I realized in horror last week that I have basically no Halloween content here on The Rose Table, which all of my friends would find positively shocking. I adore Halloween so I wanted to rectify the lack of Halloween recipes by adding a few of my favorites. I’m delighted to present you with a total crowd pleaser, Cauldron Queso.

Technically this is not queso. I’m Texan and queso is practically a religion here, so I want to say that upfront. It’s just that “cheesy bacon dip in a bread bowl” is a mouthful and I’ve called it cauldron queso for fifteen years so the name is here to say!

I make this every year at my annual Sweatpants Sunday: Halloween edition get together, during which I have a girlfriend or two over to watch Halloween movies and eat an obscene amount of Halloween food. This always gets rave reviews. I’ve had several friends over the years who don’t even eat carb tear off whole chunks of this bread bowl – that’s how good it is!

This comes together pretty easily. You basically just stir the ingredients together, hollow out a bread loaf, scoop it in, and bake it for an hour.

You’ll want to grate your own cheese and cook your own bacon for optimal results. I’m sure you’re sick of me saying this, but I always use cherrywood smoked bacon (by HEB, found at my local Central Market) and it makes a huge difference. If you can find cherrywood smoked bacon at your store, by all means, get it. You’ll thank me! I hope this becomes a classic in your home like it is in mine.

Cauldron Queso
1 loaf round bread
1 cup plain Greek Gods yogurt 
12 slices cherrywood smoked bacon, cooked and crumbled 
8 oz Colby jack cheese, grated (2 cups) 
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 
1 small onion, finely chopped 
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bunch Italian parsley, chopped
For serving: crackers, celery

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Carefully cut bread into a bowl leaving 1” around the side. Pull the top off and hollow out bowl, leaving a firm wall of bread. Set top aside. Cut reserved bread into chunks.
2. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl. Spoon into bread bowl. Cover bowl with reserved top of bread. Bake on a jelly roll pan for 1 hour. Serve with celery, reserved bread, crackers. 

 

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Watch me make cauldron queso and enjoy it during Hocus Pocus with my friend Kat:

Happy Halloween,

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