Many foods, especially Italian foods, seem incomplete without garlic bread. Making garlic bread is one of the easiest things to do, and yet it adds so much to a meal. Garlic bread in its most basic form is incredibly simple to make. However, it can be embellished to suit the occasion, or even be transformed into an hors d'oeuvre. For instant or hassle free garlic bread, just rub a cut clove of garlic over slices of Italian or French bread, spread some butter on the bread, and heat it in the oven. Basic Recipe Ingredients

• 2 tsp. garlic (finely chopped)
• 1 (15 by 3½'') loaf Italian bread
• ½ stick (¼ cup) unsalted butter (softened)
• 2 tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley (finely chopped)
• 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

Directions Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Crush the garlic till it is a paste, and add ¼ teaspoon of salt to it. In a bowl, combine the garlic paste with butter and olive oil and stir till you get a smooth paste. Once this is done, add in the parsley. Now, slice the bread diagonally using a serrated knife, so as to make slices that are 1'' thick. Then spread the garlic butter on the slices and wrap them in a foil. Place them in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Then open the foil, and bake the bread for another 5 minutes. If you want to prepare the garlic bread in advance, then apply the garlic butter about 8 hours in advance and refrigerate it. Take it out 30 minutes before baking. With Cheese Ingredients

• 1 (16-ounce) loaf of Italian bread or French bread
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 heaping tablespoon parsley (freshly chopped)
• 2 large garlic cloves (smashed and minced)

Directions Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Slice the bread horizontally in half. Mix the butter, parsley, and garlic together in a small bowl. Evenly apply the butter mixture on the inner sides of both halves. Place the bread on a sturdy baking pan and bake for 10 minutes. Carefully take the bread out of the oven and sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over it. Place the bread back in the oven, but this time on the highest rack. Bake for 2-3 minutes on high heat until the edges toast and the cheese melts. However, keep a careful watch on it at this time as it can burn very easily. Take it out of the oven, and once it cools slightly, slice it and serve. If you don't want the garlic bread toasted, here's how you can make it. Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Prepare the mixture as mentioned above. Now slice the bread vertically, into slices an inch thick. Spread a teaspoon or two of the butter mixture on each slice. Wrap the bread in aluminum foil and heat for 10 minutes in the oven. Spicy Garlic Bread Recipe Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter (softened)
• 1 French baguette
• 1½ garlic cloves (minced)
• Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 scallion (minced)
• Hot sauce, to taste
• 1 tbsp. Parmesan
• 1 tbsp. parsley leaves (finely chopped)

Directions Preheat the broiler. Combine the garlic, butter, scallion, parsley, Parmesan, and hot sauce in a small mixing bowl, and season the mixture with garlic salt and pepper. Cut the baguette in half horizontally, and apply the butter mixture on both halves. Place the bread on a sheet pan and toast under the broiler for about 2 minutes. Carefully remove and serve. The above garlic bread recipes will give you fairly well toasted garlic bread. If you like it softer, just reduce the baking time. The secret to great garlic bread is that it must be neither too greasy nor too dry.