Hot and Spicy Artichoke Dip

I was reading one of my favorite food blogs, Aggie's Kitchen and she showcased a Hot and Spicy Artichoke Dip made by her friend Colleen. The recipe comes from the cookbook, Culinary Journey to the Mediterranean. It looked easy enough to make for our draft day so I looked in the pantry and actually had all the ingredients. It comes together fast and cooks in the oven for less than 30 minutes.

1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, chopped, drained
1 cup mayo
1 cup (4oz) grated parmesan cheese
1 can (4oz) chopped green chiles, drained
2-3 cloves of garlic minced

Mix all ingredients in a shallow, ovenproof dish or 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Top with 2 Tbsp each of chopped tomatoes and olives.

This was fantastic as is or you could customize it to fit your tastes as well. I could see the addition of shredded chicken, making this a heartier dip. Green olives on top would bring a wonderful briny flavor to the dip. Add red pepper flakes or some form of jalapenos to make this a spicy dish. The green chiles I used were from the can and were very mild. Next time I would probably buy the HOT variety. Ohhh, if you by chance still have some hatch chiles in your fridge/freezer, they would be GREAT in this dip. Thanks Aggie for the recommendation!!!

I took the leftovers and topped baked chicken and roasted asparagus in the oven. The artichoke dip automatically elevated a simple chicken dish to something you would find in a restaurant. I pulled this dinner together in less than 30 minutes - delish!

With football season underway, I highly recommend this dip for your next pig skin gathering!