Monthly Archives: August 2011

Basil Butter Garlic Bread

Another winner from the delicious blog of Kay, this bread (or at least the batch that happened in my kitchen) is Very Ugly. I considered naming it “Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover Garlic Bread,” “Gross-looking Greeny Garlic Bread,” and “Swamp Monster Garlic Bread.” Ultimately I didn’t have the guts to go with any of those choices, but be assured that this bread ain’t gonna win no beauty contest.

But if you close your eyes and just bite into it, you will love it. It’s full of herbs, garlic, butter, and melty Parmesan all over the top. Plus, it’s great reheated the second day. And the third day, as I am your witness.

Ingredients

(Serves 6)

1 loaf of Ciabatta
2 oz butter
2 TBS olive oil
Handful fresh basil leaves
Parsley (1/3 the amount of basil)
2 garlic cloves
1 green onion
Salt and pepper
1-2 cups shredded Parmesan cheese

The short version is: combine all the ingredients except the bread in a food processor, and process until smooth. The long version is: put the basil in the food processor (or blender, in this case) . . .

. . . add in the parsley (I used a little too much–so use about 1/3 of the amount of basil you put in) . . .

. . . smash the garlic, toss the skins, and throw that in too . . .

Add the green onion and butter . . .

. . . a generous stream of olive oil . . .

. . . and give it all a nice whizz. To accomplish this, I had to do battle with my blender for about 10 minutes, all because I forgot to get the food processor that aunt Jacquie promised me when we were at her house for AJ6BP.

Thankfully we were just at her house again last Friday to see my wonderful cousin Will and his lovely wife Kristen (not to mention their 3 killer-cute kiddos), so I have a food processor update post to write–it will be Coming Soon To Blogs Near You!

Don’t forget to season the greeny goop with salt and pepper! I almost did.

I then re-blended, and tasted it to make sure it was to my liking.

Cut open the loaf of bread and spread both halves with the basil butter.

Put the halves together and wrap the whole thing in aluminum foil. Bake it for 10 minutes at 400 F. Remove the bread, separate the halves and load them up with Parmesan cheese.

Note: the bread in this picture is most certainly NOT loaded up with Parmesan cheese. It is merely sprinkled. Make sure you pile on at least three times the amount of cheese that is pictured. It’s for your own good.

Return the halves, face up, to the oven. Either crank up the heat to 500, or put them under the broiler. Cook until the cheese is melted, bubbly, and starting to get brown. Serve!

Here you can see the bread with the mere sprinkling of Parmesan . . .

Pretty good.

Though not even its own mother could love that dark green swamp look.

However, with the added cheese, the bread goes from ‘pretty good’ to ‘really good.’

It’s amazing what a little Parmesan can accomplish.

I know that you know that I know that not a single picture actually looks that delicious–but believe me. It’s so good. If you have a garden overflowing with basil, this is a great way to use a good solid handful of it.

Click here for printer-friendly version: Basil Butter Garlic Bread

Joe and Steph's wedding: top "ten" shots

I have been waaaay too long delivering these pictures, as some people will attest . . . and in fact have already attested using their comments on facebook. You may remember that our friends Joe and Steph got married–or you may not, since it happened about a few millenia ago.

And by ‘millenia’ I actually mean about 3 weeks.

Anyway, after a little prodding from these lovely two people:

. . . I’m sharing my top 10-ish shots, with the rest of the pictures in slideshow format.

1. The best man

Brad cracks me up. Brad cracks my husband up. Brad cracks everybody up. I love you, Brad. Can’t wait to see you again at New Years.

2. Dancin’ Durango

This is Alex. I am happy to have captured his dancing mojo. You were in fine form, man.

3. In love

I’m cheating and sharing two shots here . . . because I love Dave and Katie. And I love how Dave is looking at Katie. And I love how into the whole thing they are.

4. The Belle of New Orleans

The newlywed Mrs. Elisabeth Gussman was radiant and chic. I like her more every time I get to spend time with her. I think I need to go shopping with her, because I’m totally diggin’ her style. Check out the fabulous hat. And dress. And smooch.

5. Strangers on a . . . floaty thing

This random man on a floating device paddled himself to the dock and took a picture of Joe and Steph in their wedding finery with his cellphone.

Though that begs the question–why did he have a cellphone when he was probably at risk with every passing second of falling into the lake? Do they make waterproof cellphones? Or does he have super-human balancing powers?

6. J. Crew models get married

Don’t they look like they should be in a magazine spread? Uh huh.

7. Joe being Joe

No more needs to be said.

8. Feelin’ hot hot hot

Literally. It was hot in that tent, man.

9. Grooms cry, too

This close-up shot isn’t great photographically speaking, but it captures something so beautiful. Joe’s face as Steph walked towards him was my hands-down favorite moment of the whole wedding.

I think I’m choking up again.

10. Daddy and daughter

I don’t know who they are . . . but this sight was too precious for words.

11. My name is Frank; welcome to my circus

I had to include this. That’s why I specified “”ten”” instead of “ten” if you know what I’m sayin’.

Here are the rest of the pictures (which I will also upload to facebook tonight)–enjoy!