Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Beer Bread

Warm spinach and artichoke dip is a classic appetizer. I’ve experimented with this recipe quite a bit before I came up with one that I am happy with. It’s creamy, cheesy, and delicious! As a variation to the standard tortilla chip dipper, I like to make beer bread. Beer is added to a simple flour mixture and baked to create a bread that is super moist yet firm enough to scoop up that wonderful dip. A perfect match!
Ingredients:

For the dip:
10 oz. package chopped spinach, thawed
16 oz. container sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
¼ cup finely chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper

For the beer bread:
3 cups sifted flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
¼ cup sugar
1 can light beer
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Beer Bread Steps:
Make the beer bread. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Add the beer and 1 tablespoon of butter. Transfer mixture into a greased bread pan. Pour the rest of the melted butter on top. I like to take a spoon to be sure that the butter is spread over the entire top, and I also wedge the spoon around the sides to allow some butter to trickle down the sides of the pan to the bottom of the pan. I like a nice buttery crust! Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the top has lightly browned. Let cool at least 30 minutes before cutting.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip Steps:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Drain the spinach and pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to a bowl. Mix in the rest of the ingredients, reserving about 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Pour into a casserole dish and sprinkle the reserved mozzarella cheese on top. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Stir before serving.