Spinach Dip
Memories.
I was turning three years old, and I had chicken pox. Since I was so highly contagious, my parents cancelled my birthday party with my friends from pre-school, so none of them would catch it from me. Instead, we had a party with all of my relatives, who had all had chicken pox already. My sister was only eight months old, not even walking yet. It would be several years before my brother was born. I recall very little from that birthday, except that there were a lot of big people standing around (What? I was tiny then) and there were many balloons floating by the ceiling. The only thing I remember about the food was a three tiered serving dish (this dish made appearances at many parties) with spinach dip in the bowl-shaped tier, and cubes of French bread on another tier.
Elementary school. Every year I would have a birthday party, and everyone loved mine. Perhaps I’m a bit biased, but I always thought my birthday parties were the most fun. I never had sleep overs, and I was never allowed to have a bounce house like many of my friends did. No… what made my parties so great were the treasure hunts. In the weeks before my party, my dad would make up different puzzle hints that we would have to solve in order to find the next clue. Each clue was accompanied with a box of silly little prizes – erasers, pencils, pieces of candy… and the team who finished the treasure hunt first would win a prize. We always had so much fun running around the house and the yard, trying to figure out each clue. For every birthday party, I would request spinach dip. Some of my friends would be a little hesitant about trying a green dip made out of spinach, but once I made them try it, they always loved it.
In 2006, I threw a graduation party for Son. He had just gotten his master’s degree in computer science, and I wanted to throw him a party to celebrate. I spent the entire day cooking. I made won-tons, apple pie, deviled eggs, even a little sushi. (This was several months before I started Sushi Day, and my sushi-making skills were severely lacking.) But my favorite dish of the night was the spinach dip. Out of everyone who showed up, I probably ate the most spinach dip.
Every family has their one food (or two or three) that makes it to every party. For some it might be a pasta salad, for others it could be your grandma’s cheesecake. For us, it’s spinach dip. Since the beginnings of time, there has not been a party at my parents’ house (and now at mine) that did not involve a dish of spinach dip, accompanied by cubes of French bread to dip in it.
Not only is the recipe ridiculously easy, it’s also the best spinach dip I have ever tasted. Don’t believe me? Just try it… you may not be able to stop yourself from eating the entire batch.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of spinach
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- a dash of onion powder
- a dash of garlic powder
- French bread
Cooking Directions
- Break the spinach leaves off of the stems, discard the stems and any bad looking leaves.
- Wash the spinach very well.
- Put the spinach, sour cream, and mayonnaise in a blender or food processor, blend until smooth. You might have to add the spinach in several batches, blending it in between, since an entire bunch of spinach takes a lot of room. When you add the spinach, try to mix it into the sour cream/mayonnaise or the already blended dip – this makes it so the spinach is heavier and will sink to the bottom where the blades are. Otherwise it takes forever to blend it all!
- Chill the spinach dip. (You could eat it right away and it will still be good, but trust me, it is SO much better cold!)
- When you are ready to eat the spinach dip, cut the French bread into cubes.
- Generously dip the bread into the dip, and enjoy!
CAROLINA 09/15/2008 at 04:25pm
Hi I read sushi day since 2007, and I knew the spinach dip, the last friday I went with some friends to celebrate a birthay and we choose this dip, and I remember you , what surprise to find the recipe so easy, I try it this day, we celebrate our independence day and the green is one of the colors we use (I’m from Mexico, sorry for my bad english) Congratulations for the new blog
Allison 09/16/2008 at 01:51am
Hi Carolina, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed the spinach dip! Happy Mexican Independence Day! 🙂
Brianne 09/16/2008 at 11:28am
AH HA! The “secret” recipe at last! I remember all those awesome treasure hunts and spinach dip and WONTONS!!!! MMMM. Actually, every time i see the Carl’s JR sign, it reminds me of one of the treasure hunts we did, took forever to figure that clue out…
Allison 09/16/2008 at 12:45pm
Ah yes, the won tons! I must post those sometime as well… I probably had those at every single party! 🙂 I’m gonna have to get us all together sometime for a “grown-up” version of those treasure hunts. 😉
Brianne 09/16/2008 at 01:09pm
I’m sure each and everyone will want to come for sure! Those were awesome times!!! And I will be waiting anxiously for the won ton recipe 🙂
Allison 09/16/2008 at 02:45pm
I’ll be sure to make won tons soon (meaning, hopefully before the end of the year?) so I can post the recipe for you. 🙂
Julie 09/17/2008 at 12:37am
I second the Wonton request. Oh Allison Birthday parties. 🙂 Delicious easy recipes are a plus too. I love your websites Allison, you’re awesome!
Allison 09/17/2008 at 12:42am
Okay, okay… soon, I promise! I’ll be out of town for a bit, but when I’m back I’ll find some time to make won tons so I can give you girls the recipe. 😀
Thanks so much, Julie. Perhaps I should drag you down here from Sacramento and make won tons for you and Brianne. Bet you’d like that! 😉
Brianne 09/17/2008 at 09:12am
I am so down, lets go drag her down this instant!!!!!!! but it has to be wontons AND treasure hunts! 🙂
Allison 09/17/2008 at 10:53pm
😀 You had better watch out, Julie… 😉
Julie 09/19/2008 at 05:40pm
haha You guys are funny! I’ll be down around christmas, already put in my vacation request… so we can have wontons & christmas cookies & spinach dip 🙂 And be led to the wontons and christmas cookies and spinach dip by way of a treasure hunt haha
Julie 09/19/2008 at 05:41pm
that should say down not done… guess I can’t edit it! bummer!
Allison 09/19/2008 at 05:43pm
Edited for you. 😉
Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Christmas party! Woo hoo! 😀
We’re definitely getting together when you come down here. 🙂
Brianne 09/19/2008 at 05:48pm
Christmas party indeed, who knows, maybe we can get the rest of the troop together… we have such an amount of money left in our bank account, we could throw an awesome christmas party/treasure hunt with wontons, spinach dip, and christmas cookies!!!!
Allison 09/19/2008 at 05:54pm
Hehe that would be awesome. Your mom’s tried to get the entire troop back together for such a long time… maybe finally we can! 😀
Julie 09/20/2008 at 03:51pm
I’m in for sure 🙂 Just let me know when, where and what I can do to help!
Allison 09/30/2008 at 11:58pm
Will do!
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