Spinach Cheddar Dip in a Bread Bowl

I remember eating cold spinach dip in a bread bowl all the time at my friend Karen's house when I was growing up; whenever her parents had people over, spinach dip was always bound to make an appearance. While I did like the dip (with the exception of the water chestnuts), I was always eagerly anticipating the point when we got to dig into the bread bowl that had been soaking up the creamy dip all afternoon....mmm! As much fun as eating the bread bowl is, they are surprisingly also very functional and convenient for taking to a party, or in my case, tailgating. Why you ask? Because there is no clean up!! Either the bowl gets eaten, or the bowl gets tossed, either way, there are no dishes to do!

The original spinach dip that I grew up eating always used a packet of the Knorr Vegetable Recipe dry mix, so when I came across this version which used dried onion soup mix, I thought it sounded like a tasty twist on a classic recipe. Plus, this had the added bonus of cheddar cheese...because really, doesn't cheese just make everything better? Just like the classic recipe, this is a snap to prepare. I made it up the night before and waited until just before serving to scoop it into the bread bowl so that it wouldn't get all soggy. I really liked this version of the classic, the cheese really added a nice element to the dip, and gave it some more color. And when it was time to head into the game....clean up was a breeze!

Spinach Cheddar Dip in a Bread Bowl

2 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 c. sour cream (I used light)
1/2 c. mayonnaise (I used light)
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 (8 oz.) can water chestnuts, drained & chopped (I didn't use these because I am not a fan)
1 Tbsp. dried onion soup mix (I used an onion dip mix)
1 round unsliced loaf of bread (Like Sheepherder's)

In a large bowl, combine, cheddar cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, spinach and soup mix. Mix well. Refrigerate dip for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Cut out the center of the bread, leaving sides and bottom about 1-inch thick. Cut up the bread that was removed into bite-size pieces for dipping. When ready to serve, fill bread bowl with dip and serve with bread pieces. (I also served it with some Wheat Thins)