Rule #294: Alaska knows best.
Alaskans know how to do it all. They know how to fish, hike, have a good time, show you a good time, and they freaking now how to cook like you’d never believe. When we went a couple of summers ago, we had the most unbelievable seafood, drinks, and spinach + artichoke dip we’ve ever had in our lives. I know it seems weird to highlight the dip, but trust me, once you taste it, you’ll understand what I’m talking about.
We had our fair share of choices of great food, but we still opted to go to Resurrection Roadhouse at the Seward Windsong Lodge not once but TWICE. And it was all for this friggin’ dip! One night, we had burgers and the normal good stuff like that and the other night they had a sushi night. Holy. Smokes. Alaskan seafood + these views + this dip. Life is good, my friend. Gooo-oooo-oooood!
I highly, highly recommend that you get to Alaska if you ever have the chance. It was hands-down one of my top five vacation spots, and we plan to go back once Corey is a bit older. It’s a perfect place for couples, families, and kids!
“I believe in miracles
Where you from…
You sexy thing, sexy thing you
I believe in miracles
Since you came along
You sexy thing”
The chef at Resurrection Roadhouse was nice enough to share the recipe so we could make it allllll the way down here in Texas. It’s on a handwritten note that I’m pretty sure we’ll never be able to throw away. It’s like a love note from the Alaskan kitchen.
The goodies we’ll need for our Dip Mania:
EVOO, Kosher salt, black pepper, artichoke hearts, mayo with olive oil, spinach, shallots, garlic cloves, cream cheese, Parm, and sour cream
I normally would say, “Mayo is Mayo is Mayo,” but in this case, you really need the mayo with olive oil. I’ve tried it with regular ole Hellmann’s, and it comes out way too oily (ironically). I’m not sure of the science behind it (that’s above my pay grade), but definitely go for this kind of mayo for this recipe to avoid having an oily appetizer.
Here’s the recipe breakdown:
Heat some EVOO until it’s shimmering in a large skillet.
Dump in the spinach. I leave the leaves whole, but if chopping is your thing, go ahead and cut ’em up!
Sauté until the spinach is wilted completely. I usually work in batches because 1 lb. of spinach is a lot for any skillet.
Meanwhile, chop up yer artichoke hearts.
Sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and sauté them in a skillet over medium-high heat (no oil or spray). The goal is to dry out the artichoke hearts to get rid of the excess liquid. This process takes just a couple of minutes.
Then, let the artichokes and spinach cool slightly before mixing everything together.
I like to use my biggo standing mixer with a spatula attachment to whip all of this together. You can definitely use your muscles and a spoon or even a hand mixer if you want. Throw everything into the mix.
And give it a good stir until it’s well combined.
Pour it all into a large, greased baking dish. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.
Clearly my balance was off when I took this picture, but I wanted to show you that I put a baking sheet under the dip just in case it decides to bubble and get messy during its sauna visit. Ain’t nobody got time to scrub the oven, ya heard?
Voila! Spinach + Artichoke Perfection. Serve with pita chips, bagel chips, Wheat Thins, or even veggies. This lovely dip can be mixed ahead of time, stored covered in the fridge, then baked the next day!
Seward Lodge Spinach and Artichoke Dip
1 tbs. EVOO
1 lb. fresh baby spinach
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 lbs. cream cheese, softened (3 bricks)
2 cups mayo with olive oil
1 large shallot, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/4 lb. Parmesan cheese, shredded
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large nonstick skillet or Dutch oven, heat 1 tbs. olive oil over medium high heat. Once oil is glistening, sauté the spinach, stirring occasionally, until just wilted (about 5 minutes). Work in batches as needed. Remove from heat and set aside. Allow to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, in a small nonstick skillet over medium high heat, sauté the artichokes with a pinch of salt and pepper until slightly dried out and flavored (about 4 minutes), stirring occasionally. Allow to cool slightly.
Combine spinach, artichoke hearts, sour cream, cream cheese, mayo, shallots, garlic, and Parmesan. Sprinkle salt and pepper, stir to combine, and adjust seasonings as needed. Pour into a baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Can be mixed, covered, and stored in fridge one day ahead. Simply remove from fridge and allow to sit at room temperature while the oven preheats. Bake as recommended above.
Click for Printable Recipe: Seward Lodge Spinach and Artichoke Dip
