Alexandra Harper’s Cheesy Pull-Apart Bread with Bacon, Garlic, Cheddar & Swiss Recipe!!!

Cheesy-Pull-Apart-Bread-With-Cheddar-Swiss-Bacon-and-Garlic_650pxStuffedIngredients

  • 1 large loaf of French, Italian or sourdough bread (I used a round loaf that weighed just under 2 pounds)
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 to 4 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
  • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 8 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked until crisp and diced into small pieces
  • Fresh parsley or chopped green onions for garnish, optional

Instructions

  • Place oven rack just below the center position. Preheat oven to 350°F.Lay bread on a cutting board. Use a bread knife to make diagonal cuts down through the top of the bread, leaving the crust intact. Repeat across the entire surface of the bread, making the cuts approximately one inch apart. Turn the bread 90 degrees and make a set of perpendicular cuts. When you are finished, the surface of the bread should be cross-hatched into 1-inch squares.

Stir garlic salt into melted butter. With a basting brush, basting syringe, or spoon, drizzle the melted butter down into the bread between all of the cracks until all butter has been used.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Use the side of a knife or the back of a spoon to mash minced garlic into somewhat of a paste. Mix garlic into cream cheese. Stir in cheddar, Swiss, and diced bacon and mix until well blended. Stuff clumps of cheese mixture down into all of the cracks of the bread.

Lay a long piece of foil on the counter horizontally, and then lay a second long piece of foil on top of it vertically. Center the stuffed loaf of bread on the foil and wrap. Bake for 20 minutes, then open up the top of the foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is entirely melted. Watch carefully once foil is open to ensure that the top of the bread is not browning too much. Serve hot.

Link to Recipe: https://www.fivehearthome.com/cheesy-pull-apart-bread-with-bacon-garlic-cheddar-swiss/

Alexandra Harper~ “Q&A”!!!

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1.     How did you get into pageants?

So I actually have only participated in two pageants in my entire life! I decided to do Miss Tennessee USA two years ago (on a whim) and didn’t think I would ever do it again. i decided to give it another shot and never thought I had a chance; It’s a pretty cool thing that I can say that my mom and I are the only mother-daughter to ever win from the same state!

2.   What made you decide to participate in Miss Tennessee?

I started praying about it and I just knew that it was time. It’s like a switch went off in my brain and I suddenly was 100% dedicated and determined to give this thing another go-around. And believe me, it’s terrifying! It’s not easy to prepare for these (mentally and physically) so I knew I had to want this more than I’d ever wanted anything before in order to win.

3.     What were some of your first thoughts when you heard your name and you were crowned Miss Tennessee?

WHAT? WHY? WHAT IS LIFE? WHO AM I? OMG!

4. How did you decide you wanted to be apart of CMT TV show “Music City?”

It sort of all just fell into place. Jackson had told me that the producers were really interested in capturing our relationship and following me and my journey to becoming Miss Tennessee USA. So naturally I was all in!

5. What was your experience was being a part of “Music City?”

My experience with Music City has been full of ups and downs, surprises, tears, and LOT of laughs. This has been the experience of a lifetime, and I am thrilled that the world gets to fall in love with this city and it’s people!

6. When did you start your company “Ali and Things?”

I quit my corporate job to start Ali and Things back in August 2016.

7. Is there anything new coming up for “Ali and Things,” in 2018?

Yes!! Honestly I’ve taken a huge break from blogging because of the show/preparing for Miss USA. But I can assure you there will be plenty of new things coming up in the near future!

8. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 to 10 years?

Traveling the world, writing a cookbook, designing a fashion line, WHO KNOWS! (But I do want to do all those things and more.)

9. What is one of your favorite quotes?

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Eleanor Roosevelt

Alexandra Harper~ “Bio”!!!

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Alexandra Harper is a 25 years old fashion and beauty blogger from Nashville, Tennessee. Harper went to the University of Mississippi for 2 years. At UM she pledged for Kappa Delta Sorority. In 2015, she obtained a Bachelors of Science Degree in Journalism & Mass Communications from the University of Tennessee and graduated in the top percentile of her program. She left the University as a published photographer in the New York Times and a multimedia journalist with a minor on broadcast journalism.

After finishing college, Harper attained a position as an Account Executive for Sinclair Broadcast Group at Fox 17 News in Nashville. In the summer of 2016, Harper decided it was time to return to her journalism origins and make something new and fresh. After a few months of studying online coding and website design, Harper started her own business as a fashion and beauty blogger (www.aliandthings.com). Soon after her website was up and running, a New York CEO saw her work and hired her to write for his online country music news website. Also, Harper works as a social media manager for many public figures.

In her personal time, Harper enjoys cooking, exercising and spending time with her family in Nashville. She is also an ambassador for Second Harvest Food Bank in Middle Tennessee, which is an organization that she has been a part of since she was 10 years old. As Miss. Tennessee USA 2018, Harper wants to bring knowledge to the ongoing issue of food uncertainty and those fighting with hunger across the state. She has also made a goal to use this opportunity to help supply, support and inspire people to volunteer at local food banks in their own neighborhoods.

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Social Media Accounts:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alexandra.harper.16

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexandra__harper/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/misstnusa?lang=en

Jackson Boyd~ Q&A!!!

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  1. Hi Jackson, can you tell me a little bit about yourself, before you joined the show “Music City” on CMT?

Before I joined CMT’s “Music City” I was just getting started in the 

fitness industry in Nashville, TN. I had moved back home from Houston, TX

and was struggling to find my niche in town. No one really tells you how

weird/hard the time after college is, when you’re trying to lock down your career

and begin advancing yourself. I have always been into athletics and fitness.

It’s always been my first love. When there didn’t seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel, I turned to fitness and the rest is history.

  1. How did you get offered the job to be on “Music City?”

The opportunity was presented nearly a year ago when Adam DiVello’s (creator and EP) production company reached out to me about filming a docu-series in Nashville. I participated in numerous interviews and then eventually received a phone call from Adam asking me to be a part of the show!

  1. What was your experience on the show?

My experience on the show was one that I will never forget. Being one of two Nashville, TN natives on the show, it was very special for me to be put in the position to promote my hometown and the beautiful, booming city that is Nashville.

  1. How did you get into fitness and how did you decide you wanted a career in it?                                                                                                                                 I got into fitness because of my love for sports. Football and baseball were my main two loves growing up. In high school I suffered numerous concussions, so when the last one occurred, I had to hang up my cleats and in turn, leaned on fitness and weight-training to fill the void of not being able to play sports. I was very stubborn when it came to getting into the fitness industry due to the idea of being an independent contractor, and it wasn’t until after college when I refused to work a desk-job that I decided to make the jump!
  1. Who are some of your favorite singers/groups right now?

The music I listen to is all over the place. I love country, rap, R&B, etc. John Mayer, Jason Aldean, Justin Timberlake, Drake, The Weeknd, Eric Church, Miguel… so many more…

  1. Where do you see yourself in the next 5 to 10 years?

In the next 5 – 10 years I see myself married with kids. Hopefully I’m owning my own gym where I can teach group fitness classes as well as train my personal clients. Still in Nashville, obviously!

  1. Is there anything else coming up with yourself for the rest of 2018?

I do not have a clear view of what the rest of 2018 looks like, but I have many goals left to accomplish, and hope to make some personal moves that will keep taking me in the direction that I’m trying to go!

  1. What is one of your favorite quotes?                                                                                      One of my favorite quotes is from my favorite movie, “The Shawshank Redemption,” “GET BUSY LIVING, OR GET BUSY DYING.”

“Jammin’ in Jammies”!!!

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About the Event: Jammin’ In Jammies is a writers night and interacting event hosted by Mary Kutter and Megan Barker. This event is held every Wednesday at The South right off Music Row. The event showcases performances by up-and-coming artists and award-winning songwriter.

Your Hosts:

Mary Kutter: Kutter is from the state of Kentucky. She enjoys singing and writing her own songs. Kutter hosted her own TV/Radio show, “Mary Kutter’s Country Music Hour” for three years. While having her own show, she has interview songwriters like Tony Arata, Kent Blazy, and Kim William. This fun blonde loves also rap music and eating Oreos cookies and Taco Bell daily.

Megan Barker: Barker was born in Nashville and into a music industry family. As a child she grew up in Las Vegas and started performing on the strip as a teen and opened up for singers like Lee Brice and Montgomery Gentry. If you follow Barker on her social media, you will see how she cannot stop saving cats and enjoys sharing videos of herself being goofy.

When: Every Wednesday Night (Wear Your Favorite Jammies)

Where: The South (Nashville)

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Q&A:

  1. Hello Megan and Mary, can you tell me a little bit about yourselves before you guys started “Jammin in Jammies?”

Mary: I was born and raised in Kentucky and have only been living in Nashville around 6 months. Before I moved to town, along with performing, I hosted my own music variety TV/Radio show right outside of Louisville called, “Mary Kutter’s Country Music Hour” where I was able to interview and showcase some amazing hit writers and emerging artists.

Megan: I was born in Nashville! My dad was a writer who penned song for Ronnie Milsap, Barbara Mandrell, and more. My mom was always on the road or in the studio as well. I moved to Las Vegas around age 9 and lived there up until a year ago when I moved back to Nashville. As a teenager, I started performing live music (covers and originals) on the strip and coming back and forth to Nashville. Cutting my teeth as a performer in Las Vegas was quite an experience to say the least!

2. How did you come up with the name “Jammin in Jammies” and was there any other names you were going to choose instead?

Mary: Folks on my instagram kept asking for me to share some covers on my page, so I started posting a cover every week where I’d literally sit on my bed in my pajamas with my guitar and play a song. The videos got such a good response that when we got the opprtunity to host a show off Music Row, we knew it’d be neat to use that idea of pajamas in a live show concept.

Megan: I knew Mary’s video series on Instagram was a huge success. So when she called me with this idea on turning into a live show, my brain exploded with ideas and possibilities on what this live show could be. The sky was the limit!

3. How did you guys come up with this concept?

Mary: We basically took the idea of my weekly cover video series and made it a live show but with some of our favorite hit writers in town and emerging artist friends 🙂 We wanted to mix in music with light hearted fun, so we bring our Jammie Game every week and we also do a lot of funny parody videos to promote the event.

Megan: From the start, I saw Jammie’s color being purple. To me, that says FUN. We wanted it to be lighthearted so we have candy on all the tables, a signature drink, and we are always full of surprises. The show has taken off so quickly that we have to stay on our toes. We have some exciting ideas up our sleeves so you don’t ever wanna miss a show. 🙂

4. Where do you see “Jammin in Jammies,” in the next 5 to 10 years?

Mary: Who knows! To be honest, I am totally overwhelemed by the love and support the show has gotten — we’ve been doing it only a little over a month and every week, the venue is packed. My inbox is full with folks wanting to play the show, and I think Megan and I have stumbled onto a really cool thing. And the coolest thing is, Megan and I are best friends, so it’s like hanging out with your BFF while we work to make Jammin in Jammies the best show possible. In a couple years, I think Megan and I will both be touring as artists and have our music on the radio, and I feel like Jammin in Jammies will somehow fit into what we’ve got going then 🙂 Who knows! The sky is the limit!!

Megan: I agree with Mary. I think as artists we both have some exciting things coming up this year. So I definitely see us spending a lot of time on the road in the future but I just know somehow that Jammin In Jammies is in it for the long haul. From opening night just over a month ago, we knew this thing had legs.There’s enough hit songwriters in this town to keep up the show forever! The idea is very unique honestly. Hit songwriters with emerging artists in the pjs. What a fun concept.

5. Is there anything new coming up for “Jammin in Jammies,” for the rest of 2018?

Mary: SO MUCH. Can’t tell details yet. But believe me. It’s about to get even bigger and even cooler and even crazier. Hang on!!

Megan: We have so many HUGE surprises coming up yall. We’re not allowed to say exactly what is coming down the pipeline, but what we can say is MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!!

6. Who are some of your guys’ musical icons?

Mary: My all-time favorite singer is Elvis, but I listen excessively to rap/hip hop, so Big Sean, Lil Wayne, and Macklemore are always on repeat. I think Walker Hayes is doing something revolutionary that Sam Hunt tapped into with the country music market and I’m such a fan of both of those guys.

Megan: My musical heroes are John Mayer & Keith Urban. I’ve always been a fan of great performers that can move people with just a great song and a guitar.

7. What are a few of your guys’ favorite quotes?

Mary: My mom has always told me that if you work hard, do the right thing, and are kind, things will turn out right. And my dad tells me CONSTANTLY it’s the little details that make the big differences in life.

Megan: “To reach a port we must sail, sometimes with the wind, and sometimes against it. But we must not drift or lie at anchor.”  – Oliver Wendell Holes, Sr.

8. Is there anything else you guys would like to share?

Mary: The show is every single Wednesday at 7 pm CST at South in Nashville. Pajamas are encouraged but not required. 🙂

Megan: What Mary said! Come check out Nashville’s biggest pajama party. And also come check out what Mary and I have going on individually as artists. 🙂 Meganbarker.com Marykutter.com

 

NoBaked Cookie Dough~ Q&A!!!

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1.     Hi Megan, can you give me a little background about your company “No Baked Cookie Dough?” – NoBaked started in March of 2017 as an online store. The online store progressed into pop-up shops around Nashville. Now, we have two physical storefronts – one in Nashville and one in Louisville!

2.     How did you come up with the name “No Baked Cookie Dough” and was there any other names you were go choose instead? –NoBaked was the first name I came up with because I felt that it gave a good description of what the company was.

3.     Has there’re been any celebrities who has bought any of your items? – We’ve had a ton of Country Music artists who have bought our cookie dough and a couple other celebrities. Nashville is a great place for that!

4.     Is there anything coming up for your company in 2018? – We just opened our second store and now we are starting to franchise! We hope to open in multiple different cities around the country.

5.     Where do you see your company in the next 5 to 10 years? – I hope that NoBaked will continue to grow and be in multiple different cities!

6.     What are a few accomplishments that you are most proud about your company? – I’m extremely proud of how much NoBaked has grown since I started it. Having two stores open in less than a year is a big accomplishment and I’m so excited to see how far we can go!

7.     If you had to give advice to an up and coming food company would you tell them? – I’d say to keep going! Things can get challenging and there’s a ton to learn about the food industry, but determination will separate you from the rest!

8.     What is one of your most popular items? – Our Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is the most popular item! I think this is because it’s the flavor everyone thinks of when they think about eating cookie dough or even making cookies.

9.     What is one of your favorite quotes? – “For what it’s worth, it’s never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start over.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

10. Is there anything else you would like to share? – I hope that when everyone comes into our store, they don’t just love the cookie dough but they also love the experience!

NoBaked Cookie Dough~ “Bio”!!!

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Megan Beaven is originally from Louisville, KY. Beaven moved to Nashville to attend Belmont University. After graduating and working in the music industry, Beaven chose to change her career path and start her company “Nobaked Cookie Dough.” Her company started only as an online store. Then she did some pop-up shops and then eventually opened up a storefront in Nashville, TN. Beaven and her finance Jimmy are expanding the company and planning on opening stores in other cities and franchising. On March 10, 2018, Beaven opened her second location in Louisville, KY. If you would like to find out more about “Nobaked Cookie Dough,” then check out their website https://nobakedcookiedough.com

Social Media Accounts:

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Top 5 Songs of March 19, 2018:

  1. Shelby Lee Lowe “Lock It Down”: Lowe new single “Lock It Down,” is a song about love that many people can connect to. This song puts a new turn on not truly caring on what you have with someone until it is really gone.
  2. Tana Matz “Lipstick Looks Good on You”: Matz latest single “Lipstick Looks Good You,” has lively lyrics and a little bit of a pop sound to it. This song also has a catchy chorus to it and this song is just great to sing and dance along to.
  3. Blackberry Smoke (feat. Amanda Shires) “Let Me Down Easy”: Country group Blackberry Smoke’s new song “Let Me Down Easy”, featuring The Shires (Amanda Shires), is acoustic love ballad with some unsteady hardships thrown in different parts of the songs.
  4. Chris Stapleton “I Want Love”: Stapleton has put out his new cover of Sir Elton John’s song “I Want Love,” as part of John’s tribute records “Rewamp and Restoration,” which will come out on April 6, 2018.
  5. Macy Martin “Take It Now”: In Martin’s new single “Take It Now,” is about taking the next step in a relationship. This song is a upbeat country song and this song also have a heavy banjo sound too.
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