Mexican Spinach Dip

I mentioned in my meal planning post a couple of weeks ago that a group of my high school friends and I have started a cooking club. The plan is to get together once a month and have a themed sort of dinner, with each of us providing one component (appetizer, main dish, dessert, etc.). For our first meet-up, we had an amazing Mexican fiesta, including blood orange and pomegranate margaritas, fajitas, tres leches cake, and this delicious sopapilla cheesecake-like dessert that I cannot wait to make at home. We had a blast, and there may be a picture of all of us circulating on Facebook wearing Mexican mustaches. That might have happened. We’re all moms, and spending an evening together, reflecting on life and motherhood with women who have known me for so many years, was good for my soul.

My contribution to our fabulous meal was this Mexican spinach dip, which was suggested to me by a lovely reader named Jessi (who is blogless) when I solicited for Mexican appetizer ideas. You guys, this dip is so incredibly delicious. And it’s addictive, too – even after my friends and I had finished our meal and our dessert, we were still eating it. It’s creamy, just a little bit spicy, and has that great earthy spinach flavor. Definitely a winner, and something I’ll be making often in the future! Thanks for sharing this one, Jessi!

(P.S. March’s theme is Italian food, and I’ve been assigned the dessert course. What’s your favorite Italian dessert? Link ’em up in the comments! So far you guys are 1 for 1!)

Mexican Spinach Dip
adapted from Allrecipes

1 16-ounce jar salsa, medium or hot
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, diced and softened
1 8-ounce carton sour cream
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a medium baking dish, mix together salsa, chopped spinach, Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, red wine vinegar, and salt and pepper.

3. Bake mixture in the preheated oven 12 to 15 minutes, or until bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips.