Hot Cheesy Spinach Dip

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1 teaspoon (about 2 cloves) garlic, minced

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 3/4 cups half-and-half cream

2 packages (9 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed & well drained

1 can (8 ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 package (1 ounce) dry vegetable soup mix

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

loaf of sourdough bread and/or crackers

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir until onion is crisp-tender and garlic is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.

Stir in flour; cook and stir an additional minute. Add half-and-half and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens, about 2 minutes.

Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in chopped spinach, water chestnuts, cheddar cheese and vegetable soup mix. Spoon dip into a 1-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake dip at 425 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until it is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Serve warm with toasted slices of sourdough bread or hearty crackers strong enough for scooping.