2022 REMIX: I recently decided to make this for a birthday party app a couple of months ago, and went back to my recipe for the crab dip, but decided to spice things up a bit. Don’t get me wrong, the original dip was yummy, but this one takes the cake for sure! I’ve adjusted the recipe below to reflect the new favorite app! ENJOY!!!
2020 has been…I don’t know even know, and I’m sure a lot of you feel the same. A lot of things (good and bad) have happened, as I know many of you have experienced as well. Last week I did not post anything because my grandfather passed away on Monday. He was an amazing person, with an outrageous career as an Air Force pilot (he was one of 11 pilots who got to fly the SR-71 Blackbird for the CIA – how many people can say that?!), and he even made the trip from Colorado Springs to Buffalo for our wedding two years ago. I will miss him dearly, but I know that he’s with my Grandma, which brings some comfort.
And then you have some good things too, which in light of the timing of everything, was really bittersweet. If aren’t on Instagram (which is where I post a lot of the cookies I’m currently working on), on Thursday, Frankie & I closed on our very first home together! Below is the brand new headquarters of The Real Cooking Maggie, and I’m pretty excited to get in there. Double ovens for all the cookies!
Now, for this week’s recipe! With the holidays in full swing, my family LOVES a baller dip – something that pairs well with a beer, a glass of wine, you know, those moments when everything is on pause because you’re tired from cooking, or just relaxing (which can be exhausting too) and you want to just sit around the table and talk, laugh, share stories. Well, this is a great dip for just that! Surprising light, luscious, and all the good kinds of cheesy, this is a great dip for pregaming to holiday football games, and Christmas movies. Oh, and if you have a fireplace, and enjoy whiskey, may I suggest a move to that area, sitting on some pillows on the floor, and putting this on a small table in the middle. Yeah…that’s definitely the stuff.
UPDATE 1/1/2021: we made it AGAIN and adjusted it to ONE BOWL!!! No precooking the cheese none sense, and we changed the cheese to white cheddar for some extra oomph (and took out the spinach because it felt excessive).
Anyway, hoping your days with the ongoing holiday season are merry and bright! And hoping all of you reading this are staying safe and well!
— Cooking Maggie
Spinach, Artichoke, (and Crab) Dip
Ingredients – Serves 6-8
- 7.5 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and diced
- 1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
- 1/2 8 oz package cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cup shredded pepper jacket cheese
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 package of bagel chips or bruschetta rounds (usually in your bread aisle or bakery section – you want the hard crispy kind)
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- OPTIONAL: 1 can of special crab meat (you should be able to find this by the seafood counter of your local grocer – skip if you can’t find it, or want to go an all veggie route, it’s just as good without!)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- In an electric mixer (or in a bowl with with a hand mixer) put all ingredients except the crab in the bowl and mix till well combined and fluffy. When totally mixed, add in the crab, and mix slowly to fully incorporate. (Skip the crab if going an all veggie route.)
- Spread the mixture evenly in a cast iron skillet or ceramic baking dish.
- Place skillet in the oven and cook for 10 minutes, then turn off your oven and turn the broiler on high for 5 minutes. Remove when the cheese starts to brown and bubble, then serve immediately.
- If after a minute it starts to cool down, you can always throw the skillet on the stove and heat it up on medium for a few minutes to get it bubbling again.
The Real Cooking Maggie 
Great looking dip. Do you think it would be as tasty if I added salmon instead of crab?
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Absolutely! You can also forgo the seafood if that’s not your thing
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A precise & well-wrtitten post. Thanks heaps for sharing it.
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