Bread Bowl Shapes

This is a fun item for a party. Rather than doing the round loaf of bread with spinach dip like everyone else does, you know I had to come up with something creative. This is easy and versatile. Create your own new concept!

Christmas Tree Bread Bites with Spinach Dip

2 pkgs. Pillsbury breadsticks*

Mix:
1/4 c. Parmesan
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 t. garlic powder

In this case, I used a Christmas tree cake pan, but you can use any shape you prefer, depending upon what the occasion is for your party.

Place a 10-ounce custard cup upsidedown in your pan. The bottom of the pan will end up being the top when you invert it, so you want the bottom of the custard cup facing up right now.

Spray everything with non-stick cooking spray, especially the bottom of that custard cup.

(Sorry I do not have photos of the whole process, but we were getting ready for a holiday party and I just didn't pick up the camera!)

Cut the breadsticks into small pieces and dip them in the mixture of melted butter, Parmesan and garlic powder. Place the bits of breadstick dough in the pan, haphazardly, to cover the edges of the shape and to surround the custard cup.

Bake as per package instructions, keeping an eye on it so it browns to your liking.

Remove from oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter or cookie sheet. Remove the custard cup.

Place the container of spinach dip in the space where the custard cup was.

If you wanted to, you could also just scoop the dip into the center of the bread shape and not use the container.


*NOTE: you don't have to use Pillsbury Bread Sticks; you can substitute other store-bought biscuit dough, pizza crust dough, Rhodes rolls, your own bread dough, or even some Bisquick biscuit dough.
This is the same basic concept as a Monkey Bread, too, so using sweet dough, a butter-sugar glaze, and ice cream topping for dipping would probably work too, although I have not tried that....yet....

Good luck with your cooking adventures!!

Here are more photos from the holiday party (our anniversary in December)

Stuffed Mushrooms:


Goat Cheese Dip:


Brenda's Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips:



Not pictured:
Crab Rangoon Dip with Won Ton Crackers