Jalapeño Popper Bread

Jalapeño Popper Bread

Ingredients:

1 round sourdough loaf, unsliced

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons pickled jalapeno pepper juice

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 cup diced picked jalapeno pepper

1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a sharp bread knife, cut the bread into about 1 inch slices from side to side going into both directions, repeating until entire loaf is cut. Do not cut through the bottom crust. It should look something like a blooming onion.

Mix together cream cheese, jalapeno pepper juice and garlic powder. Spread cream cheese mixture in between cuts. Sprinkle diced jalapeno peppers and bacon bits on bread, making sure to lodge most in between cuts. Top bread with cheese, again, stuffing in between cuts.

Wrap in foil the entire loaf and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes; unwrapping foil packet enough to expose the bread. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted.