Perfect With Any Meal ……

In my opinion there are just certain foods that literally go with everything. It doesn’t matter what type of cuisine, what time of year, or what time of day for that matter. There are foods that have such a super yum factor, and are so comforting, that they are versatile whenever, wherever, and however you want them. For all of you that are bread lovers, you will agree with me that there is always room for bread. I don’t eat a lot of bread, because it is one of those foods that absolutely requires moderation, but when I do it has to be worth it!

Garlic bread is the food I am talking about that is the perfect partner for just about any dish. But not just any garlic bread. Sure you can do garlic powder and margarine and slap it on a piece of white sandwich bread and toast it up, and while it will work it will never be as satisfying as the garlic bread I am going to introduce you to today. The main ingredient that makes this recipe so satisfying, and so richly indulgent, is the garlic. Roasted garlic is the creamiest, most mildly flavored form of garlic that you can have.

* I threw mine on the grill when I barbecued the other day, but you can just as easily roast your garlic in the oven. You don’t even have to peel the garlic. Just take a whole bulb, cut off the top, set it on a piece of heavy duty foil, drizzle with some olive oil (about ½ teaspoon), and wrap it up. I put mine on the grill with the meat, let it cook, and just left it on there after I removed the meat and let the grill cool. It takes about 30-45 minutes to roast. Same in the oven, just prepare it, pop it in, set the timer, and walk away.

Once the garlic is roasted, and slightly cooled, it squeezes right out of the peel. When you read the ingredient list you might think it is a bit redundant to have the olive oil that the garlic was roasted in; as well as some butter, but each has a distinct flavor that lends to the overall creaminess, satisfaction, and richness. Don’t underestimate the power of each ingredient, a little bit goes a long way. 😉 Coarse sea salt amps up the flavor profile as it blends with the smallest amount of cheese. I used cheddar, but mozzarella, or provolone, is equally as amazing! I know that the whole process sounds complicated, but the majority of the time is simple, hands on time is about 10-15 minutes’ total. Make sure you have someone to share with, it could be very easy to eat every single little scrumptious garlicy crumb. Whether you use a grill, or the oven, mozzarella, or cheddar cheese, make sure you sit back, relax, and enjoy!

What is your favorite meal to eat garlic bread with?

Do you use roasted garlic often?

Roasted Garlic Cheesy French Bread

By Angie Gouchenour

5 servings

Ingredients

5 slices wheat French bread (About 1/8^th of a loaf)

1 head roasted garlic (See above)*

½ Tablespoon butter – softened

¼ cup shredded cheese (I used cheddar)

1 teaspoon dried parsley

Coarse sea salt

Directions

After squeezing the roasted garlic out of the peel combine it with the butter

Spread the garlic mixture over the French bread on a foil lined baking sheet

Place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until it begins to brown

Remove the baking sheet and sprinkle the bread evenly with cheese, and parsley (I used my fingers to break the dried parsley up over the bread)

Place back under the broiler for another 2-3 minutes until the garlic/cheese starts to bubble and brown

Remove from the oven and sprinkle lightly with sea salt (Only about 5 or 6 grains of coarse salt is needed for each piece to enhance the flavor)

Enjoy!