Everything Bagel Toast

Garlic bread, schmarlic bread. 'Round here, it's 'everything bagel' toast.  I bought my 'everything bagel' spice from The Spice & Tea Exchange in Williamsburg, Va. Alternatively, if you have a well stocked spice cupboard, you can whip up the blend yourself.

'Everything Bagel' Spice

1 Tbsp poppy seeds
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 Tbsp dried garlic
1 Tbsp dried minced onion
2 tsp nice coarse salt
1 tsp fennel seeds

Making the toast is as simple as ... making toast! Use unsalted butter since the blend already has plenty. Also, you need to use a toaster oven because butter in a pop-up toaster is a fire hazard!

We get sliced bread with no preservatives, so if I start to get nervous that we aren't using it quickly enough for it to keep, or if it goes stale, I pre-make my toast but pop it into the freezer pre-toasting.

Everything Bagel Toast (for the freezer)

1 Tbsp pre-mixed 'Everything Bagel' Spice
1 stk softened unsalted butter
sliced bread of your choice

Mix the butter and spice well, trying not to waste it because it will stick to everything. Slather a good bit onto each slice of bread. Flash freeze individual pieces laid out on a cookie sheet, then toss them into a zip-top bag for long term keeping, though they won't really last long anyway!