Italian Cheese Bread

This would traditionally be made to go with lasagna, spaghetti, or anything Italian but I'm not going to do that. I had from mozzarella cheese that needed to be used and this bread popped in my head. We're having meatloaf tonight so it'll have to replace whatever potato dish I normally would have decide on. This bread is easy but isn't anything special. I'd make it again because it's easy to get to the table and I don't have another recipe for this kind of thing. If you have one and it's really good, due share!

Bread:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon active dry yeast (can use instant)

1 cup warm water (120*F)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Topping:

1/4 cup prepared Italian salad dressing (I didn't have this so I used butter)

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ground oregano

1/4 tsp dried thyme

Dash pepper

1-2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions: 

1. In a bowl, combine the first four ingredients.

2. Combine water and oil; add to flour mixture. Add additional flour if needed to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead for 1-2 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

3. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes. (Optional: if in a hurry, just skip this rise.)

4. Punch the dough down; place on a greased 16" pizza pan and pat into a 16" circle. Brush with salad dressing (I use the back of a spoon).

5. Combine the seasonings; sprinkle over top. Sprinkle with cheeses.

6. For a fluffier cheese bread (our preference), at this point, allow the bread to rest for 15 minutes or so. If you're in a hurry, just skip this rise. (The bread will rise while it bakes, too.)

7. Pre-heat the oven to 450*F. Bake for 11-15 minutes or until golden brown. See additional notes for baking tips!

8. Slice into 12 slices. Serve warm.