Here we go again … it’s Secret Recipe Club time!

Faithful readers of Rhubarb and Honey know that I’ve been participating in The Secret Recipe Club for awhile now. The idea of The Secret Recipe Club is similar to other blog exchanges in that each participating blogger is assigned another participating blog to make a recipe from, but the twist with The Secret Recipe Club is that you can’t tell anyone whose blog you have—shhhh, it’s a secret!—until you finally post about the blog you were assigned and the recipe you chose.

 
So, what fabulous food blog did I get to visit and cook from? This month I was assigned My Italian Grandmother, a lovely blog written by Michele, a twenty-something who was born and raised in Brooklyn and now lives in Northern New Jersey.

Michele started her food blog as a tribute to her Italian grandmother, Emilia, who lived with Michele and her family until she passed away at the amazing age of 98. Since Michele’s grandmother didn’t write any of her recipes down (and she never measured, which is something my grandmother is wuilty of as well), all of the recipes on Michele’s blog are her interpretations created from memory … and I think she’s doing a fabulous job!

There were a number of Michele’s recipes I wanted to try (including Chicken Angelo, Eggs in Purgatory, and her recipe for Cinnamon Sugar Mini Muffins), but I eventually settled on her recipe for Artichoke and Cannellini Bean Crostini. Michele adapted this recipe from “celebrity chef” Giada De Laurentiis, and I, in turn, have adapted it from Michele to create my recipe for Baked Artichoke and White Bean Dip.

The holidays offer so many opportunities to gather with family and friends, and these gatherings usually involve lots of food. I’ve always associated hot (ie, baked in the oven) dips with holiday gatherings and when I saw Michele’s recipe, I thought it could possibly be turned into a hot dip for an upcoming holiday party … and lucky for me, it worked!

Light, creamy, salty, and brightened by a hint of citrus, this dip is a delicious spread perfect for dipping crostini, bagel chips, pita chips, or any other hearty dip-carrying-vehicle into … and it would make a fabulous appetizer for any of your upcoming holiday gatherings too!

Baked Artichoke and Cannellini Bean Dip

Ingredients:

• 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Puree white beans and garlic in food processor. In a small bowl, combine the bean mixture with the cheese, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper; stir thoroughly. Add in chopped artichokes and stir to combine.

3. Spoon the artichoke and bean mixture into a 1-quart glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and brown.

To learn more you about The Secret Recipe Club or to join in (you do have to have a blog with a decent number of recipes for others to choose from), click here to read about it and sign up!