Meryl Streep is a goddess.

I just saw Julie & Julia and thought it was excellent, all because of Meryl Streep. I have never seen one of her movies and not become completely absorbed in whatever character she is playing, because she always does it so well. There are so many more I need to see, including Sophie's Choice, which I hear is devastatingly sad but a must-see.

In honor of the film I just saw, I thought I'd give out a recipe for Spinach Artichoke Dip that is absolutely fantastic. Really, it's not cooking at all, just mixing stuff together in a bowl and then heating it up. But, hey, I make it really well. Here it is:

The Best Spinach Artichoke Dip, Ever!

Ingredients:

10 oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed)

6-8 oz shredded Parmesan cheese (1 bag)

6-8 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese (1 bag)

1 onion, chopped

6 oz jar of marinated artichokes

1 package of cream cheese

Preheat the oven at 400 degrees. Mix the thawed spinach and the cream cheese in an oven-safe bowl. Once it is all mixed together and the lumps are out, add the onion. Drain the artichoke marinade in with the mixture, then chop the artichokes into small pieces. Add the artichokes and the cheeses. Mix it all together until smooth and then add salt, pepper, and garlic to taste.

If you want, leave some Monterey and Parmesan out of the mixture and place a small layer on top of the dip (if you want that cheese top coat). Put the bowl in the oven, and heat until the top layer is slightly bubbling. It's ready!

Let it cool for a small amount of time, and then eat with your favorite tortilla or pita chips.

*Alternatives: I have also heated the dip up in a crock pot, and this works just as well (but has no cheese top coat).

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Well, there you go. I believe food is meant to be enjoyed, not kept in secret. Now you can be the person that is always told to "bring that really good spinach dip" to the party. I definitely am.

As Julia Child always said, "Bon appétit!"