artichoke & arugula crescent ring

Hi, my name is Ruthie, and I just can't leave well enough alone.  Sometimes this is bad, and sometimes it is really really good.  Luckily, I don't share the times that it goes badly on my blog.  You're welcome.

I love spinach artichoke dip.  Who doesn't?  But you know.  I can't leave well enough alone.  So I had an idea.  Some might call it a stroke of genius.  I sure did after I tasted it!  I have an arugula obsession.  It is tangy and zesty and is so great in salads and in sandwiches.  I may start a fan club.  So you will need:

1 can artichoke hearts
1 package cream cheese
2 cups fresh baby arugula (or you can use fresh spinach, if you don't like change)
1/2 onion chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 T gorgonzola cheese
1 roll crescent rolls
fresh pepper
cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven according to crescent roll package.  Soften the cream cheese in the microwave for about 20 seconds.  Saute your onion until browned. 

While the onion is browning, drain your can of artichokes. 

Once the onions are done browning, add your 2 cups of arugula. 

Turn off the heat and stir the arugula into the onions.

Leave it be for a minute while you crumble your gorgonzola.  Or maybe you thought ahead and bought crumbled gorgonzola.  Good for you! 

Also chop up those drained artichokes.

Add the artichokes, gorgonzola, and parmesan to your soften cream cheese.

Pour on the onions and arugula.

Grind a little pepper over it and add a couple pinches of cayenne.  Mix it all up really well.

Take a taste to confirm your suspicion that it already tastes delicious.  And then set aside.  Break open the can of crescent rolls and arrange the triangles into a star shape.  Like so:

I overlapped them some and pressed them together so the mixture wouldn't leak out the bottom.  Then add your arugula/artichoke mixture in a ring around the open hole in the center.

Fold the points to the middle, pressing them together and pinching the edges where the triangles meet.  It doesn't have to be perfectly sealed.

And because cheese is good, I sprinkled more parmesan over the top.

Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown and delicious smelling.

Serve it up! 

There are a lot of possibilities with this!  You don't have to make a ring, you could make it more of a stromboli if you don't want to fuss.  I think it would be cute with some sun dried tomatoes on top to serve at Christmas- like a wreath.  We ate it for dinner, but it would be a good appetizer for a party, too.  Brian and the littles were fans.  It was all eaten in one night. 

Happy cooking!