Multi-Purpose Spinach Dip

Multi-purpose.  Yes.  While this is a fabulous dip with tortilla chips or freshly baked bread, it's also a great sandwich spread!  And I'm sure there are other things you could use it for as well.  Pasta sauce perhaps?  Let me know how that works out...I'm sure it will be tasty.  But I'm currently hooked on a light sauce of my own concoction that is still too top-secret-ly delicious to share.  I'm sure I'll share it at some point though. 

Back to the spinach dip...

This dip makes an appearance at just about every dinner party I throw, because it's such a great appetizer with, as previously mentioned, chips or bread.  And, it really doesn't take that long to make. 

Start with frozen spinach.  I usually buy huge bags of it, but I went with a smaller batch this time, and used a 10 oz package instead of my normal "family size" package.  As usual with my cooking, most ingredient amounts are approximate, but I'm pretty sure this dip will come out good as long as you don't go too crazy...

Follow directions on spinach package to cook the spinach. 

Put a large non-stick skillet on the stove, turn heat to medium.

Add 1 large spoonful of cream cheese, roughly 1/2 c alfredo sauce, roughly 1/4 c ranch dressing, a few handfuls of shredded cheese (I use colby/monterey jack blend).  Let these ingredients melt, stirring occasionally to break up lumps of cream cheese and prevent burning.  Once everything is melted, add garlic powder, onion powder, mustard powder, and salt.  (to taste...).  Add some mustard if you have some in the fridge.  I probably added some of the Jack Daniels Mustard from my fridge to this particular one, but I don't remember...it was almost a week ago.  Add spinach (and chopped artichoke hearts if you want spinach-artichoke dip!)

This makes a spectacularly yummy dip.  But I haven't told you my latest secret ingredient yet....  I used to make the dip just as stated above, and it was delicious.  But lately I've started adding something new, which makes it even more delicious.  Marinara sauce.  Roughly 1/4 of the amount of alfredo sauce you use.  You don't want to use so much that your dip becomes too obviously pink.  Just enough to add some extra flavor.  You might want to stir in a little bit at a time until you think it looks good.  It will change the color pretty fast!

So, like I said, this is a great dip.  But when you have leftover dip and don't feel like eating it with chips...it really does make a great sandwich spread.  That's my preferred method for getting rid of leftover dip.  Fabulous on turkey sandwiches.  And not too bad with roast beef.