Bread Bowl Artichoke Dip

I didn't think I liked artichokes, until I tried this dip. But I supposed everything's good served with sourdough and covered in cheese, right!?!

Ingredients

2 16-oz sourdough bread rounds (about 6-in. diameter), divided

Vegetable oil

4 oz cream cheese, softened

½ cup milk

1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts in water, drained

1 1.4-oz envelope or one 1.8-oz box (2 envelopes) vegetable soup mix

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 lemon

1 container (8 oz) sour cream

Grated fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Using Color Coated Bread Knife, slice off top of one bread round to create a lid; set lid aside. Carefully remove center of bread round to form a 4½-inch-wide and 2-inch-deep well for dip. Slice center of first and entire second bread round into 1-in. cubes. Place bread bowl on center of Large Round Stone with Handles. Arrange bread cubes around bowl; spray with vegetable oil using Kitchen Spritzer.
2. In Classic Batter Bowl, whisk cream cheese until smooth using Stainless Whisk. Add milk to cream cheese; whisk until smooth. Chop artichokes using Food Chopper. Add artichokes, soup mix and garlic pressed with Garlic Press to batter bowl; mix well using Small Mix ’N Scraper®. Microwave on HIGH 5-7 minutes or until hot (do not boil). Juice lemon using Juicer to measure 2 tbsp juice. Stir juice and sour cream into hot artichoke mixture; pour into bread bowl.
3. If desired, grate Parmesan cheese over bread bowl and bread cubes using Rotary Grater. Lean lid against bread bowl. Bake 13-15 minutes or until bread cubes and top of dip are golden brown. Remove from oven; serve immediately.

Yield: 12 servings

©The Pampered Chef, Ltd., 2008