Cheesy Party Bread

It is such a crazy good time of year to be a sports fan. I’ve been waiting for hockey to come back all summer, and finally it’s started but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Football season is going strong, teams are battling it out in the baseball playoffs, and preseason basketball has even kicked off. If my television is on, odds are it’s tuned to some type of sports. If you’re a Boston sports fan you probably know yesterday was particularly awesome. The Patriots pulled off a win against the Saints in the last 10 seconds of the game, and the Red Sox came back from 5 runs down to beat the Tigers in game 2 of the ALCS. I was in the kitchen trying to get work done but kept running back into the living room to see all of the excitement 🙂

I’ve been so obsessed with all things sports that I haven’t started watching any of my favorite fall shows yet, and they’ve been back for, what, a month?? I am dying to know what happens on Scandal, Homeland, and The Mindy Project, plus I wanted to start watching The Blacklist too. Luckily episodes are collecting on my DVR so when things calm down on the sports front, I’ll have plenty to keep my occupied! What are you watching this fall? Are any of the new shows worth my time??

Aside from the actual games, one of the best things about watching sports is enjoying game-day snacks. We’ve definitely made a meal out of appetizers on more than a few Sundays lately. Recently I threw together a big pot of chili for the games, and to go with it I whipped up a loaf of this cheesy party bread. You guys, this stuff is insanely decadent but oh so good! It’s like garlic bread on steroids! Sourdough bread is stuffed with a combination of Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, drizzled with butter, garlic, and chopped scallions, and baked until the cheese is melty and the bread is tender inside and crisp on the outside. Put a loaf on the table at a party and just watch how fast it disappears! 🙂

Shane and I could probably devour the entire recipe ourselves to be perfectly honest, but to prevent that from happening I usually make a mini version when it’s just the two of us. Those bread bowls they sell at the store work great!

Cheesy Party Bread
adapted from Taste of Home

{Note: I cut back on the amount of cheese suggested by the original recipe (it seemed plenty decadent enough with 12 oz) but feel free to use a full pound if you want. This is highly customizable so feel free to make it your own!)

1 (1 lb) round loaf sourdough bread
6 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
6 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped scallions

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a large piece of aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Working with a sharp knife, cut the bread into 1/2-1 inch slices – don’t cut all the way through the bottom, you want the bread to stay together. You can come to within about 1/4 to 1/2-inch from the bottom. Turn the loaf and repeat the cuts in the opposite direction. Place the bread on top of the prepared sheet of foil

Shove the shredded cheese in between the cuts in the bread. This takes a little time, but you really want to try to get cheese in as many of the crevices as possible. Combine the melted butter, garlic, and scallions in a bowl, then drizzle the mixture evenly over the bread. Wrap the bread in the foil and transfer to the oven (I cooked mine directly on the oven rack). Bake for about 15 minutes wrapped up, then unwrap and cook for another 10 minutes to allow the cheese to melt.

This is optional, but before serving I sprinkled a little more cheese over the top and popped the bread under the broiler to crisp up the top. Just keep a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Enjoy!