This party favorite is quick to fix. If you want to be really fancy, serve it in a hollowed-out round of sourdough bread and use the extra bread for dipping. Makes 1 1/2 cups.
- To lighten this dish, you can also use a reduced-fat cream cheese. Nonfat cream cheese isn't recommended.
- If you're tired of the same old spinach dip, you can try substituting 4 slices of crisp-cooked, drained and crumbled bacon for the red pepper.
- Melt butter or margarine in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat.
- Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is tender, stirring occasionally.
- Add cream cheese, milk and cook, stirring, until smooth.
- Stir in the spinach, lemon zest, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and if using, the hot pepper sauce. Heat through.
- Stir in half of the red bell pepper.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with remaining bell pepper and serve with vegetable dippers.
- 1 c. minced red bell pepper
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
- 10-oz. box frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 2 tbs. butter or margarine
- 2 tbs. chopped onion or green onions
- 2 tbs. milk
- 24 oz. soft cream cheese (two 12-oz. containers)
- few drops hot-pepper sauce
- zest and juice of 1 lemon