Spinach and Artichoke Fondue

Isn't it wonderful to have pre-prepared food in your fridge, just in time for the rainy days?

Call it coincidence, I have made a lot of it last week and tucked them in the fridge. Just in time when the heavy rain continuously poured down and flooded almost the whole of the metro and some provinces. Some roads were already not passable since late Monday night. Thank God I made it safe from my husband's office. I had to take him there as he has a flight to Cebu for a business trip on Tuesday. I made it home past 11PM at turtle speed. The wipers cannot much fight the strong rain no matter how fast it swishes. 

So we live in the east and we were part of Ondoy's history. This time, however, our street was spared from the flood but the entrance to our village and the first streets were flooded, knee-deep. 

Since I already made cheesy spinach dip, The next on my "to try" list is to re-create Cyma's Spinach and Artichoke fondue. I have searched for and saved recipes that are close to it or at least can lead me to the right direction and I then just added other ingredients.

Here's what i used:

about 500 grams of spinach leaves (can use more as the leaves will wilt after you boil them)

about 1 1/2 cup artichoke hearts
about 1 cup of sun dried tomatoes sliced thinly

olive oil
about 4 cloves of garlic minced
1 tub sour cream
1 block of cream cheese
1/2 cup quick melting cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese for the mixture + 1/4 cup for topping
about a tablespoon of feta cheese
mozarella cheese
1 chicken bouillion cube
milk or water (to act as a thinner)
salt and pepper to taste

lemon slices, toasted bread slices to serve

Directions: boil spinach and artichoke until tender and discard liquid, chop leaves and artichoke to your liking, set aside.
 
in a pan, heat oil and saute garlic, put on low heat and pour the sour cream and cream cheese. mix well until texture is soft and creamy. put in spinach, artichoke, sun dried tomatoes, quick melting cheese, parmesan cheese, feta and the chicken cube. add milk or water if its too thick, then salt and pepper to taste (or just pepper if you find it salty already)

assemble the dip on a baking pan, sprinkle with parmesan and mozarella cheese and pop in the oven toaster for about 10 to 12 minutes until top is a bit toasted. (my toaster is at 175C)

Serve hot with toasted bread or pita, also great when drizzled with a bit of lemon juice.


For the past few days, aside from the flood,  it was a busy time for work too (though it has always been busy at work). This has saved me during breaktime and beyond!

Glad that as of yesterday, the rain stopped, the flood gone almost all over. The sun is up and I look forward to sunnier days ahead. Have a great weekend everyone!

Cheesy Spinach Dip

I love eating at CIBO. hmmm, who doesn't? :)

It was my friend Sheila who recommended Spinaci Zola and when I tried it, i instantly liked it. I religiously order it whenever we go there.

Last Father's day, we found out that Javie likes it so much, that he did not want to share it with us. Hmph. haha! Well, of course we did not let that happen! ;)

Cibo's Spinaci Zola has Gorgonzola cheese. I would like to recreate the same thing at home, but it hurts to say I do not have any deli store nearby. Here we go with improvisations (or shall we say: maski-paps!).

So here's our home-made spinach dip:

Water for boiling

250 grams spinach (i bought 3 bunches from the grocery)

about 4 cloves of garlic

olive oil

1/2 cup cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup + 1/4 cup guick melting cheese, grated (1/2 cup for the mix and 1/4 for topping)

salt and pepper

about 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated (for topping)

Prepare boiling water. While waiting for the water to boil, wash the spinach, drain and take off the leaves for boiling. Put spinach leaves in the pot of boiling water and allow 2 to 3 minutes to boil. drain well and wait for it to cool.

Chop spinach as fine as you can. You may want to use your electric chopper/food processor.

Pre-heat your oven toaster at 175C

Heat olive oil in a pan, sauté garlic, add the chopped spinach. Give it, say, 2 to 3 minutes to cook with the oil and garlic, then put off the heat, add the cream cheese and 1/2 cup of the grated guick melting cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mix well until everything is incorporated. At this point you may also want to add a glug or 2 of olive oil again.

Then put the mixture on your baking dish, sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of  grated guick melting cheese,and parmesan cheese. Put baking dish into the oven for 10 to 12 mins or until you see the top bubbling and cheese is a bit toasted already.

Best eaten with toasted bread, or like what you see on the photo, I used Fita biscuits (my favorite combination!). The other time I ate it with soda crackers, but it was just so-so!

While it's not anywhere near Cibo's version, I am happy to say that it still is good n' cheesy no to forget healthy! What's important is, Javie really liked it! 

Ahhh, joys of motherhood :) 

Next project: Spinach and Artichoke dip!!! :)