This post is sponsored by Castello® Cheese. All comments and opinions are my own.
One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that it can be surprisingly easy to entertain guests during the holiday season without spending tons and tons of time in the kitchen. After all, what’s the point of pulling out all the stops if you’re too worn down afterward to enjoy sharing the results with friends and family you only get to see so often?
But less time spent in the kitchen doesn’t have to mean less flavor and enjoyment for all. Far from it, especially with Castello Cheeses and recipes like this Creamy Havarti Pull-Apart with Bacon & Jalapeño!
Just like the name says, this delicious pull-apart bake takes Castello’s irresistibly creamy Havarti Cheese and pairs it with savory bacon and spicy jalapenos for a combination your guests will think took you far longer than it actually did. It’s perfect for serving up as part of a holiday brunch spread, as game food for any “home-gating” sporting event, or any other holiday get-together where you want to serve up big flavor.
- 1 refrigerated pizza crust or pre-made pizza dough
- 8 oz Castello Creamy Havarti, shredded
- 1 – 2 large jalapeños, seeded and chopped
- 4 slices of bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
- chopped parsley for garnish, if desired
- Preheat oven to 400º F.
- Spray a 9″x5′ loaf pan with cooking spray. Line the pan with a piece of parchment, allowing about 1″ overhang (for easy removal once the pull-apart has cooked).
- Add the shredded cheese, chopped jalapeños and chopped bacon to a bowl and mix to combine.
- Roll out the pizza dough to a 14″ square and using a knife or pizza wheel, cut the dough into 14 equal size squares.
- Turn the loaf pan up on one end so that it’s vertical and place a bread square on the parchment, Add some of the cheese filling and then top with another dough square. Continue building alternating filling and dough, finishing with a dough square.
- Place the filled pan in the oven and bake for 22 – 28 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
- Allow to cool slightly, then remove the pull-apart from the pan using the parchment overhang.
- Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
I love this recipe for the fact that you don’t have to worry about making it look perfect. It doesn’t matter if your dough is the same size or if it’s bumpy, lumpy or uneven. Once that bread bakes up with that savory filling, you end up with a great tasting snack that will have your guests coming back for seconds… or even thirds!
And since you only need four ingredients (five if you count the parsley garnish), you won’t have to spend a ton of time prepping this tasty dish.
Save yourself some time and stop by the Publix Bakery and grab a pre-made pizza dough ball. Stretch it out then slice into squares. Line a bread pan with some parchment then turn it on it’s side. Then just start stacking the dough squares, sprinkling lots of Castello Creamy Havarti, bacon and chopped jalapeño between the layers.
Bake it up and you have a tasty appetizer that easy to make AND easy to serve!
The Creamy Havarti compliments the bacon and jalapeño perfectly. But, you can experiment and use whatever Castello Cheese that you love. Honestly, you can’t go wrong as all those tasty cheeses taste AMAZING!
Hailing from Denmark, Castello is dedicated to making some of the most unique, gourmet cheeses around. They’re constantly striving to blend traditional favorites with innovative new combinations to satisfy cheese lovers the world over.
Stock your fridge for all your favorite holiday recipes. From pastas to casseroles, charcuterie boards and salads, you’ll find all the tasty cheese you need at a super price.
Now, I’ve got plenty of recipes I can think of to take advantage of these savings, but if you need some inspiration, be sure to check out Castellocheese.com.