Scottsdale-Style Spinach Dip

I've wanted to share this recipe for a while, but couldn't quite seem to put my finger on the back story. I finally realized that one of my favorite recipes came from one of the not-so favorite parts of my life.

My first encounter with spinach dip came at Houston's restaurant in Scottsdale. For those who know me best, Scottsdale isn't exactly home to my kind of people; that being said, once upon a time I foolishly dated a guy who was Scottsdale through and through. That's right, a Corvette driving, James Bond wannabe, with champagne taste and a credit card with a large enough limit to accommodate his preferred lifestyle. While the relationship itself was a total bust, I did get plenty of opportunities to enjoy some truly delicious food at restaurants that wouldn't have otherwise been on my radar.

One of my favorites was Houston's, home of the overpriced cheeseburger and some seriously tasty spinach dip. After the break-up, I never missed the showy manual transmission Corvette, the fighting, the Hugo Boss wardrobe, the jealousy, or the company of those snobby folks enjoying fine dining just a few miles north of me. But there was a hole in my heart where our Friday night trip to Houston's used to be. I longed for spinach dip, pining away for a bit of that warm cheesy goodness on piece of freshly baked french bread. Sadly, my single girl's budget couldn't handle a night out to Houston's, and ten years ago spinach had yet to reach the immensely popular, easy-to-come-by status it enjoys today. So after a few disappointing attempts at recipes that simply couldn't compete with my memories of Houston's, I crafted my own dip.

Here's what you need to make a batch yourself:

8 oz. package of cream cheese (softened, to make your life easier)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup sour cream

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus a little more for sprinkling on top (the stuff in the green container is fine for this dish)

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Dash freshly ground black pepper

Dash garlic salt

2 cups finely chopped fresh spinach

1 loaf french bread, cubed (pita chips, tortilla chips, or some other bread will taste good too, but french is my favorite)

This is a great make and take recipe, but if you're going to indulge now, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. If your going to take it to a get together, keep covered and refrigerated until about 20 minutes before you want to put it in the oven.

Open the cream cheese, and pinch off one inch sized chunks into a large bowl. This speeds up the mixing process since cream cheese tends to get stuck in the beaters. Add mozzarella, sour cream, parmesan, mustard, pepper, and garlic salt. Using a hand mixer, beat until all ingredients are combined. Dip should be a bit lumpy.

Add the spinach, and stir in with a spoon (do not use the mixer). Once combined, pour your dip into a 9-inch glass pie plate coated with cooking spray. Make sure the dip is spread evenly across the bottom of the dish, but don't press it down flat or it won't have the desired fluffy texture after baking. Top with a dusting of parmesan cheese before baking, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes. You'll know it's ready when a golden crust forms across the top and the cheese is bubbling gently.

To enjoy the complete Houston's experience, serve hot from the oven with cubes of french bread.