Frugal Food Thursday: Cheesy Spinach Dip

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Last week, I found some great deals on frozen spinach and shredded cheese, so last weekend I thought I'd combine them to make my mother-in-law's delicious spinach dip.

This dip is all the hits at her parties. It's great with tortilla chips, vegetable sticks, or pita triangles. I also like to use it as a pasta topping, or just straight up as a side dish.

I was already sauteing the onions and cooking the spinach when I realized that I was completely out of cream of mushroom soup! I usually have so many cans in my not-so-extreme stockpile, but there wasn't any this time. Maybe I gave them away in a food drive?

So instead, I made a roux by melting 2 tbsp of butter over high heat in a small saucepan. Then I added 2 tbsp of flour and mixed it. Then I added 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup onion broth. I cooked it on medium-low until it thickened up, maybe about 10 minutes or so. I then used the roux in place of the can of cream of mushroom soup.

You can make changes to the flavorings if you like. Not a garlic lover? Don't add the garlic powder. You love garlic? (Like me!) Try adding some fresh garlic instead - saute it with the onions. And you can use more or less cheese, depending on how much you like cheese. (I like cheese!) Or change the type of cheese (I used the pizza cheese - half cheddar, half mozzarella - that I bought on sale).

Here's my mother-in-law's spinach dip recipe:

SPINACH DIP

1 10-oz package frozen spinach
2 tbsp butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped finely
2 4-oz cans mushrooms, drained
1 10.75-oz can cream of mushroom soup
1/4 lb grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp garlic powder
freshly ground pepper to taste

Cook spinach according to package directions; drain well. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Saute the onion for 2-3 minutes or until translucent.

Add the spinach, mushrooms, soup, cheese, and spices. Cook on low for 30 minutes, mixing every couple of minutes to make sure that the dip does not stick to the bottom of the pan.

Serve while still warm in a mini crockpot or a chafing dish. Or, refrigerate until serving, then reheat gently.

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