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.

Avocado Crema

I like a recipe with just two ingredients. Especially when the recipe is as cheap and delicious as my Avocado Crema.

When I stop at Leo's Taco Truck (video here) and top my  midnight $1 al pastor taco with some Avocado Crema after a double feature flick at: the Hollywood Boulevard Art Nouveau Egyptian Theater, the most eclectically film programmed Cinefamily, the Quentin Tarantino benefactor of New Beverly, the Billy Wilder Theater run by UCLA Television Film and Archive in Westwood, or the movie house with the most seating legroom, Leo S. Bing at LAMCA. Fresh sliced off the fiery trompo my al pastor tacos get a dollop of avocado sauce for a perfect pairing -- cool and creamy, combined with charred slices of seasoned pork.

Not all taco trucks and taquerias provide an Avocado Crema, so I am always on the lookout for it. And each taco kiosk has their own recipe. Some are watery and weak, others are thick and spicy, blended with cilantro and jalapeno.

For my recipe, it's just avocado and Mexican crema. Here in L.A. my local Latin market often has sales of 7 small avocados for a buck. I like the compact size because it's perfect for a single serving.

And Mexica crema is cheap enough. Mexican crema is a milder version of regular sour cream. This recipe is adaptable so try it with any sour cream you find on sale at your local market.

I know that avocados are expensive outside of California, but my Avocado Crema helps stretch out the expensive fruit.

It's summertime and parties are happening all over town. My Avocado Crema is a perfect dip for chips and fresh chopped veggies like: carrots, celery, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, and crowns of broccoli and cauliflower.

But my favorite use is as a taco topping. I have a slew of Mexican recipes you can try out, just click on any name to see the recipe for: Carnitas (pork), gringo-style Ground Chicken, Carne Asada (steak), Loxaco (Jewish Taco), Fish Tostada, Salmon Enchiladas,  Chorizo and Eggs, Chiccarones (pork skin) and Potato Tacos.

Last weekend we threw a Carnitas Taco patio party and I made three salsas. My Pico de Gallo (recipe here) and Salsa Verde (recipe coming soon) were perfect as a tortilla chip dip and taco topping. But the Avocado Crema got the most compliments and return visits.

My latest rich and flavorful Latin recipe couldn't be easier to make. Be sure to set out a bowl full at your (or a friends) next party.

Ingredients (2-4 servings)

• 2 small avocados - or 1 large one.
• 8 ounces Mexican Crema - any sour cream, low fat or regular. Mexican Crema has a slight sour taste just like regular sour cream.

*Extra additions -  a few sprigs of cilantro, slice of jalapeno (add a little at a time to desired spiciness,) and a teaspoon of lime or lemon juice.

Directions
Couldn't be easier to make. Just slice avocado in half and remove seed then spoon out soft ripe flesh.

Add avocado flesh and crema (or sour cream) to a blender or food processor. Pulse and blend until creamy, for 30 seconds or so.

You could also just mash the avocado with a fork or potato masher and mix into sour cream. Then mash the mixture some more until fairly smooth. Doesn't have to be perfect, it's a pleasant surprise to bite into ripe avocado nuggets.

Best to make fresh or a few hours before serving. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Place the avocado pits in the Avocado Crema to minimize discoloring. After a few hours there still may be a thin brown film, but will still taste great -- just do a quick stir before serving.

Get out the chips, sliced veggies for dipping, or make one of my taco recipes and spoon it on.

Hindsight
A teaspoon of lime juice will keep the Avocado Crema fresh-looking longer, but it will change the flavor, not bad, but I prefer it without. You could also blend in a few sprigs of cilantro, I like it this way too.

My recipe is easy to double or quadruple for a large group. And you can use more or less avocado to suit your budget.

And Store ripe soft avocados in the refrigerator until ready to use, they will last longer that way.

Artichoke Dip with Cream Cheese & Parmesan

This rich and creamy party appetizer is quick to do and can be prepared way ahead of time - and no cooking is involved! Most of the ingredients come from any well-stocked 99 cent ingredient pantry.

Most chefs will blanch and throw a hissy fit if forced to use 99 cent  grated Parmesan from a plastic jar, but when combined with moist cream cheese and chopped artichoke hearts, this inexpensive cheese reconstitutes and gives an extra sharp kick to my party dip -- so don't worry, no one will know, unless you spill the beans!

Allow a slab of cream cheese to soften in a bowl; add some chopped-up artichoke hearts from a can; sprinkle in some grated cheese from a plastic jar; and get out your favorite box of crackers for my delectable Artichoke Dip with Cream Cheese and Parmesan.
  

 Ingredients
1 can or jar of artichoke hearts in water, drained - small or large size.
1 tub or package of cream cheese: 6-8 ounces.
2-3 tablespoons of 99 cent grated cheese, including Parmesan, Romano, Pecorino, or any combination.

Directions
Add cream cheese to a bowl and allow to soften at room temperature. Drain artichoke hearts of water (if marinated in oil or vinegar, this will overpower cheese flavor). Chop with knife or in a blender - both methods work well. Blend in chopped artichoke hearts and sprinkle in dried cheese. Mix well.

Store in refrigerator until time to serve; and be sure to allow dip to reach room temperature again before serving. Set out with serving size sliced veggies (carrots, bell pepper, celery, etc.), chips, or your favorite crackers.