Crab Dip in a Bread Bowl

This was made for a large party and got rave reviews on taste & presentation. It could also be made with shrimp. Although I have not tried it this way, I believe the crab dip could be placed in cooked bread bowl, bread top placed on top,and all covered with foil and baked until hot.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 48-60
• Yields: 1 9to11 inch bread bowl

Ingredients

• DIP

• 3  lbs cream cheese, softened (some of cheese can be fat free or low-fat)
• 2  lbs  backfin crab meat
• 1 (12 ounce) bottle Heinz Chili Sauce
• 1  teaspoon  Old Bay Seasoning
• 1  teaspoon  hot sauce
• 3  tablespoons horseradish (not horseradish sauce)

• TOPPING

• 3  tablespoons  oscar meyer bacon bits
• 1  cup  toasted almond

• BREAD BOWL can purchase Sourdough Boules

• 2  packages  bread mix
• 2  cups water

Directions

1. If you purchase bakery round bread, omit the next few steps.
2. BREAD BOWL:Mix both bread mixes together according to manufacturer's instructions.
3. Let rise until double in bulk.
4. With non-stick cooking spray, spray the inside of a 9" or 1" springform pan.
5. Knead dough and place in pan, pressing down as evenly flat as possible.
6. Let rise 1 to 2 hours until dough reaches the top of the pan.
7. Bake about 50-65 minutes at 350 degrees, until completely cooked.
8. Run knife around edge of loaf, and let cool completely.
9. Remove outer pan rim.
10. Cut a thin top layer from the bread and remove most of the bread inside, leaving a"shell" of bread to form your bowl.
11. Place bread on serving tray (large enough to hold crackers or bread cubes around it).
12. DIP:In mixer, mix cream cheese with all other ingredients except chili sauce and crab.
13. When well blended, add chili sauce and mix until blended.
14. Gently stir in crab meat.
15. Spoon into shallow baking dish and bake until warm in the center.
16. Cool until not hot to the touch.
17. Spoon crab dip into bread bowl on serving tray; sprinkle bacon and almonds on top, and surround with assorted crackers and a few sprigs of greenery for garnish.