Braided Bacon Ranch Cheddar Bread

 

I know, I know ... this is my third posting for some form of braided bread recently.  But, it is just so gosh darn good and my family keeps begging for more. So, while I am coming up with new twists (get it!) on braided bread for them, I figured I might as well share them with you! We've, also, actually found that we absolutely love the leftover slices out of the fridge the next day ... if they last that long!

This is actually a combination of my braided bread recipes that I have posted previously and a recipe from "Plain Chicken" for Cheesy Bacon Ranch Pull-Bread that I shared a while back. 

The beginning steps are the same as previous braided bread recipes. I use store-bought frozen bread dough, but use homemade if you prefer.

Ingredient List:

• Bread Dough
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• Ranch Dressing Packet
• Butter
• Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits
• Flour

Allow the store-bought, frozen dough to thaw in the fridge overnight. If you're using homemade, you don't need to do this step. Place dough on a floured countertop.

Then, roll out the dough to about 5 inches wide and as long as a baking sheet. If your dough is cold, you may want to let it rest for a bit on the counter to "loosen up."

Make three long cuts in the dough ... all the way to the end on one end, but do not cut all the way to the end of the other end.

Carefully transfer to a baking sheet coated with non-stick spray.

Brush the three strips with a mixture of 1/2 of a stick of melted butter and 1/4 of a package of Ranch dressing mix. You may not use all of it. 

Then, braid the strips and stuff about 1/2 a bag of store-bought Oscar Mayer real bacon bits that have been mixed with about a cup of shredded cheddar cheese into the "pockets." Tuck under the loose ends. You can, also, brush a little of the butter mixture on the top of the bread, but be careful not to use too much because the Ranch mix can be a little salty!

Allow to rise in a warm spot for about an hour. (I set my oven to 200º and sit the pan on the stove top.) Then, bake at 325º for 20 - 25 minutes. When out of the oven, slice and serve.