Spinach French Onion Cob Loaf Dip

Place spinach into a microwave-safe bowl. Cover. Heat on HIGH for 4 mins or until hot. Drain. Set aside to cool. Squeeze excess moisture out from spinach using a clean tea towel.

Place spinach into a bowl. Add sour cream, soup mix, mayonnaise, water chestnuts & spring onions. Mix until combined. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hr.

Meanwhile preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Use a bread knife to cut 4cm off top of cob loaf. Scoop bread from centre of loaf. Tear bread and loaf top into pieces. Place loaf and bread pieces onto a baking tray. Spray with oil. Bake for 10-15 mins or until slightly crisp. Set aside to cool.

Spoon dip into cob loaf. Serve with bread pieces, carrot and cucumber sticks. Consume within 3 hrs.

Make a warm 'winter-style' dip: Just add 1 cup grated tasty cheese to the dip mixture. Do not tear the cob loaf top. Place dip mixture into cob loaf. Place bread top back onto cob loaf then place onto baking tray. Loosely wrap loaf with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil. Roughly tear cob loaf top. Place torn loaf top and torn bread pieces around loaf. Spray bread pieces with oil spray. Bake for a further 10-15 minutes until bread pieces are lightly golden and slightly crisp and dip is golden and warmed.