Coming Back From the Dead
HELLOO!!!! Yes, I’m alive and well! If you don’t follow me on Instagram, you’ve missed out on A LOT. So you should probably start following me hehe. It’s definitely been a while since I’ve posted a blog post and that’s due to 2 reasons: I was feeling VERY unmotivated and…I MOVED! So before we get into today’s recipe — this lovely Cheesy Garlic Bread that you see before you — let’s catch up!
Taking A Break
Back in March and April, I was feeling uninspired with developing recipes and writing blog posts. A major reason for that was because I put so much pressure on myself to produce new content every week. Ever since I started my blog, I had a goal to post 1 new recipe per week and, for the most part, I’ve managed to keep that up until now.
Although 1 recipe seems easily manageable, there’s a lot that goes into simply posting a recipe. I have to buy groceries, cook, test the recipe, make adjustments, photograph it, clean, edit, write a blog post, and create an engaging instagram caption. Yes, I know there are people juggling more things in life, but for me, this was a lot to do along with having a full-time job and reserving time for myself. In addition, I felt like I had to post new content weekly to grow as a food blogger.
I mainly took this month off because I moved and my parents flew to LA to help me move. In the past, when I knew I would be busy, I would double up on creating recipes so that I’d have them ready to post for that time. However, I was feeling so unmotivated, knew I would be stressed with moving, and wanted to spend time with my family; so I decided to take this time off and repost archived recipes. After taking this time off, I’ve learned that I can create and post at my own pace and my blog will be okay! In fact, I actually gained followers, feel more motived to create, and have been posting more in general and consistently. This time off was exactly what I needed and has made food blogging an enjoyable hobby again rather than a dreaded task.
The Cheese Touch
Now that you know I’m still here, let’s dive into this Cheesy Garlic Bread! I think I can say that 99.9% of people LOVE garlic bread. In fact, I’ve never heard anyone say they don’t like garlic bread. It’s easily one of the best side dishes you can have to accompany your meal. And what makes it even better is that it’s easy as heck to make at home!!!
Garlic bread is essentially what it’s name is. Our first component is bread. I used the classic French Baguette because its accessible, the length allow you to cut more pieces (which means you can serve more people), and the crust toasts perfectly in the oven. The second component is the garlic butter spread — AKA butter and a load of minced garlic mixed together. I mixed in a touch of lemon zest because it adds a hint of freshness and lightens the garlic bread. And the last component is, of course, CHEESE! I went the basic route here and stuck with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Garlic bread is one of those recipes that I think tastes better when made with the simple and classic ingredients. I don’t want it frilled up with fancy ingredients trying to elevate it in some way. Just give me the classic and I’m good.
Ready to Rock
So if you’re looking for a go-to garlic bread recipe, look no further. This Cheesy Garlic Bread recipe IT! I mean look at that cheese pull! This recipe is easy, delicious, and definitely feeds a crowd. It’s a great dish to serve for any summer BBQ’s you may be having — now the pandemic has chilled out! I know I glossed over the fact that I moved, but I have so much to say, so I figured I’d leave it for my next post. With that said, it feels good to be back and I’m ready to rock and roll! Thanks for joining me today and I’ll talk to you in my next post!
Cheesy Garlic Bread
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz) French Loaf Bread
- ½ cup Fresh Parsley Leaves (minced)
- 8 Garlic Cloves (minced)
- 1 (4oz) Stick Unsalted Butter (at room temperature)
- ¼ cup Olive Oil
- ½ tbsp Dried Basil
- 1 tsp Lemon Zest
- ½ tbsp Onion Powder
- ¾ tsp Kosher Salt
- ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 2 cups Grated Mozzarella Cheese
- 1 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F and line a baking sheet with foil.
- Add the parsley and garlic into a food processor. Pulse into the ingredients are finely chopped. Add it into a bowl along with the unsalted butter, olive oil, dried basil, lemon zest, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Mix everything together until well combined
- Cut the french loaf in half, lengthwise. Place each half onto the prepared baking sheet with the cut side facing up. Evenly spread the garlic butter mixture onto each loaf, ensuring they are well coated. Sandwich the halves back together and fully wrap the loaf in foil. Bake it in the oven on the baking sheet for 15 minutes.
- Remove the garlic bread from the oven, then carefully unwrap the foil. Place each half onto the baking sheet, cut side up. In a large bowl, toss the mozzarella and parmesan together until evenly combined. Then sprinkle the cheese mixture evenly on top of each bread half.
- Bake it in the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted. Then switch the oven setting to broil and cook for 3-4 minutes until bubbling and sightly golden brown. Remove the garlic bread from the oven and cut into pieces. Enjoy!
