Easy Ham and Cheese French Bread Pizza

We tried this recipe last night and everyone really liked it... but full disclosure, I think I am going to do it different next time, so I'll put my ideas at the bottom for next time. I think it's going to be EVEN better! But here's the original recipe. This was to use up some leftover holiday ham.

See the original recipe source here: https://www.thekitchenismyplayground.com/2016/09/easy-ham-cheese-french-bread-pizza.html

Easy Ham and Cheese French Bread Pizza

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 loaf French bread
• 3 T. REAL® butter, melted (or use pre-made garlic butter)
• 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. garlic powder (omit if using pre-made garlic butter)
• 1/4 to 1/3 c. jarred Alfredo sauce
• 1 c. chopped ham
• 1/2 to 1/3 c. REAL® shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 to 1 1/2 c. REAL® shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. dried parsley {optional}

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cut French bread in half lengthwise and place cut-side-up on a baking sheet. Brush cut sides with melted butter all the way to the edges and sprinkle evenly with garlic powder. (Or just use pre-made garlic butter.)
2. Bake at 450 degrees for 4 minutes or until just barely lightly browned on the edges.
3. Remove from the oven. Spread each piece of bread evenly with half the Alfredo sauce, then sprinkle on half the Swiss cheese and chopped ham. Top each piece of bread evenly with half the mozzarella and sprinkle on dried parsley, if using.
4. Bake for 6 - 8 minutes until cheese is melty. 
5. Remove from oven and slice into pieces using a sharp serrated knife.

*Marsha's Changes: I think the French bread held up to the alfredo sauce oooookkkkaaaayyyy.... but I think a more hearty bread like a ciabatta bun would be even better and not get soggy (... even though you toast the French Bread first before you add the alfredo, it still soaked in and got wet) and ciabatta would make a "personal sized" pizza for everyone that wouldn't need to be cut, where cutting the French bread kind of smashed it a little... 

Also, next time, I would add both grilled chicken and crumbled bacon to make it more of a chicken cordon bleu recipe. That would be SO GOOD!

****UPDATE: So we tried this with the chicken, bacon and ciabatta buns last night and it was a hit!!! I just bought precooked bacon and chopped it up, precooked grilled chicken and chopped it up, and then cut the ciabatta buns in half. Everyone got two pizzas (or one total bun) and they held up so nicely to the alfredo sauce! You could also put the two buns back together after everything has cooked and have an oven sandwich instead.