Holiday Cheese Bread

One of the best things about holidays is that they are predictable. We know what food will be served, food reserved for those special days of celebration. In our house we have a special breakfast on Thanksgiving and Christmas morning. Made the day before, it is easily popped into the oven to warm while other festivities take place. Then, once the turkey is stuffed or the presents are unwrapped, it can be sliced and served with frothy cups of cocoa or hot spiced cider.

Ingredients:
1 unsliced loaf French bread
1 lb. bacon
1 jar Kraft Old English cheese spread
1 stick butter

Recipe:
Dice the bacon and fry. I like to partially freeze the bacon first to make it easily sliced. Drain the grease after frying.
To a large bowl add the bacon, stick of butter, and the contents of the jar of cheese. Blend until the butter melts and the ingredients are well mixed.
Slice the bread horizontally so you have two long halves. Place on aluminum foil sufficient to wrap the entire loaf.
Spread the bacon/cheese mixture evenly over the top and bottom faces of the bread. Place the two bread halves together and wrap with the foil. Refrigerate until morning.
Place the wrapped bread in a 225 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. When warmed through, remove from foil, slice and serve.

I do not know where my wife found this recipe. I suspect that a friend brought some to a work function. In any case, it has become a part of our holiday celebration and is expected by our children and grandchildren at every holiday visit. (Recently we found that individual cheese breads can be made using crunchy hard rolls rather than the large French loaf.)
Enjoy.