Mexican Spinach Dip

I love the Super Bowl!  Not because I care at all about football, but because it is an excuse to indulge in foods that I do not eat that often.   Everyone has their favorite Super Bowl snacks and one of mine is spinach dip.  Please don’t yawn with boredom, as I too have gotten pretty tired of seeing it in the line up of usual suspects somewhere between the hummus and the cheese platter.   For that reason, I have revamped this old classic with some new flavors.  I have been served two variations of this Mexican inspired spinach dip and both have been absolutely wonderful.  As usual, I played with both of those recipes to create my favorite balance of flavor and texture.  Below is my version of Mexican Spinach Dip that I serve with tortilla chips or pita chips.  I know the chopped pecans sound a little different, but trust me, you want them there! 


Mexican Spinach Dip
Serves 10-15

Ingredients
8 oz cream cheese ( I use 1/3 less fat)
1/3 cup sour cream ( I use low fat)
1 jalapeno chili seeded and chopped
2 10oz cans of Rotel, drained
1 small onion, chopped
1 ten oz frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed
1 ½ cups monterey jack cheese  
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2+  teaspoon chili powder
1/2+  teaspoon cumin
1 cup chopped roasted pecans (I like the spicy ones from Trader Joe’s)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray your casserole dish with cooking spray.
Combine cream cheese, sour cream and jalapeno.
Fold in Rotel, onion, spinach, 1 cup of cheese, salt, chili powder and cumin.
Top with remaining cheese and pecans.  Bake in 350 degree oven about 30 minutes until bubbly.