Spinach-Artichoke Dip & tradition...TRADITION!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Alright, alright, I know that Turkey Day isn't here quite yet, but blogging is the last thing I'm going to be doing Thursday, so you get my holiday wishes today. I absolutely adore Thanksgiving - to me it just feels like the official start of the holiday season! I'm already listening to Christmas music these days, but on Thanksgiving I will no longer feel like a big dork for listening so early. I'll also bust out all of my Christmas decorations, and for the next month or so I'll become a more cheerful person...I can't explain it, it just comes with the holiday. This year we'll be spending the holiday with Dick's side of the fam, and although I love them dearly, I have a hard time not doing exactly what I've done for my whole life (or as long as I can remember) with my own family. I'm a terribly sentimental and emotional person that holds fast to tradition, and when something, even my own marriage, messes with those traditions my world gets seriously rocked! Crazy, I know. Anyway, I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions since I won't actually be doing them this year, and maybe this new coping mechanism will help me not be such a basket case hahaha.

Probably not, but here's hoping!

Waking up to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - I love the Rockettes!!!

Watching Mr. Pederman host the National Dog Show.

As if that wasn't enough tv, watching Miracle on 34th Street (yes, the new one!), before even taking a shower for the day.

Trucking it to Grandma Shirl's for my aunt Dayna's killer Monkey Bread (which I just realized when searching for a picture is not what the rest of the world thinks monkey bread is!). Also, we may never enjoy this family fave again, now that she's on a crazy no-carb diet!

Making the saddest looking graham cracker gingerbread houses you've ever seen, after dinner is cleaned up, but not before it has completely settled in our stomachs.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, and that you enjoy all of your favorite traditions!!! Maybe this awesome dip can be a new tradition to add to your spread this year.

Spinach-Artichoke Dip

From the Food Network Magazine

Ingredients

1 10-oz bag baby spinach

1 c. packed fresh basil

3/4 c. canned cannellini beans, drained & rinsed (I used garbanzo beans)

6 oz Neufchatel cream cheese

1 clove garlic, smashed

1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth

1 14-oz can artichoke hearts, drained & squeezed dry & finely chopped

1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

3/4 c. shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

pinch of cayenne pepper

2-3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

freshly ground black pepper

cooking spray

chips or crackers for serving

Directions

1. preheat oven to 450 degrees. bring a pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a bowl of ice water. stir the spinach and basil into the boiling water and cook until bright green, ~30 seconds. remove w/ a slotted spoon and immediately plunge in the ice water. drain and squeeze dry, then roughly chop.

2. puree the beans, cream cheese, garlic, & chicken broth in a food processor until smooth, scraping the sides as needed. transfer to a medium bowl and fold in the spinach and basic, artichokes, Parmesan & 1/2 c. mozzarella. add the cayenne, Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 tsp salt, and black pepper to taste.

3. mist a deep 1-quart casserole dish w/ cooking spray. spread the dip mixture in the dish & top w/ the remaining 1/4 c. mozzarella. bake until golden & bubbly, 20-25 minutes. serve warm w/ chips or crackers.

Coming up:

Pecan-Cranberry Pumpkin Bread