Lone Star Oniony Bread Strips
Round 'em up for a hearty appetizer of toasty French bread topped with pesto, melted cheese, Texas sweet onions and smoked sausage, if you please.
1 (1-pound) unsliced loaf French bread
1 (7-ounce) container pesto sauce or sun-dried tomato pesto sauce
1 large (14 to 16 ounces) Texas SpringSweet or Texas 1015 SuperSweet Onion, halved and thinly sliced
8 ounces cooked turkey or turkey-pork smoked sausage, thinly sliced (optional)
2 cups grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar cheese

Halve loaf lengthwise and scoop out soft bread centers (save for breadcrumbs or croutons if desired). Cut sides up, spread bread evenly with pesto sauce and top with layers of onion, sausage and cheese. Place on baking pan. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until hot and melted. Cut crosswise into strips to serve as appetizer. May also be cut into larger pieces to serve as French bread pizza.

Makes 24 to 26 appetizer servings.