Do you have a half-empty jar of pesto sitting in your fridge? Are you having a soup night and want to ante it up?

Make PESTO SWIRL BREAD!

I like this bread fresh out of the oven, although my husband prefers it toasted and crunchy. However you eat it, it's delish!

Let's make some!

Step 1: Make Your Dough

Pesto Swirl Bread

2-3 tbsp. pesto
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 c. warm water (110 degrees is perfect -- too hot or too cold will affect the yeast, fyi)
3/4 tbsp. active dry yeast
3/4 tsp. salt
1/8 c. oil
3. c. flour

Mix the water and the yeast together and let sit until foamy. Stir in sugar, salt, and oil. Add in flour, a cup at a time. Knead dough until everything is incorporated (I use a mixer) and then knead for 5-10 minutes longer (this stretches the gluten).

Once the dough is no longer super-sticky (just tacky), place it in an oiled bowl, cover it with a damp-ish cloth, and put in a warm place until it has doubled in size. (I usually turn on the oven for a minute or two and then turn it off, and place the bowl with the dough inside. It warms up the space enough to help the dough rise, but not enough to start cooking the dough.)

The rising of the dough usually takes about an hour.

Step 2: Slather and Roll Yo' Dough!

Once the dough has risen, punch it down, and, on a floured surface, roll it out to a rough rectangle shape. Spread pesto on top of the rectangle, and roll the dough up tightly. Place the dough in a greased loaf pan (I made two loaves, which is why you see extra dough in one of the pics), and put it back in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.

Step 3: Bake and Eat!

Bake your loaf in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven, until the top of the bread is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven, and let it rest for a few minutes, before removing the bread from the pan and letting it finish cooling on a cookie rack. (If you don't remove it from the pan, the trapped moist heat can make the bottom of the bread soggy, and nobody wants a soggy bottom.)

Slice, eat, and enjoy!

For more great recipes like this, check out my blog, www.approachingfood.com!