Garlic and Sun-Dried Tomato Cheese Bread

When I came up with this, my family offered to pay me to make it again on the spot. It's a savory, yet tangy herbed bread best cooked (strangely enough) on a barbecue pit, but oven directions are provided. If cooking on grill, place on higher rack if available. If you like a cheesier bread, try upping the asiago to 1/3 of a cup. Great for parties, can be cut down into snack-sized bites. Wait until it's completely cooled, and it even makes good sandwich bread.

• Ready In: 1 hr 3 mins
• Serves: 18

Ingredients

• 1  French baguette
• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
• 1⁄4 cup asiago cheese, shredded
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄4 cup sun-dried tomato, julienned
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1  teaspoon  ground thyme
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh basil, chopped
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1  pinch salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300°F.
2. Cut bread loaf in half, lengthwise, set aside.
3. Using a fork, fold garlic, rosemary, thyme, basil, parsley, pepper and salt into butter until well mixed. Let stand 10 minutes.
4. Fold in sun dried tomatoes, asiago cheese. Let stand 30 minutes.
5. Using a large butter or bread knife, spread mixture over bread halves.
6. Wrap halves individually in heavy-duty aluminum foil.
7. Bake at 300°F for 15 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and open foil.
9. Set oven to Broil.
10. Broil until cheese is barely golden.
11. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting into 2-inch sections for serving.