her knees with padded
shoulders and semi-tailored waste line, Mary Jane shoes, hair neatly done up in
side rolls. Yet, it wasn't the vintage apparel that stood out so much; it
was that she was untouched by the light rain that was coating everything and
everyone around her. Of course, it was also the Harry Potter glasses that
she wore, and the fact that she seemed to be intently focused on John.
For no other reason but
instinct, I raised the umbrella and gently jabbed it at her as we walked
past. A look of horror filled her face, and then she swirled away into a
grey mist, just like the ghost, or whatever he was, had done when I was a kid
at Bobby's house. Now that I remembered it all, it occurred to me that
John didn't have a lisp...anymore.”
George is a normal young
man in his 30's. His mother had died when he was young, he was raised by
his father, went to school, ended up becoming very successful in the real
estate field and even bought himself a nice home on the top floor of a building
that housed only one other person who was an elderly lady named Justine
Wilkinson.
After getting over a
bout of the flu George found his life changing before his eyes. He was
seeing 'ghosts' that were haunting people and making them ill. He also discovered
that he could poke them with a pencil and they would, for the lack of a better
word 'die.' Then came the memories of his childhood. Apparently he
was able to do this as a child but for some reason didn't remember it until
now. These memories and the events now taking place in his life are
wreaking havoc on his life and he doesn't know how to make it stop.
George is a GK or ghost
killer. They come in all power stages and ranks with him being one of the
best. But he ends up with a mission that has to be handled before the bad
ghosts take over. This book is the perfect beginning for a TV
series. If you like the Walking Dead you'll really love What Haunts
Me. I'd love to see this picked up by a producer, yes it's that good.