Draw a cracker-wielding crowd at your next holiday party with this easy-to-make, easy-to-share dip brimming with cheesy, butternut squash goodness.
Course:
Appetizer
Cuisine:
American
Servings: 16servings
Ingredients
1cupranch dressingI use Homestyle Ranch from Litehouse Foods
2cupscubed frozen butternut squash, thawed
1cupow-fat ricotta cheese
1teaspoonsalt
1teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2teaspoonred pepper flakes
3cups fresh baby spinach
1tablespoonwater
1 cuplow-fat shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)
Garnishchopped sun-dried tomato, pine nuts chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
Add ranch dressing to blender, top with thawed butternut squash, ricotta cheese, salt, ground pepper and red pepper flakes. Blend until combined and mostly smooth, stopping blender and using a spoon to redistribute ingredients as needed.
Add fresh spinach and water to microwave save container, top loosely with lid to allow steam to escape. Microwave for 30 to 45 seconds or until spinach softened. When cool enough to handle, drain off liquid and squeeze out juices from spinach.
Add fresh spinach and water to microwave save container, top loosely with lid to allow steam to escape. Microwave for 30 to 45 seconds or until spinach softened. When cool enough to handle, drain off liquid and squeeze out juices from spinach.
Loosen spinach out of tightly packed ball and add to blender, pulsing in a couple seconds at a time.
Without blending, stir in ¾ cup mozzarella cheese. Scrape this mixture into an 8” diameter pie pan or other 5 to 6 cup capacity baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 375 F degrees for approximately 20 minutes until heated through and cheese bubbling and browning on top.
Remove from oven, top with extras like sundried tomatoes, pine nuts and chopped parsley.
Serve with chips, large croutons, bread or veggie sticks.