I hope you’re in the mood for something fantastically warm, gooey, comforting, and most of all, fun. We’re right in the heart of football season and who doesn’t love to bring the snack to the party that everyone can’t stop talking about? That’s exactly what this bread is. And more. I never need to be sold when cheese and bread are involved, so the instant I saw Rebecca’s recipe for Cheddar Tailgating Bread, I was halfway to the store grabbing the ingredients. Just you wait. We have a winner here, folks.

This snack could not be simpler. All you need is a loaf of Italian bread, some cheddar cheese, butter, garlic, green onions and parsley.

First, slice your onions, mince your garlic and chop your parsley.

Next, melt that butter and combine it with the onions and garlic. This smells like heaven.

Slice a grid pattern into your bread. This doesn’t have to be perfect, trust me. People are going to devour it no matter what.

Pulling apart the pieces, spoon the butter mixture into all the seams and crevices. It’s nearly impossible not to eat it at this point.

Make sure to get each and every nook and cranny!

Cover the bread with some foil and bake for 10 minutes.

Remove the bread from the oven and take off the foil, then cover it with the cheddar. Shove that cheese down in between the pieces. This is the key to cheesy, gooey fluffiness.

After baking for another 15 minutes, the bread will look like yes. Um … yeah. I can’t even take how delicious it is.

As difficult as it may seem, let the bread cool for a few minutes then cover it in freshly chopped parsley. Pure torture.

Now you can finally serve it! Or, keep it all to yourself? If you share, make sure to snag a few bites quickly. This goes extremely fast. I mean, just look at it.

I can only describe this as a slightly toasty and warm garlic bread covered in bubbly cheddar and bursting with flavor. It is nuts. It is addicting. It is highly customizable and you can use whatever cheese, herbs or additional flavors your little heart desires. Basically what I’m trying to say is, it’s perfect.

Thanks so much to Rebecca for the fabulous recipe! Make sure to check out her blog, Foodie with Family, where she shares more delicious creations from her kitchen and tells downright hilarious stories. She is a gem, my friends.

Recipe

Cheddar Tailgating Bread

by Rebecca on August 29, 2012 in Appetizers
See this recipe post on Rebecca’s site! August 29, 2012

Appetizers

4.75 Mitt(s) 4 Rating(s)

Prep Time 10 Minutes

Cook Time 20 Minutes

Difficulty Easy

Servings 6

6

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Recipe Description

Soft-on-the-inside and crusty-on-the-outside Italian bread that is cut into grab-able squares, generously doused with melted butter mixed with minced green onion and garlic, toasted till hot and tender, then crammed full of cheddar cheese and baked until bubbly with browned bits of cheese capping it. This is a true crowd-pleaser!

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (or preheat grill to medium heat). Lay out a double thickness of standard foil (or a single thickness of heavy-duty foil.) Spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a microwave safe bowl, or a heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the butter until melted and mix in the garlic and sliced green onions. Stir with a serving spoon.

Lay the loaf of bread on the cutting board and cut a ½” grid pattern into it, stopping about ¼” above the base of the bread so that it stays connected. Gently pry apart the bread and spoon the butter mixture along the seams. Gently wrap the foil up around the top of the loaf and put on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven, open the foil and sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top, gently pushing some of the cheese down into the cut bread.

Leave the foil open and return the pan to the oven or grill and raise the heat to 425°F or High for another 15 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and bubbly and lightly browned on top.

Let set for 3 minutes before showering with freshly minced parsley and serving.

Ingredients

• 1 stick Butter
• 1 clove Garlic, Large, Peeled And Minced
• 1 bunch Green Onions, Trimmed And Minced
• 1 pound Loaf Of Italian Bread
• 1 pound Grated Extra-sharp Cheddar Cheese
• 1 bunch Fresh Parsley, Minced

 
 
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Jessica Merchant is a personal trainer turned food writer and blogger. Her blog, How Sweet Eats, is where she proclaims her love for all things sweet, all things bacon, and everything else in between. She works her magic in her Pittsburgh kitchen, which she shares with her husband of 2 years.