An easy copycat Jalapeno Cheese Bread inspired by a very famous bakery...

I always seem to surround myself with Joe and Jane Skier.  It's not on purpose it just seems that this is the way it is...so ironic, because I am not even remotely a skier.  Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good snowshoe in deep freshly fallen snow wearing all the proper layers so you don't freeze to death, but I just don't understand snow skiing...irony once again wins out...I live fifteen minutes from Parajito Ski Mountain.  I recall the humility as I undertook an all day skiing class at Mammoth Lakes, California a couple decades ago, as the rest of the group I was with excitedly went about their triple diamond adventures...I had no choice but to attempt a nearly flat mountain called "sesame street run" as part of my lesson graduation ceremony that day...the last time I was on skis...we won't even get into the falling I did...ok but get me on roller blades on a beach roller blade path against those "double diamonders" and ...oh never mind, it's just not my thing.

There were some very good memories around that last visit to Mammoth Lakes, including a fantastic bakery filled with amazing things like whole raspberry coffee cake, big delicious muffins, flaky pastries and pull apart breads.  The bakery, called Schat's Bakery was my "triple diamond experience!"  Paul Schat's Bakery Don't go to Mammoth without stopping in...even if it's just to inhale! That group of ski bunnies are still in my life so many years later, (thank goodness for facebook!)  They will especially appreciate today's blog entree.  I became obsessed and partial to the Jalapeno Cheese Bread that Schat's Bakery made.  It wasn't till year's later though after moving over 1000 miles away, that I began trying to recreate the bread as best I could.  Through trial and error I came up with my own version.  I make this and take it to poker parties, pot lucks or I serve it in the middle of winter with my Green Chili Chicken Stew...it is a huge free form roundish ovalish loaf that vanishes very quickly.  If you live in California, you can just schlep up to the bakery in Mammoth, especially if your a skier.  But if you're at home and want to make your own, well then here's my recipe.

Jalapeno Cheese Bread

(intended to be made in a bread machine but I suppose you could manually kneed this dough...results should be similar...just work the chili's and cheeses in well)

1 1/8 cup very warm water

1 tsp salt

3 tbsp sugar

1 cup grated sharp cheddar - sectioned in half at room temperature

1 cup grated swiss cheese - sectioned in half at room temperature

6 tbsp chopped Jalapeno peppers - the type in a jar - at room temperature

3 cups bread flour

1 tbsp active dry yeast

Follow your bread machines directions for placing ingredients into the bread loaf pan

Set aside 1/2 cup each of the cheddar and jack cheeses and 2 tbsp of the chopped jalapeno

Set your bread machine to the dough mode and process (this is usually a one hour cycle)

When the cycle has finished, remove the dough and place on a silicone baking sheet on a cookie sheet and form into a longish oval shape

Place into a warm area, I take a cup of boiling water and place into the microwave next to the bread dough on the cookie sheet and allow to get really huge for about 45 minutes

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

The loaf should now have expanded to nearly the entire area of the cookie sheet

With your hands, create a depression into center of loaf about 8 inches in diameter

Sprinkle the saved jalapeno and cheeses into depression and push slightly into dough

Bake for 25-30 minutes

Allow to sit for 30 minutes before either slicing or simply pulling apart with your fingers

 To Sesame Street Run!

robert