Baked Goat Cheese with Garlic Croutons

This recipe has been a favorite of mine since I was little, and never ceases to impress friends. It's fairly simple, and really really tasty. It's an appetizer, so you could follow it up with a big meal.

You need:

1 stick of butter

1 log of Montrachet (or other) goat cheese

Olive oil

1 tsp. dried thyme (plus a bit more to mix into the bread crumbs)

Pepperidge Farm rolls (any small narrow white bread should work, say, a baguette or ficelle)

Garlic cloves

Bag of mixed baby greens

Vinaigrette (dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, olive oil, and chopped garlic to taste)

The Plan:

• Cut the goat cheese log into half inch round slices (dental floss cuts it really well without breaking it up to much, or use a knife run under really hot water)
• Marinate the cheese rounds in olive oil with thyme mixed in, turning every once in a while over the course of a day.
• Cut six slices of bread per person, less than 1/2 inch thick.
• Melt a stick of butter, and brush butter on both sides of the bread slices.
• Bake these bread rounds at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes (or until golden brown)
• Peel the garlic cloves and cut them in half.
• Rub the raw garlic on your butter toast rounds when they've cooled.
• Coat the marinated goat cheese rounds in bread crumbs seasoned with thyme.
• Place them in a baking dish that contains 1/4 cup olive oil and bake at 400 degrees until bubbly and golden, about 6-10 minutes.
• Toss the greens in the vinaigrette and serve one goat cheese round per person on a bed of dressed greens with the garlic croutons arranged around it.