Garlic Butter

I made this compound butter this weekend for garlic bread to take to a cookout. It was quite a hit. I made a grilled sandwich with it this evening--very tasty! Tomorrow I'm going to make garlic toast on plain bread and put a couple poached eggs on it.

GARLIC BUTTER
Adapted from allrecipes.com

Perfect for garlic bread, and any leftovers go great on barbequed steaks, pasta, rice or potatoes. You can use any butter or margarine you like. Also, fresh or minced garlic in a jar works well. Adjust the amount of garlic and salt to your taste.

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon minced and smashed garlic (raw or roasted)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt (less esp. if using salted butter--or sub garlic granules or use both)
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground paprika (optional--or sprinkle on top of bread)
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, combine softened butter, minced garlic and parmesan cheese. Season with garlic salt, Italian seasoning, pepper and paprika. Mix until smooth.
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NOTES:
Roast garlic before adding.

This flavorful butter goes with so many things it would be impossible to list them all. Make double or triple batches and form into logs and freeze. That way they are on hand at a moment's notice for garlic bread or to put on fish, asparagus, baked potato or slip under the skin of chicken or melt over a New York strip steak.
Too salty for a table spread. (Not too salty for toast--yummo!) Use as a spread on grilled sandwiches. Spread on toast before cutting into croutons or processing into bread crumbs.

--pen