Stuffed Italian Bread

By Pattywak

Ooey gooey and cheesy Italian bread. Serve this as a side with dinner, or just as an appetizer or snack.

Ingredients

• 1 Italian loaf of bread, about 12 inches long
• 1 stick butter, melted
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 3 teaspoon minced onion
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
• 3 teaspoon parsley, chopped (add more if you wish)
• 12 ounces cheese, grated (I used a mix of white cheddar and Monterey Jack), or cube blocks of Monterey Jack and stuff inside.

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Mix the melted butter, olive oil, onion, garlic, dijon mustard, poppy seeds and parsley in a bowl.

Cut the bread into cubes with X slices without cutting all the way through the bottom crust.

Pour the butter-onion garlic mixture carefully into those X cracks using a small spoon and over the top of the bread. Fill those delicious cracks with the grated cheese. (It seems like a lot of work and trouble but it's all worth it. Yes.)

Wrap the entire loaf with foil, sealing the sides properly and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and unwrap. Bake for another 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and gooey.