Steamed artichokes make a quick and easy start to a meal or a party food.

Dip leaves into vinaigrette made with Auntie Si's Lemongrass Vinegar, or give them a squeeze of lemon and dip into McEvoy Ranch's Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Ready made dips can include Mrs. A's Salsa Buena, with its fresh taste and wonderful texture.

Or one of the pestos from Bella Chi-Cha: Sundried Tomato, Artichoke or Pesto (above). Other ways to use Bella Chi-Cha Artichoke Pesto: added to cream cheese as a dip, mixed with steamed rice, or used to fill a baked potato (bake until bubbly).

Whip up your own dip in seconds. Skylake Ranch Pomegranate Products suggests Pomegranate Goat Cheese Dip, or make Dill Dip with a Kick, using Pollen Ranch's All-Natural Dill Pollen.

Make the festive tri-color Artichoke & Cream Cheese Terrine (above), using 424 Not Found's Sun Dried Tomato Bruschetta.

Cheese pairs very well with artichokes, for instance, in Goat Cheese-Stuffed Artichokes, made with Redwood Hill Farm's Fresh Ch�vre.

Artichokes are equally good hot or cold. In Fava Bean, Artichoke & Olive Salad (above), fava beans are combined with baby artichokes and briny olives in a light lemon vinaigrette made with McEvoy Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

On a foggy or overcast day it's very nice to remind ourselves of the sunshine, and this recipe from 424 Not Found is just the thing to do it: Sunny Artichoke Salad (below).

Jimtown Store's Artichoke, Olive and Caper Spread will take any sandwich up a notch. Try it in their recipe for an Eggplant and Red Pepper Sandwich or the classic Muffuletta, the Italian version of a "submarine sandwich."

The Artichoke, Olive and Caper Spread from Jimtown Store can also be used to top crostini.

Or make your own. Susie A's Artisan Foods' unique Santa Maria Seasoning livens up Artichoke-Parmesan Crostini (below).

BrannenGourmet's Warm Artichoke-Spinach Dip is also a delicious topping for crostini (below).

the girl & the fig has created a line of Pickling Spices for Williams-Sonoma's new Agrarian line. Following their recipe for Refrigerator Pickled Vegetables, choose the Blanc or the Vert spice mixture to pickle baby artichokes or artichoke hearts. Photo of pickle jars (below) courtesy of Nathan Larimer.

Artichokes are a popular ingredient in Italian dishes. The combination of artichokes with pancetta, onion, garlic, olives, tomatoes, and of course olive oil, makes a delicious recipe for Rigatoni with Artichokes and Pancetta (below) from McEvoy Ranch.

Mendocino Mustard's Seeds and Suds (made with North Coast Brewery beer) gives spicy interest to Mendocino Artichoke Chicken.

Heat up the Sun Dried Tomato and Artichoke Pasta Sauce from Mooney Farms' Bella Sun Luci for a quick and delicious last-minute dinner. Or dress it up in Spinach, Ricotta, and Tomato Artichoke Lasagna (below).

Yes, it's an unusual combination and YES! it's delicious: Pan-Seared Chicken with Artichokes, Leeks and Sauerkraut uses the fresh sauerkraut made by Sonoma Brinery.

Roasting brings out the sweetness in vegetables, and with artichokes it also makes them look wonderful. Stella Cadente Olive Oil serves them with Saffron-Meyer Lemon Aioli (below), made with their Meyer Lemon Crush Olive Oil.

Taking full advantage of artichoke leaves for the presentation and filled with lots of delicious, healthy ingredients, Wild Rice Artichoke Salad is a cinch made with the pre-cooked and ready-to-serve wild rice from Fall River Wild Rice.