Andouille Artichoke Bread

BreadTastic!

I love bread, yep, I love bread a lot...I love bread so much, sometimes for dinner, I just eat bread, with some grapes, a little cheese spread, and a few slices of Genoa Salami...that's it, and it's my favorite quick food to eat.

I went to the store yesterday and saw this bread, and it said, EAT ME! I decided it needed to be eaten quickly but I had to create something real good to fill it with. This is why I created my Andouille Artichoke Bread which is divine!

First, start with a pound of fresh Andouille sausage, remove the casing and brown until nice and crisp. Save the grease people, it's about to be used!

 Add the veggies to the grease, yes, I repeat, add the veggies to the grease and saute for about 5 minutes. Season lightly and cook five minutes more.

Look at these beauties, I am telling you, some of the simplest foods are the most beautiful. Doesn't this look like a beautiful painting, not quite a Van Gogh but almost...lol.

Don't forget to hallow out your bread loaves, and reserve the filling we are using it in the "stuffing."

Look at all these veggies, bring on the cheese!

Stuff each loaf with about 1 cup of mixture. If you have bigger loaves then divide the mixture up.

These are hot out the oven, look at it! Look at the crispy andouille, bubbling cheeses, just creamy goodness!

It's time to eat PEOPLE!

Note you don't have to stuff the mixture in bread, I took half the mixture and baked it, then topped with green onions and extra queso fresco. This does not have sausage in it. I made this pan just for my baby girl...the vegan eating baby girl....lol

Andouille Artichoke Bread

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4-8

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh andouille sausage, casing removed
32 oz. can artichokes hearts
2 Italian loaf bread
4 oz. queso fresco
1 c. jack cheese, grated
1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, grated
4 oz. cream cheese
4 oz. sour cream
4 oz. mayonnaise
1 chipotle pepper, minced
1/2 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 bunch green onions, chopped
1 jalapeno, fresh, seeded, chopped
1 Serrano, fresh, seeded, chopped
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. creole seasoning
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. oregano, crushed
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
melted butter to baste bread.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Slice bread in half lengthwise, remove filling out of bread leaving about 1" edging all around. Reserve bread filling. Baste bread with melted butter making sure to coat edges of bread. Place on a sheet pan sprayed with cooking spray and set aside.

Mix seasoning blend and set aside. In a medium skillet add olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add andouille sausage and crumble well. Cook sausage until browned about 15 minutes, remove from pan and drain on paper napkins.

Add chopped vegetables to sausage grease and saute for about 5 minutes, season with the seasoning blend add the reserve bread and cook 5 minutes more.

Remove pan from heat, mix in jack cheese, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, sour cream and mayonnaise.

Fold in cooked sausage. Place about 1 cup of mixture in each hallowed out bread loaf, depending on the loaf size.

Sprinkle top of each bread with queso fresco and extra green onion if desired. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes, broil for 2-3 minutes more.