Party Cheese Bread

I firmly believe that bread has a genealogy. In fact, I wrote a (yet unpublished) novel about it last November. When someone shares a recipe, or in the case of my book, a bread starter, with someone, that lineage should be documented. Perhaps that's why I always cite where I find a recipe, be it a magazine, a friend, a relative or a truly original creation.
With that in mind, I want to share this delectable recipe. It comes courtesy of my friend Alanna, who received it from Shellie Brown, who received it from Nancy Brown of Las Vegas, Nev. Alanna brought this pull-apart bread to a movie night at my house the other night (and yes, I totally get a kick out of us both turning around whenever someone calls either of our names. In an even funnier twist, we have the same maiden last name!). The bread was the edible hit of the evening (and it had to compete with a chocolate fountain for the top spot!). I have yet to make it, but it sounds incredibly easy and it really is incredibly tasty! Alanna said it might become her party tradition whenever she needs to take food someplace. I wholeheartedly agree!

Party Cheese Bread

1 round loaf of bread
1 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, sliced
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup green onions, sliced
2 tsp. poppy seeds

1. Place bread onto foil. The foil should be large enough to completely cover the bread in multiple directions..
2. Slice the bread at one-inch intervals, but do not cut all the way through the bottom crust. Repeat the process in the opposite direction so that a grid is formed. (Think tic-tac-toe, but with more squares than nine.)
3. Insert cheese into all slices in both directions.
4. Add green onions and poppy seeds.
5. Wrap foil around the bread into a bowl shape. Pour butter over the bread and seal in foil.
6. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Unwrap top and continue baking for an additional 10 minutes. Serve warm.

Substitution Suggestions: I don't see why Pepper Jack or another meltable cheese wouldn't work with this bread. Alanna said she used mountain bread. When I try it, I will get the Marco Polo bread at Wegman's. I will probably also add some garlic and onion powders to the melted butter, too, but that's a personal preference.

Lessons Learned: Since I have yet to make it, I haven't learned any lessons yet, but I can imagine that it is really important to cut almost to the bottom of each slice. Since it is a pull-apart bread, you want to make it as easy as possible to pull apart. It won't pull apart into neat little cubes, but if you cut all the way to (but not through) the crust, it will be fairly easy to pull apart. Enjoy!