Crab Dip In A Bread Bowl - cooking recipe

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

Preparation

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