Copycat Applebee's Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

I have been looking for a recipe that does not use mayo for the longest time. I know it's safe and all but the idea grosses me out. I was excited to find this copy cat. I'm very picky when it comes to Spinach and Artichoke dip and Applebees is among my list of favs. I have tried many homemade ones that others have made and they are always super oily and taste nothing like the restaurant version. I was skeptical when I tried making this earlier today. I pulled it out of the oven and it looked gorgeous! Not to mention it tasted AWESOME!!! Even my husband who is not as big of a fan of spinach and artichoke dips loved it! I can not thank you enough for sharing this fabulous recipe. I now can skip applebees curb take-out and make it myself!!! :) Update to review on 7/19/2009: I recently got the idea to cook up some chicken breast (I seasoned it with garlic, and cajun seasoning) then added an extra 10 ounces of alfredo sauce. I also added a box of penne rigate pasta, and mixed it all together in a large lasagne pan. I baked it as per the normal directions, stirred it, and then topped with extra cheese half-way through. The pasta turned out amazing! It is now a household staple. :)

Fantastic!! Even better after it sits for a few days. Broiled for the last two minutes to brown the cheese. Just awesome. I'm going to make it for my graduation party too! Thanks!! **Edit** I wanted to bring this to work one day but didn't have oven access so I threw all the ingredients in my crockpot and let them go. If I'm in a hurry I'll turn it on high for 30-45 minutes, otherwise it's on low for about an hour, maybe a little more. Very easy and a triple batch fits perfect! Thanks again!

This is my go-to and always gets raves!!! A couple notes though - be sure and drain the thawed spinach thoroughly, I squeeze it out, to avoid too-watery dip. I don't go off-brand on the cream cheese. I always use artichoke hearts in oil. And instead of the crock-pot, I top with a little extra cheese and put it in a 325 degree oven for about the same amount of time.

I made this for our Easter Potluck (yesterday), and boy it was gone in less than 30 minutes!! I doubled the recipe to 20 servings. I followed one of the other reviewers tip and broiled the dish at the end for about 2 minutes. I'm more of a garlic person, so next time, I think i'll more garlic. I also used kraft shredded parmesan romano and asiago cheese, just because it sounded good! But overall, it was delicious!!!! I prefer bread than tortilla chips =) Thanks for the recipe!!

This dip is amazing, even tastier than Applebee's. The first time I made it, I squeezed the moisture out of the thawed spinach, which made the dip WAY too thick and dry. Now I don't drain/squeeze the spinach at all, and the consistency is perfect. I do everything as directed, except I usually sprinkle a little more parmesan cheese and some chopped red onion on top of the dip when it comes out of the oven. Everyone loves this dip; it's absolutely addictive!