Be The Star Of Your Super Bowl Party And Serve Dip In A Football Bread Bowl

The Super Bowl may be the biggest professional football game of the year, but it is also about much more than just the game. Between the halftime show and multi-million dollar ads, the pub parties and living room gatherings, and all the cold beverages and tasty grub, Super Bowl Sunday is a pretty huge event in and of itself — even for non-football fans. If you want to be the star of the event, then look no further than your contribution to the game-day potluck. Whip together a football-shaped bread bowl to serve your favorite dip, and you'll be guaranteed a seat in the spotlight.

If you read that and think it sounds too complicated, rest assured, it's not! Not only are there absolutely zero breadmaking skills required, but a football bread bowl is actually so easy to make that it won't even cut into the time you have reserved for decorating, face painting, or anything else. In fact, the most challenging part will probably be deciding which of your favorite dips to make for it.

Instead of making dough from scratch, just grab three cans of French bread dough from the refrigerated section at the supermarket. The long cylinders they come in are perfect for this purpose, so be sure to keep two of them in their original shape after removing them from their tubes. Unroll the third one to lay flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil, then form a football shape on top with the other two. The tubes of dough should meet at both ends and then fan out in a curve so that it is widest in the middle — just like a football — with the center forming the bowl where the dip will go. Then, pinch the ends together and brush the outside of the entire football with an egg wash.

Next, cut the excess dough from around the outside of the football shape. You will use this to make stripes to lay over the ends of the football and laces that will be baked and then laid on top of the dip after you've filled the bread bowl. Bake everything until golden brown, but keep an eye on those laces, as they will have to come out of the oven sooner than the football itself. Once baked, you can trim the inside to give it a more authentic football shape, saving the cut pieces for dipping. 

Deciding what kind of dip to fill the football bread bowl with might be a bit of a challenge. There are so many options that it will definitely be hard to pick just one! Of course, you can't go wrong with a classic cheese or spinach artichoke dip. Both are perfect with warm, soft French bread. Another favorite perfect for the occasion is buffalo chicken dip – complete with bleu cheese crumbles and celery sticks. The list of possible dips goes on and on, but you get the picture. If you simply cannot choose just one, consider creating a divider out of chips or crackers so you can put a different dip on each side. 

Whichever you choose, just be sure to pop the bread bowl back in the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes or so once it's filled. This will ensure everything is nice and toasty all the way through. Be super careful when transferring the football, too; you don't want the bottom to fall out in the process. Extra chips are also a good idea so that your guests don't run out of things to dip with as the bread bowl itself is quickly gobbled up.