Artichoke
facts and general information
about artichokes.
Artichokes are Available in Season:
Fresh in springtime.
How do Artichokes Grow:
Artichokes are the flower bud of a thistle plant, see the picture
below.
What
to Look For When Buying Artichokes:
Choose tightly closed buds that are green or purplish-green in color.
Artichoke Storage Tips:
Store artichokes in the refrigerator.
How to Cook Artichokes:
Cut the sharp end tips off with a serrated knife. You can scoop out the
middle fuzz before or after cooking. To cook, boil artichokes in large
pot of water until a skewer pierces through the middle easily.
Time may
vary according to size but could be 20-40 minutes. To eat, dip leaves
in
butter or oil dressing and bite off fleshy end. When you get to the
center and all the leaves are off, scoop away fuzz, being careful not
to
take the heart out with it. Eat heart or prepare it in an artichoke
recipe.
Artichoke Nutrition Facts:
Artichokes contain fiber, magnesium, vitamin C and potassium. They also
have a high amount of antioxidants.
Kids Cooking Lessons and Food Facts Unit
Get all of our Food Fact Sheets in one ebook,
free of ads and easier to use in teaching cooking activities to
kids.
Also included in the ebook unit is our Kids Cooking Lessons Section and Seasonal Cooking Activities.
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1 can 14 oz. artichoke hearts, drained or 3 fresh artichoke hearts,
cooked and prepared
½ Cup spinach, frozen, chopped then steamed
¼ Cup mayonnaise Do not use miracle whip
¼ Cup parmesan cheese
¼ Cup Romano cheese (you can use all parmesan also)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
½ teaspoon basil or 1 Tablespoon basil fresh
Salt and pepper to taste
Allow cream cheese to come to room temperature. Cream together mayo,
cheeses, garlic, and basil. Mix well. Add artichoke hearts and spinach.
(Squeeze all excess water out of spinach before combining) Mix until
well blended. Spray pie pan with Pam and pour in dip. Bake at 350 for
25 minutes. You can also top with ¼ Cup mozzarella cheese,
grated.
If you like my website, please help others to find out about it. If you have a blog or website, or know someone who does, please consider linking to me.
Add me to your Facebook or MySpace, Tweet this, share on your favorite parenting or cooking forum! Every link helps! See share this site with others for more ideas.