Loaded Baked Potato Bread

While seeking menu inspiration for my Superbowl Party I ran across a recipe for a spicy, cheesy pull-apart bread which eventually lead me to concoct this recipe a couple months later. I took one of the loaves of rustic potato bread I baked last week and packed it with all my favorite baked potato toppings!

Ingredients (makes 1 loaf)

• 1 loaf potato bread
• 4 bacon slices (cooked and crumbled)
• 4 tbsp butter
• 2 cups cheddar and jack cheese (shredded)
• 1/4 cup green onions (chopped)

Start by melting the butter in a small mixing bowl.

Next add the cheese, chives and bacon to the melted butter.

Mix well.

Next, slice the potato bread loaf both horizontally and vertically 3/4 of the way through.

Be sure not to slice all the way through, but enough to reach in there and stuff the loaf with your mixture of baked potato toppings!

Now use your fingers to stuff the topping mixture into the bread load.

Now wrap foil tightly around the bottom and sides of the loaf, leaving the top exposed.

Add another piece of foil over the top and place in a 350° oven for 15 minutes.

Remove the top piece of foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes.

After the cheese is melted completely remove the bread from the oven and discard the foil. Place the loaf on a serving plate.

You all know what’s coming next, my favorite, the zoom shot!!

Yum, cheesy! I served this with my Baked Buffalo BBQ Chicken and a nice twist on a traditional southern meal was born!

♣ Vegetarian Option: Simply remove the bacon to make this recipe vegetarian.

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.

Sausage Stuffing Balls

Finally, the most popular dish at my Superbowl Party gets a post on the Little Leopard Book! It’s like Thanksgiving dinner all wrapped up in a ball and I have iVillage to thank for the idea!

These sausage stuffing balls were one of the last items cooked that fateful Sunday and got no attention from the camera, but a lot of attention from my friends! Because there were no images for posting I had the lovely opportunity to make them again accompanied by a slew of lovely pictures to inspire you to make this delectable party favorite for yourself!

Ingredients (makes 12 balls)

• 1 lb pork sausage
• 2 tbsp butter
• 3 stalks celery (chopped)
• 1 red onion (chopped)
• 2 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh sage leaves (chopped)
• 1 loaf  or 6 cups potato bread
• 2 eggs (whisked)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Start by browning the sausage on the stove top over medium heat.

While the sausage is cooking, chop the celery and onion.

Once the sausage is cooked through, remove from the pan and place into a large mixing bowl.

Place the pan back on the stove and add the butter.

Next, add the celery and onion to the pan.

Cook for two minutes then add the crushed garlic.

Next, add the salt and pepper.

Cook for 2 additional minutes.  While the veggies are cooking chop the sage.

Add the sage to the mixture and cook for an additional minute.

While it finishes cooking, chop the potato bread into cubes.

Next, add the celery and onion mixture to the sausage. Then add the cubed bread.

Whisk the eggs and add to the mixture.

Next, add the chicken broth.

Mix well.

Now form into 15 medium-sized balls.

You can also make this recipe into a “Sausage Stuffing Bake” by placing half of the mixture into a loaf pan. (makes 8 balls with 1 loaf or 2 loaves)

Cook the balls for 30 minutes and the sausage stuffing bake for 40 minutes at 350°.

Mmmm Thanksgiving balls!

I used my homemade rustic potato bread for this recipe, but the first time I made  it I used store-bought bread and it worked just fine as well!

Serve the balls as an appetizer at dinner or as an hors d’oeuvre at a party.  Serve the bake as a dinner option alongside some fresh vegetables!

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.

Rustic Potato Bread

For my fabulous Super Bowl Party I made the most delicious hors d’oeuvres ever, Sausage Stuffing Balls! The post for this recipe will be coming soon, but unfortunately I only got two pictures of the dish while cooking it at the party, therefore I have to make it again before I can post it!  Not going to lie that I’m actually not disappointed about this at all because they were so marvelous!

The two main ingredients for the dish: sausage and potato bread.  The first time around I bought a loaf of potato bread at the store, but because my Rosemary Focaccia Bread came out so amazingly I have been on a serious bread kick!  Thus, I made my own potato bread for the sausage stuffing balls!

Ingredients (makes 2 loaves)

• 1 large baking potato
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 1/4 oz packages active yeast
• 6 cups flour (divided)
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp shortening

Start by peeling and chopping the potato into cubes.

Next, bring 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan.

Add the cubed potatoes to the water/milk mixture.

Boil uncovered for 13-15 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

After the potatoes are cooked, remove the pan from the heat but do NOT drain the potatoes.  After they have cooled down to a warm, but no longer boiling hot temperature, measure out 1/2 cup of the liquid.

Place the 1/2 cup of liquid in a large mixing bowl and pour the yeast on top.

Next, mash the remaining liquid into the potatoes.

Add the mashed potatoes to the yeast mixture.

Next, add 2 cups of flour.

Then add the sugar, salt and shortening.

Beat with an electric mixer on high for 2 minutes.

Next, stir in the remaining 4 cups of flour by hand.

When well combined, place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.

Next, place the dough in a large oiled bowl and turn to oil each side.

Then cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap.

Let rise for one hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Next remove the dough from the bowl, punch down and separate into two equal loaves.  Place each loaf in a loaf pan or shape into a loaf and place on a baking stone (I did one of each just to see how they would turn out!)

Cover again and allow to rise for an additional 30 minutes.  Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven to 375°.

For the final step, remove the cover and place the bread in the oven for 40 minutes.

Oh yum!  Look at those perfectly baked loaves!

Oh yeah, time to cut in!

This bread is thick and dense!  It would make for a delicious side dipped into soup or a thick and hearty sandwich or turn it into my yummy Loaded Baked Potato Bread!

♥ All pottery seen on the littleleopardbook can be purchased by visiting www.longaberger.com/muffetbond or e-mailing keepsakebl@sbcglobal.net.