The Cheesy Jalapeño Bread you’ll want to make again & again

I always end up with one thing left on my counter the week after a shopping trip.  I’ve been trying to get creative with some of the produce that I always have an excess of.  This week it was jalepenos.  These spicy little peppers pack a real punch when it comes to flavor, so wasting them is a total sin. 

So many pepper!

 It’s not the first time I’ve had twelve-too-many of these lying around. Mexican flavored dishes are a staple in our weekly meal planning, so whenever I’m at the grocery store I grab a handful of jalepenos to keep things festive and feisty.  They cost, all of thirty-five cents, so they really aren’t a wallet buster.  

Rise baby rise!

This week we called-in a few more pizza orders than originally planned, so the stash of peppers is still sitting on my counter.  In the past, any “on their last-leg” jalepenos were turned into salsas, pickled, or infused into liquors.  Today I wanted something new.  

Cheesy Peppery Goodness!

With a fe days full of rain, I’ve been in a mood for soup and crusty bread.  Baking up some easy, no-knead breads was just the comfort level I wanted for this sloppy, muddy week. So, with some simple tweaks to a trusty recipe, I upgraded this bread game to elite status.  

This Cheesy Jalepeno Bread is so easy, you’ll want to make it all the time! 

Bread Love

Cheesy Jalapeno Bread

Serving Size:
16 slices
Time:
55min cook time
4-5 hours total
Difficulty:
Novice Bread Baker

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 teaspoon active yeast
  • 2 cups warm water (not hot, not cold) 
  • 4 cups flour 
  • 2 tsp salt 
  • 1 1/2 cup chopped fresh jalapeño 
  • 1 1/2 lb block of cheddar cheese (grated) 

Directions

  1. Combine yeast with warm water in a mixing bowl. Cover with a clean towel, and let rest for 5 min.  You’ll know the yeast has begun to bloom when you see bubbles on the surface. 
  2. In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients.  Using your hand or a spatula, form a well in the center of the dry ingredients.  
  3. Pour the yeast/water mixture into the dry ingredient well, and gently mix with your hands or spatula.  
  4. The dough should begin to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  The mixture will be sticky, but not wet.  If your dough seems too wet, try adding flour (1 Tbsp at a time).  If the dough seems to dry, try adding water (1 tsp at a time).  
  5. Once dough is mixed and not sticking to the sides of the bowl, cover with your dry, clean towel and let rest for 2 hours.  
  6. Your dough should have doubled in size.  Press your finger into the dough.  If the dough begins to ‘deflate’, it is ready.  
  7. Add jalepenos to the bowl, and gently combine them into the dough mixture. Once incorporated, cover the dough and let rest again for 1 hour.  
  8. generously flour a large piece of parchment paper.  
  9. Preheat oven to 450degrees.  Place dutch oven in oven to heat. 
  10. Dump dough/jalepeno mixture onto floured paper, and add cheese.  Gently fold in all of the cheese, so it is thoroughly mixed throughout the dough.  Form dough into a ball, sprinkle a little flour on the top, and cover with plastic wrap for 30 min.  
  11. remove dutch oven.  It should be very hot, so proceed with caution.  
  12. place a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the dutch oven.  Very carefully place the ball of dough in the bottom of the pot, cover with the lit and return to the oven.  
  13. Cook for 45minutes, then remove lid and cook for another 15-20 minutes, until the crust has browned slightly.  
  14. Cool before slicing.  And try not to eat the whole loaf in one sitting… or do.  You do you girl!