Diva Block Exchange / Artichoke Dip

One of the nice things about coming home from a vacation is being able to get back to quilting. The first few days home were spent doing mounds of laundry and all the other things waiting for my return. But today I finally got to my machine to work on our Dixie Diva Block Exchange. This month I worked on Jan K's quilt. She chose purple and white for her colors. We make six blocks of the same pattern, and then pass it on to the next person in our group.

Ricci has her best girl friend in town, visiting from California. She made this Frank Lloyd Wright quilt for Kate as a belated birthday present. This picture really doesn't do the quilt justice. In person you can see that some of the fabrics look like authentic stained glass. I wish I had been there to see Kate's reaction. I'm guessing she shed a few tears.

Tonight I took in dinner to a lady I visit each month in our church. She just had double knee replacement. Ouch. To complement her meal, I took in one of my family's favorite appetizers. My 16 year old son Paul requests for this dip from time to time, and I'll make it special for him as a love deposit. (Always looking for ways to keep a teenager happy!).

I was raised near the artichoke capital of the world, so anything with artichokes is always a favorite in our house. Some people turn up their noses when I mention the green vegetable. But give this a chance. It's easy to make and I have yet to meet a person who hasn't loved it.

BAKED ARTICHOKE DIP

1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 C. grated Parmesan cheese

1 C. mayonnaise

1 tsp. chopped parsley

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. chopped chives (can use dehydrated in an herb jar)

1 - 14-16 oz. can artichoke hearts in water, (not in marinade!) , chopped

Combine all ingredients in a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes or until top is golden and cheese is bubbly. Serve with tortilla chips or sturdy crackers.

My husband just sent me pictures he took of our family vacation to Newport Beach. This is one he took of teaching our 3 year old grandson to fly a "Nemo" (or clown fish) kite. Today I have heard from 3 people who are having post-vacation blues, and wishing we were all back at the beach house together. Me too.