Preheat oven to 400 and position oven rack to the middle position.
Cook your garlic, 1 tablespoon butter, and ½ teaspoon water in a small skillet over low heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic turns straw colored - about 10 minutes.
Mix your sauteed garlic with the remaining 7 tablespoons butter, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning in a small bowl; smear it over the cut sides of your loaf. Press the buttered sides together, and wrap the loaf in foil. Place it on a foil lined baking sheet, and bake for 15 minutes.
Unwrap bread from foil and place the buttered sides up back onto your baking sheet. Turn on broiler. Sprinkle your bread with cheese, and broil for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
Remove bread to cutting board, and slice, cheese side down.
Notes
adapted from Cook's Illustrated
Recipe by Kitchen Meets Girl at https://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/easy-cheesy-garlic-bread/