1 large loaf dark bread, unsliced (round works best)
2 tablespoons butter
1 bunch green onions, chopped
6 cloves fresh garlic, minced finely
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
16 ounces sour cream
12 ounces cheddar cheese, grated (mild or medium sharp)
14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained, quartered (packed in water)
(optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut a hole in the top of the
bread
loaf about 5 inches in diameter. If you wish, make a zigzag
pattern
to be decorative. Remove soft bread from cut portion and
discard.
Reserve crust to make top for loaf. Scoop out most of the
soft
inside portion of the loaf and save for other purposes, such
as
stuffing or bread crumbs.
In butter, saute green onions and garlic until onions wilt.
Do
not burn! Cut cream cheese into small chunks, add onions,
garlic,
sour cream and cheddar cheese. Mix well. Fold in
artichoke hearts.
Put all of this mixture into hollowed-out bread and wrap in a
double
thickness of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake in preheated
oven for
1 1/2 to two hours. When ready, serve using thin slices
of garlic
bread to dip out sauce.
Makes 16 to 20 appetizer servings.