The Garlic Bread That Almost Ended My Marriage Before It Began

Mom's Garlic Bread is the perfect accompaniment to a hearty pasta meal.  This easy thick-cut garlic bread is crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, and oh so delicious!

This is my Mom's 'famous' garlic bread.  And it almost ended my marriage before it began.  Seriously.  And it all goes back to the very first meal I cooked for my now-hubby Mark back in January, 2003, when we had just started dating ...

But before we get into just exactly how this garlic bread almost ended my marriage before it began, please allow me the indulgence of giving a little background.

Growing up, any time ... and I do mean any time ... we had my Mom's spaghetti or lasagna for dinner, she would make this garlic bread ~ thick-cut, crispy on the outside, soft & chewy on the inside, and ooooh soooo good.  And I absolutely adored it.  Still do.

Loved it hot straight out of the oven.  Loved it equally as much leftover, cooled off, and lost-its-crunch.  In fact, I looked forward to eating cold leftovers the next day just as much as I looked forward to eating it with the original meal.  And you want to know my favorite meal to enjoy the cold leftovers with?  BREAKFAST!  Yes, I love this stuff for breakfast.  L-O-V-E, love.  {like, with a whole bunch of kisses kind of love}

And so, for the first meal I ever cooked for my then-boyfriend-now-husband Mark, I decided to make my Mom's lasagna and garlic bread ... a truly classic and delicious combination that was sure to please.  And I certainly did want to make a good impression!  We all know the old saying that the best way to man's heart is through his stomach, right?

So I whipped up a batch of Mom's lasagna and 6 pieces of yummy garlic bread ~ 2 pieces for me for dinner, 2 pieces for Mark for dinner, and 2 to have leftover for me for the next day.  {breakfast treat ~ yum!}

Well, the dinner did indeed make a good impression.  So when it came time for Mark to leave that evening, I made a 'care package' of lasagna to send home with him.  Yes, I was sweet like that.

Then he said, "Throw in some of that garlic bread, too, please."

Wait.  What???  

Throw in some of my precious garlic bread??  That I was planning to have for breakfast?????  I didn't even remotely think past my garlic-bread-for-breakfast-desire ... and instinctively replied ....

"No, you had your two pieces during dinner.  Those are mine for tomorrow."  And I wouldn't let him take any.

Okay, so not so sweet.  I was completely garlic bread stingy.  Lovely, right?  Needless to say, my garlic bread stinginess did not make a good impression.

Fortunately Mark doesn't hold this against me tooooo much ... 'cause we are married today.  But oh believe me, I am reminded of my garlic bread stinginess every {and I do mean every} time I make it. 

And rest assured, I now make a bigger batch.  A much, much bigger batch.  

So, to make this wonderfully thick and crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside garlic bread, simply start with a nice loaf of French bread sliced thick.  Each slice should be about 1 inch to 1 and 1/2 inches thick, like this ...

Spread both sides of each bread slice with softened butter, going alllllllllll the way to the edges ....

... and then sprinkle generously with garlic salt.

Pop the slices on a broiler pan and slide 'em under the broiler for a few minutes ...

... 'til the butter is all melted and the edges are dark golden brown.  Mmmm, mmmm.  Garlic bread perfection.  {and so worth being stingy for!}

Oh hey, did you happen to notice the super cool personalized, engraved cutting board I was working on when I made this garlic bread?  It's the best!  It's an extra-thick custom-engraved cherry wood chopping block from my wonderful friends at cherryBLOX!

Click to visit cherryBLOX for your very own personalized chopping block!

In fact, we love our cherryBLOX so much we have two ... one for the blog and one for 'us!'  They make the perfect personalized gift, and, paired with a nice chef's knife, have become Mark's and my go-to wedding gift.

Now back to garlic bread.

So, the moral of my little garlic bread story is if you make this yummy stuff, make a huge batch.  So you don't suffer from garlic bread stinginess and almost end your marriage.  Perhaps before it even begins!

 

Mom's 'Famous' Garlic Bread

Source:  My Mom
(Printable recipe)

Ingredients

• 1 loaf French bread
• 4 to 6 T. butter, softened
• garlic salt

Directions

1. Slice bread into 1-inch to 1 and 1/2-inch thick slices. Spread both sides with butter, covering each slice right to the edges. Sprinkle both sides generously with garlic salt.
2. Place bread slices on a broiler pan or baking sheet. Broil on one side until butter is melted and the edges are a dark golden brown.  {It's hard to give a time estimate because all broilers are so different ... it doesn't take very long, so be sure to keep a close eye on it!}  Turn bread slices over and broil the other side. The outside will be crunchy while the inside is nice and soft and chewy!

Enjoy!

Enjoy this garlic bread with these delicious dishes from The Kitchen is My Playground ...

Chicken Lasagna Stew

Pizza Spaghetti Bake

Pasta e Fagioli with Rosemary Olive Oil Drizzle

Spicy Tomato Bacon Spaghetti

Baked Spaghetti Squash Gratin