Sarasota's Cheesy Ham Dip in a Bread Bowl Recipe

"Easy to make - inexpensive, and great to take to pot lucks, BBQ's, parties, etc. It is very easy to prepare and always well received. Serve with some of the bread from the bowl you scooped out; as well as, crackers, pita chips, or vegetables of your choice. Small new potatoes are wonderful with this, as is asparagus, broccoli and cauliflower ... a few of my favorites."

Step by Step Method

Step 1

Dip ... Add the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, ham, green chilies, jalapeno, scallions, onion, garlic, worcestershire, pepper, salt (go easy); then mix well and set to the side. Make sure to taste for seasoning.

Step 2

Bread ... Cut off a thin slice from the top of the loaf and scoop out the bread from the inside. Using a knife and a spoon, cut and then scoop out as much of the bread as you can without cutting through the loaf. You still want to keep a nice layer of the bread on the inside, so it isn't too thin. Save that bread - it makes a great dipper.

Step 3

Fill the hollowed bread loaf with the dip; cover with top slice of the bread loaf and wrap the loaf in heavy duty foil - or 2 sheets of regular foil.

Step 4

Bake ... Preheat a oven to 350 degree oven and bake 1 hour on the middle shelf.

Step 5

Serve ... Enjoy with the bread scooped out, cut in small cubes; crackers, bread sticks, vegetables, broccoli, par boiled potatoes, and asparagus is a favorite as is broccoli. Basically any of your favorite dippers. ENJOY!

Step 6

A fun, easy, and different dip, which is just that little bit unique. And the best part is - it is kid and adult friendly which you can make it ahead. Just don't fill the bread bowl until you are ready to bake it. If I go to someones house, I usually bake it for about 45 and then finish it in their oven for the remaining 15-20 minutes, and it comes out great. Also, it will also stay warm wrapped up in the foil and then a towel wrapped around it for a good 30 minutes after you remove it from the oven. It is best served warm, but room temp is just fine for this dish.