Move over, Applebees Elmwood teacher’s spinach dip dead ringer for top restaurant appetizer

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Amanda St. John with her
spinach and artichoke dip. (Photo: Shane Hughes/Sentinel-Tribune)

Remember back a couple decades ago when everybody seemed to be trying to figure out the secret recipe for
Colonel Sanders’ famous fried chicken?
Unlocking the code to anybody else’s closely-held secret – especially one from a corporate safe or
government computer – is a great deal of fun.
Just ask NSA-tattletale and current Russian resident Edward Snowden.
Of course, as Snowden demonstrated to the entire U.S. intelligence community, secret-keeping gets harder
every year.
Bowling Green resident Amanda St. John would never consider doing anything illegal to come up with her
all-time favorite recipe for spinach and artichoke dip. But she surely would like to replicate the
version sold by Applebee’s restaurant.
And after some diligent research and personal experimentation, St. John, 26, is pretty sure she’s managed
to do just that.
"This dip tastes very close to Applebee’s recipe. It took me a few different recipes to find one
that tasted similar."
Her version includes spinach and artichoke hearts, obviously, but also minced garlic and three kinds of
cheese (a parmesan-romano mix and mozzarella). To come up with the perfect creamy texture and smooth
flavor, she added alfredo sauce and cream cheese.
But it’s what she didn’t add that matters just as much.
"I did just a regular Google search and just kind of investigated the different results that came up
and tried a few, and some were just terrible.
"There were a few that had mayonnaise in it and I tried it – you don’t know until you try it – and
that was definitely not good."
St. John’s in-kitchen experimentation involved "two or three misses before hitting on this
one."
It was two years ago or so that she worked on this project.
"I’ve had it for awhile; it’s become a household favorite. It gets made once a month or so."

You could call St. John and her boyfriend, Shane Hughes, culinary experts when it comes to this one
appetizer.
"Whenever we go out to eat we order the spinach-artichoke dip, regardless of where we go, because we
love it so much.
"So that’s what started" the idea of deciphering the Applebee’s recipe. "I thought, ‘well,
I should be able to make this at home.’
"It’s really not that difficult. You just chop up some artichoke hearts, and those are in a can so
you don’t have to worry about finding fresh ingredients. You just mix it all together, throw it in the
oven, and then it’s deliciousness."
She estimates overall prep time, including baking, as "maybe 45 minutes – if you’re cutting the
artichokes really slow."
Her only preparation hint: Be prepared to eat quickly. "It will disappear fast."
Just what is it about this dip that has captured her heart and won’t let go even after several years?
"It’s the creaminess, and then" the contrast with "the crunchy chips. It just hits the
spot. It just goes really well together."
St. John is not a purist when it comes to brand names used.
"I just get Meijer brand spinach, artichoke hearts and alfredo sauce, all three. Whatever you
prefer" is fine.
A Toledo native, she earned a degree in Spanish education from Bowling Green State University in 2010 and
is currently the Spanish II and III teacher at Elmwood High School.
She has 100 students, total, and has also returned to student mode herself.
"I am starting my graduate program in teaching English as a second language at University of
Findlay. I figure it will definitely make me more employable."
Between her full-time job and grad school, she’s always busy, but food preparation remains a priority.

"I’m always trying something new. Every week.
"Last week, I made spaghetti squash with a basil-almond pesto. I’ve been eating that all week; it’s
really good. And it’s all homemade. I know everything that’s in it. It’s all fresh.
"Over the weekend I made a healthier version of peanut butter cups. That one had dark chocolate and
almond butter. That was it. That was another easy one.
"I’m all about easy. That’s the way to do it."
She and Hughes still eat out with some frequency.
"We go to Applebee’s quite a bit, and then Outback Steak House is our special-occasion restaurant.
How to replicate their Blooming Onion is next on my list," as a matter of fact. "That’s
something I would love to do, ’cause that’s another favorite."
Spinach dip recipe
Body: 1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 cup shredded parmesan-romano cheese mix
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
10 oz. alfredo sauce
1 teaspoon minced garlic
4 oz softened cream cheese
Preheat over to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients thoroughly in a bowl and spread mixture into a small
baking dish (8×8). Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheeses are bubbling and melted.
Serve with chips or bread.

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