Cajun-Style French Bread

Ingredients

• 1 (14-oz.) French bread loaf
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup (2 oz.) shredded Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning

Preparation

1. 1. Cut bread loaf in half lengthwise. Brush melted butter evenly onto cut sides of bread halves.
2. 2. Stir together onion, jalapeño pepper, and next 5 ingredients, and spread mixture evenly over buttered sides of bread halves. Place bread halves, buttered sides up, on a baking sheet, and sprinkle evenly with 1 1/2 tsp. Creole seasoning.
3. 3. Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes; cut crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices, and serve immediately.
4. Note: To make ahead, wrap prepared unbaked bread halves in aluminum foil, place in a large zip-top plastic freezer bag, and freeze up to 1 month. To bake frozen, remove bread halves from freezer bag, and place foil-wrapped bread on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes or until thawed. Remove foil, return to baking sheet, buttered sides up, and bake 8 to 10 minutes or until brown and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes, and cut bread halves as directed.