Pull-Apart Pizza Bread

This is the perfect easy appetizer for guests.  It's simple and quick, and tastes delicious!  Although I'm a bit late for football season, I'm remembering this one for next year's Super Bowl snacking session.  The original recipe for "Bloomin' Pizza Bread" came from wondrous The Girl Who Ate Everything blog.

Ingredients:

Round or small oval loaf of french bread (make sure it's not sliced)

5 oz bag of mini pepperonis, or normal-sized pepperonis sliced in half

8 oz bag shredded mozzarella cheese

4 Tbsp butter, melted

1/2 tsp garlic powder (I used McCormick Garlic Bread Sprinkle instead)

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lay out long sheet of foil over baking sheet, and spray with cooking spray.

2. Cut your bread lengthwise and widthwise into a grid pattern with a sharp bread knife.  I cut about every 1/2 inch or so.  Make sure you don't cut all the way through to the bottom crust...it holds it all together.  

3. Open the bread up a bit so you can sprinkle the ingredients in between the pieces of bread.  I recommend crumpling up a large ball of foil and placing it under the loaf of bread so you can open it up more.

4. Sprinkle the cheese and pepperonis between the pieces of bread.  Stuff it in all the little crevices for good coverage.

5. Add the garlic powder and Italian seasoning to the melted butter and mix well.  Carefully pour butter mixture over the loaf of bread, attempting to get as much coverage as possible.

6. Wrap loaf in foil and place in preheated oven for 15 minutes.  Then unwrap the bread and bake 10 more minutes.  Let cool a few minutes then place on platter and serve with warm marinara for dipping sauce.

pic from thegirlwhoateeverything

Hope you enjoy as much as we did!  -Kristen