Hot Spinach Artichoke Dip

The football is season is here. With the TV remote being monopolized by hubby dear, my precious TV watching time is now free for me to use constructively, maybe get some work done..... or maybe not. As I hover around to watch my favorite shows during commercial breaks (usually re-runs that I have watched a 100 times), I end up being drawn into the game. Although I am not a big fan, I must admit that I prefer watching American football to other sports (yes, even over cricket!). And the game is made more interesting if there is food to chomp on. Is it the game or the food I wonder now that keeps me near the couch?
The usual spread is chips, salsa ,soda, cookies and more chips. We had some friends over last nite to watch the Florida Miami game and I decided to kick it up a notch. Made my all time favorite dip with artichokes and spinach. This dish is always my first choice at Olive Garden. And googling, which I have great talent for, found me 3 different recipes which claimed to be the exact the copy cat recipe as Olive Garden. I chose the best ingredients from the three, made some adjustments of my own and was really pleased with my success. Thick toasted French bread dipped in cheesy spinach and artichokes definetely made the Gators win more enjoyable.

Assemble
1 (8 oz.) pkg Cream Cheese
1 can Artichoke Hearts, drained, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped Spinach (I used fresh, frozen should do too)
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon fresh basil
1/4 cup Mozzarella Cheese grated
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method
Allow the cream cheese to come to room temperature. Combine together the cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, garlic and basil. Mix well. Add the artichoke hearts and spinach (careful to drain this well), and mix until blended. You could refrigerate this until you are ready to use. Spray a pan with cooking spray, pour in the dip, and top with Mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the top is browned. Serve with toasted bread, chips or pita.
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