Spaghetti & Garlic Bread

Tonight I made spaghetti with Barilla Tomato and Basil jarred sauce, which was very basil-y and had nice chunks of tomato. I added a little salt, pepper, and garlic powder. We were not that hungry so I did not make any garlic bread, although I have a recipe from Rachel Ray that I love. Somehow I always forget to buy frozen garlic bread at the store, but I always have the ingredients to make this:

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4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 loaf crusty bread, split (I use french bread)
3 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese
chopped parsley, fresh or dried

Combine garlic, butter, and oil in a microwave safe dish; heat for 1 minute. Toast bread under broiler. Remove read when it is toasted golden brown. Brush bread liberally with garlic oil. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley. Return to broiler to brown for 30 seconds.
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I always have french bread in the fridge. I love to eat sandwiches made with it, I love to have butter on it as a side to soup or stew, and I love to make garlic bread with it too. Tony's Grocery store usually has fresh twin loaves in the bakery for $1.30 - can't beat that!

My tomato plants are not doing as well as I'd like, they aren't growing very much. My neighbors plants are huge, up to my shoulder, and mine are still down by my knees. >sigh< The cucumbers are doing very well though, lots of little yellow flowers. The basil seems to be fighting back against whatever was eating it to death and is getting bigger. The parsley and chives are huge. The jalapeno plants are hanging in there, but they too are very small. I think I am going to have to do some serious composting this fall to get the dirt 'healthier' for next spring. Oh well, my neighbor said she'd share her tomatoes if I share my cukes - deal!

Happy eating!