bared-soul:

You’ll need:

13.3 oz roll of refrigerated french bread loaf, like Simply Pillsbury {I ended up using Whole Foods pizza dough because one of our guests is allergic to corn which is found in many canned doughs}

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 Cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped

1 clove fresh garlic, minced {I used 2 cloves}

3 oz softened cream cheese

1/2 Cup light sour cream {I used regular sour cream as I prefer most things as full fat}

2 Tablespoons fresh shredded parmesan cheese

1/8 teaspoon Chile Pepper or Cayenne Pepper

1/8 teaspoon Garlic Salt

1/8 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Here’s how:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray 10 muffin cups with non stick cooking spray.  Unroll package of french bread loaf and slice into 10 equal size slices, about 1 inch thick.  Press each slice into about a 3 inch round, I did this by pressing in between my hands.  Press into the bottom and up sides of the muffin cup.  Set aside.

2.  Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat.  Cook and stir spinach until wilted, about 3 minutes then add garlic, cook and stir for another minute then turn heat off.

3.  Place cream cheese, sour cream, cooked spinach and garlic, Parmesan Cheese, Chili Powder, garlic salt, salt and pepper into a medium bowl.  Mix until well combined.  With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dip into each of the centers of bread bowls.  Top evenly with shredded cheese and bake for 15-17 minutes until just turning brown on edges. {Since I used pizza dough, cooking time took closer to 20-22 minutes}  Remove and let cool for 3-5 minutes before removing from oven.

The final cups are tasty, savory, warm, and delightful. Since they are muffin sized, they’re definitely not bite-sized and can get messy. As an alternative, I made mini muffin sized versions for our party which were nice two-bite versions. But for having at home or for more casual guests, the full sized muffin tin is just perfect! — Joy

{photos by Oh Joy, recipe by the Picky Palate}