Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons butter, divided

4 tablespoons garlic, minced

1 bag fresh spinach

Salt and Pepper, to taste

2 cans artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained

3 tablespoons flour

1 ½ cup whole milk, more if needed

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

¾ cup grated parmesan cheese

¾ cup grated pepper jack cheese, plus extra for topping

¼ teaspoon cayenne

Directions:

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. Crank up the heat a bit and throw in the spinach. Stir around and cook for a couple of minutes until the spinach wilts. Remove the spinach from the skillet and put it in a small strainer. Squeeze the excess juice back into the skillet. Set the spinach aside.

Throw the artichokes into the skillet and cook over medium high heat for several minutes, until liquid is cooked off and artichokes start to get a little color. Remove the artichokes. In the same skillet or a different pot, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and whisk in the flour until it makes a paste. Cook over medium-low heat for a minute or two, then pour in the milk. Stir and cook until slightly thickened; splash in more milk if needed.

Add cream cheese, parmesan, pepper jack, and cayenne and stir until cheeses are melted and sauce is smooth. Chop artichokes and spinach and add them to the sauce. Stir to combine. Pour into a buttered baking dish. Top with extra grated pepper jack and bake at 375°F for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.