Warm Artichoke Dip

This Mad Man era party dip is best served accompanied with a cool dry martini. Surround this bowl of warm creaminess with your favorite chips, crackers or fresh cut veggies. Almost anything goes with this classic party appetizer, Warm Artichoke Dip.

There's nothing to it. Just drain a can of artichoke hearts or bottoms, and add it to some room temperature cream cheese, dried parmesan, garlic powder, mayo and chopped green onion. Mix well and finally pop it in the hot oven for about half an hour.

Plus it's easy to reheat in the microwave, so go ahead and make my Warm Artichoke Dip way ahead of time. Store the Dip in the refrigerator until ready to heat up, and serve.

You can keep it fairly low calorie with reduced fat cream cheese and mayo. I usually find cans of artichoke hearts or bottoms at my local 99 cent Only store. Now, they also sell jars of marinated artichoke hearts, but don't use those as the vinegar and oil marinade is quite strong and too sour for my taste. (Marinated ones are best used in a pasta sauce or salad, or on a plate of dried meats, olives and cheeses.)

Artichoke hearts from the can are tender, although the small leaves have a little texture; while artichoke bottoms are more tender, as soft as room-temperature cream cheese.

If you are looking for a tasty party dip, look no farther, give my old school Warm Artichoke Dip a go.

Ingredients (enough appetizer for a small party)

• 15.5 ounce can of artichokes - I used "bottoms," but it's okay to use artichoke "hearts." Don't use marinated artichokes (usually in a small jar.) The vinegar in marinade is too sour.
• 8 ounces cream cheese - I used low calorie. Okay to add even more, if you like.
• 1 cup mayo - I used light mayonaise. Okay to use your favorite kind.
• 4 tablespoons of parmesan - I used dried, but you can also use fresh grated. Save one tablespoon to sprinkle on finished dip just before you put it in the oven.
• 1 teaspoon dried garlic - powder or granulated.
• 1 teaspoon  Worchestershire sauce - optional.

(No salt needed as cheeses and canned artichoke have plenty.)

Directions
Chop one green onion into small pieces, green stem included.

Bring cream cheese to room temperature. Put it into a large bowl. Also add 1 cup of mayo.

Drain can of artichokes, either hearts or bottoms. They will be soft so you only need to roughly chop them. Add artichoke to cheese and mayo.

Finally mix in chopped green onion, garlic powder, and Worchestershire Sauce.

Take a fork or spoon and mix all ingredients together. If cream cheese is room temperature it will mix fairly easily. No need to overmix it, just do it for 15 seconds or so. It will all melt together once it's baking.

Set oven to 350 degrees. Add Artichoke Dip to a baking dish. Sprinkle on a tablespoon of parmesan cheese.

You want the dish small enough so the Dip will be about 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep. If the dish is too big then the Dip will spread out too much and may overcook and dry out.

Bake Artichoke Dip uncovered for about 30 minutes. Check every once in a while to make sure the cheese doesn't burn.

 Remove Artichoke Dip from the oven and let it cool down enough to eat warm, about 2-4 minutes.

You can prep chopped veggies or crackers while the Dip bakes.

My Artichoke Dip heats up fine in the microwave, so you can tote it to a party and share.