texas artichoke dip

Knock? Knock?

“Who’s there?”

“Artichoke!”

“Artichoke, who?” 

“Arti chokes when he eats too fast!”

~   ~   ~   ~   ~

That was one of the most memorable “knock-knock jokes” that I can remember from my favorite childhood “pop-up” book. That book is resting in storage, I’m sure.

The interesting part is that growing up, I wasn’t a total fan of the artichoke, outside of the above joke. But now that I’m a well-seasoned eater, I love ’em.

One of mom’s signature dishes was her steamed artichokes. She’d put two in a pressure cooker and when tender, she’d serve them centered on her white, round ceramic artichoke plates. Partnered with melted butter mixed with seasoned salt, we knew meal-time was a very special time when the artichoke made an appearance at the party.

I found this artichoke dip recipe in mom’s green index recipe card file. It’s super-easy to make and super-great tasting. Makes me think that the artichoke may be one of the most under-appreciated veggies on the planet.

Until now.

Let’s Eat

i. ingredients

1 can (12 oz.) | artichoke hearts, drained
3 heaping tablespoons | mayonnaise
3 tablespoons | canned parmesan cheese
½ cup | green onions, chopped
1 cup | fresh mushrooms, chopped
to taste | salt

ii. what to do

1. Break apart the artichoke hearts and set aside.

2. Mix together all ingredients and transfer/pour into an 8″ x 8″ baking dish.

3. Bake at 350°F for about 20 minutes, until bubbly and beginning to turn brown along the sides.

Serve Warm: With chips or crackers

Foodie Tips ~

♥ Substitute canned parmesan cheese with freshly grated cheese, if you’re not in a hurry.

♥ I found another recipe in Mom’s cookbook from our neighbor Mary Stephenson for a artichoke spread (coming soon) which calls for Ritz crackers. I’m probably one of the few people who can find their happy place eating an entire sleeve of Ritz crackers in one sitting!

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