Easter is always a joyous occasion with my family, even when soggy. We gathered in Arlington at my sister’s home. I made my traditional grilled asparagus spears. It would be difficult to imagine Easter without that dish. I also brought an appetizer – a baked spinach and artichoke dip slathered on French bread slices.

Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip
1 head garlic
1 large onion, julienned
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4-1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
14-oz (family-size) pkg. frozen chopped spinach
3 cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
3 cups grated Parmesan cheese, divided
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice about 1/4 in. off the top of a garlic head. Place in a small oven-safe dish. Drizzle about 1/2 tsp. olive oil on the top of the head. Cover with foil and roast for 45 minutes.
The garlic will turn a golden brown. The flavor will mellow and sweeten while roasting.

While the garlic roasts, heat 1-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil. Add onions, turn the heat to medium-low or low to slowly cook the onions to a golden brown.
About half-way through that process, add thyme, red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Prepare the frozen spinach to the package directions and drain. It can be squeezed dry in a clean cheese cloth-type towel. (Hint: when washing those towels, don’t use fabric softener. Sometimes the aroma of the softener stays with the towel and makes the food smell like fabric softener.)

Remove the garlic from the oven and reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Once cool enough to handle, squeeze the softened garlic cloves from the skins onto a cutting board. Smash so that they are easily incorporated into the dip. Not everyone likes to bite into a whole clove of roasted garlic.

To a large bowl, add garlic, onions, spinach, artichoke hearts, mayonnaise, sour cream and 2 cups of Parmesan cheese. Mix well, taste and adjust seasonings.

Grease a large casserole dish and fill with the mixture. Spread out to evenly fill the dish. Sprinkle the rest of the Parmesan cheese over the top and drizzle with 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Bake for 30-45 minutes until the edges bubble and the top is golden brown.

My sister-in-law, Terri, brought her signature salad. It also reminds me of spring. The ingredients are simple, but the flavors work so well together.

Spinach, Apple and Swiss Cheese Salad
1 large bag of baby spinach, cleaned and torn
2 Granny Smith apples, cored and sliced thinly
1 c. Swiss cheese, grated and then refrigerated
1 lemon, juiced

Dress the apples with lemon juice to keep them from turning brown. Keep the grated cheese refrigerated so it doesn’t soften too much at room temperature. Right before serving, mix all ingredients together in a large bowl.

Garnish with cashews, sliced almonds and/or dried cranberries. Terri always offers a choice of dressings like a zesty Italian and raspberry vinaigrette.