Spinach, artichoke and dill dip recipe from McCormick

It wouldn't be a New Year's party without a table full of dips and spreads! This recipe from McCormick features a simply divine mix of flavors that should please everyone in attendance.

SPINACH, ARTICHOKE AND DILL DIP
Serves: 30 
Serving Size: 2 tablespoons 
Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 packages (6 ounces each) baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
• 1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Dill Weed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons McCormick® Oregano Leaves
• 3/4 teaspoon McCormick® Black Pepper, Ground
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir 5 minutes or until tender. Add spinach in 2 batches; cook and stir until almost wilted. Mix remaining ingredients in large bowl until well blended. Add spinach mixture; mix well. Spoon into 2-quart baking dish. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until heated through and edges are bubbly. Let stand 1 minute; stir. Serve with vegetable dippers and assorted crackers or sliced French bread.

Spinach and feta calzone recipe

(Photo credit: LonelyBob)

I simply adore the flavors of Greek food and this calzone is stuffed full of deliciousness!

SPINACH AND FETA CALZONE
Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (6-ounce) packages baby spinach
• 3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/3 cup black olives
• 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
• 1 tablespoon whole or 2% milk
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese or Parmesan Romano blend

Directions
Preheat oven to 450°. While oven is heating, heat oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. When hot, add onion and garlic to the skillet and sauté for 1 minute. Add half of the spinach and cook until it has wilted. Add the remaining spinach to the mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until it has wilted, too. Remove from heat and stir in feta, olives, tomatoes, pine nuts, lemon juice, oregano, salt and cayenne. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick spray and pat the pizza dough into a roughly 15X12 inch rectangle. Leaving a border along the dough, spread the spinach mixture longways along one half of the it. Fold the dough over and pinch together or crimp with a fork to seal the calzone shut. Cut several slits along the top to vent the calzone as it cooks. Whisk together the milk and water and brush on top. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Spinach basil dip recipe from Betty Crocker

Two of my favorite summer greens are basil and spinach. They are so versatile and delicious, it's no wonder they are staples in my summer time recipes. This recipe from Betty Crocker combines the two of them in a dip that is so incredibly good.

SPINACH BASIL DIP

• 1 box (9 oz) Green Giant® frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain 
• 3/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise or salad dressing 
• 1 1/2 cups Yoplait® All Natural Fat Free plain yogurt (from 2-lb container) 
• 1 can (8 oz) water chestnuts, drained, chopped 
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves or 1 tablespoons dried basil 
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions 
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt 

Directions
In large bowl, mix all ingredients except raw vegetables or crackers. Serve with pita chips or raw vegetables for dipping.

Expert Tips
Try tasty dippers like baby carrots, sugar snap peas, sliced cucumber or halved grape or cherry tomatoes. Top with chopped, sweet red pepper for a garnish and serve with additional slices of red pepper with the dip.

Chicken and spinach bruschetta recipe

(Photo credit: desegura89)

CHICKEN AND SPINACH BRUSCHETTA

• 1 loaf French bread, cut into 1/2 inch slices
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 cup Italian dressing
• 4 cups fresh spinach, torn
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 8 sun dried tomatoes, packed without oil, chopped
• 1/4 cup Italian dressing

Directions
In a bowl, add chicken and 1 cup of Italian dressing. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 3 hours. Once chicken has marinated, grill or broil until cooked through. Cool then shred. Spread bread slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Broil until lightly toasted on each side (1-2 minutes then flip and toast broil an additional 1-2 minutes). Remove from broiler and set aside. In a bowl, mix shredded chicken, spinach, feta cheese, sun dried tomatoes, and remaining dressing. Top bread with equal amounts of chicken mixture. Return to broiler for 2-3 additional minutes, until warmed through. Serve hot.

Spinach cheddar muffins recipe

Monday Muffin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When most people hear the word muffin, they envision blueberries and bananas and walnuts. Fruit and nuts are the most popular muffin add-ins, but there is a whole different realm of muffins that often go unnoticed. Savory muffins are made with cheeses, meats, vegetables and are simply delicious. Serve with salad, soup or at brunch.

SPINACH CHEDDAR MUFFINS

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach - thawed, drained and squeezed dry
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or spray with non-stick spray.  Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, garlic salt and cayenne together in a mixing bowl. Stir the melted butter, egg, milk, spinach, and cheese together in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour mixture to form a batter. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons into each muffin cup. Bake 25-35 minutes.

Meatless Monday Veggie pizza recipe

Bell Peppers (Photo credit: joe beasley)

If you have a picky eater in your home who doesn't want to eat veggies, this recipe might do the trick! You can add or remove toppings as you like, cut back on the amount of cheese, etc-this is what works best in my home. To get your kids involved with making dinner, allow them to sprinkle the crust with the cheese and veggies.

VEGGIE PIZZA
Ingredients

• 1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/2 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 cups low fat ranch dressing
• 1 unbaked pizza crust, or the home made pizza crust recipe of your choice
• 1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pizza crust on a pizza pan or baking sheet, and spread dressing evenly over the top. Sprinkle with cheddar. Add carrots, pepper and mushrooms. Mix together spinach and mozzarella and top pizza. Bake 15-20 minutes. Vegetables should be tender, cheese melted and lightly browned along edges.