Dip-a-dee-doo-dah

Have you ever gone to the Olive Garden Restaurant and had the Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip? Did you love it so much that you wished you had the recipe? Well, stop looking... I found it.

I stumbled across copykat.com one day and have been a follower ever since. CopyKat.com is a recipe site that has many famous recipes from some of the most popular(and not-so-popular) chain restaurants.

There's an upside and a downside to knowing what goes into our favorite restaurant recipes. The upside is knowing the ingredients and being able to duplicate it at home. The downside is knowing how much fat is actually in those delicious dishes.

Oh well. Some things are worth a few extra miles on the treadmill...

OLIVE GARDEN HOT ARTICHOKE AND SPINACH DIP

Dip
1 8 oz. package cream cheese, room temperature
1 (14oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach (well drained)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (do not use Miracle whip)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup Romano cheese (you can use all Parmesan if you like)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. dry basil (1 Tbsp. fresh basil)
1/4 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 tsp. garlic salt
salt and pepper to taste

Toasted Bread
1 sourdough baguette
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. olive oil

Cream together softened cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, garlic, basil, and garlic salt. Mix well. Add the artichoke hearts and spinach (squeezed of excess water), and mix until blended. Store in a container until ready to use. Spray pie pan with Pam, pour in dip and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the tip is browned.

Saute minced garlic in olive oil for one minute. Cut baguette crosswise into 1/2 inch slices. Brush olive oil on each piece and place on cookie sheet. Broil in oven until lightly toasted, watching closely. Serve with hot dip spooned on top.