TPG Blog #7: Penelope Jane, The Periodic Chart and Landyn's Baked Artichoke + Spinach Dip

Hi there!

Okay, listen up!  I was starting to write about “Finding Your Why” and then “17 Steps to Organizing Your Pictures” and it dawned on me – you need a good laugh and a “super” scrumptious dip recipe for Sunday’s football game.  That’s it. You’ll have your time, serious topics, but for today – this is it!  Pretend I’m stopping by your house on a Thursday afternoon. You just heard me pull up.

My Aunt Bette is THE best and my only aunt.  She married Uncle John 54 years ago, they have 4 kids and 5 grandchildren and treat us as their own.  She is worthy of her own post on this blog and will have it on another day – so much wisdom and material and she knows it’s coming!  She and Uncle John came to our house for a visit when our kids were little.  I don’t quite remember the sequence of events, probably out of self-preservation, but either she or I was reading the children’s book “Penelope Jane” by Rosanne Cash to the kids.  Beautiful story about a French fairy who stows away to school and the book is sold with a CD with an original song “How To Be Strong” written and sung by Rosanne Cash.   

Penelope Jane.

Did you know it was pronounced  [PUH] + [NEL] + [UH] + [PEE]? 

Well, not me.  I pronounced Penelope as if it rhymed with Cantaloupe.  Two kids and I thought I was up for Mother of the Year until this calamity!  Aunt B couldn’t stop laughing and I’m laughing again as I type this story.  I’ve continued to keep the spirit of [PE] + [NEL]+ [LOWP] alive and give the book to every new mother, telling them the story in kind of a “welcome to the club” sort of way.  I’m not sure how I missed this, growing up with “The Perils of Penelope Pitstop” cartoon on television and on our lunchboxes but yes, this is me.

Prior to this, it was the Periodic Chart of the Elements.  I’d never seen it before college - and my chosen major had “Science” in the title.  Did I miss that day month in high school science class with Mr. Talbot?  I found a super cute science tutor with a good sense of humor lickety-split so I was saved but – seriously, I had no recall whatsoever!  The tiny numbers in the corners of the squares, the initials for elements that have no correlation to their names:  Sodium – Na; Potassium – K; Iron – Fe; need I go on?  This was a calamity but I’m thinking about buying this one from Pottery Barn.  How they made it cute is beyond me!

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It’s said that you become the average of the five people that you surround yourself with and it becomes true faster than you think.  I introduce you to one of my five - meet Landyn Hutchinson (her website is linked here).  I wouldn’t have the perfect pair of white jeans, know which makeup to buy or impress you with this dip if it wasn’t for her.   Drum roll, please!

Landyn’s Baked Artichoke + Spinach Dip (posted 12/23/17) 

• 10 oz. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 14 oz. jar of artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups grated parmesan cheese
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• ½ tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Mix together spinach, artichoke and parmesan cheese.  Using your hand mixer, combine the remaining ingredients and then stir in the spinach, artichoke and cheese mixture.  Spread in a medium baking dish.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Makes about 4 cups.  Serve with pita chips, potato chips or sourdough bread cubes – and just like that, you’re the hit of the party!

Have a great week living your great big life, Hit of the Party! Let’s cheer each other on this week – it’s what we do, you know!

xoxo

With love,

Kelly