Whoever first invented toast is my hero. The crunchy, dark flavor makes every sandwich more delicious, in my opinion. I'm the kind of gal who loves a good panini and there have been some succulent looking recipes cropping up on pinterest lately with chocolate, mascarpone and other fancy delights. However, let us not forget about the delicious crostini, toast with toppings, a.k.a. the open face sandwich. They are delightful little sliders that allow the toppings to shine without getting lost in a bready bog of carbs.
I am obsessed with the strawberries at the local market right now. I'm chalking it up to the abnormally hot spring, but this fruit is particularly glorious at the moment. They are firm, sweet, juicy and still have enough tart to really please your palate. Plus, the gorgeous red color really makes me feel like I'm eating a little bite of summer. What a treat!
I found this amazing bread recipe on Always With Butter for Rosemary Garlic Bread that is to die for. I cut out a bit of salt and used mostly whole wheat for more fiber, but the flavor profile she pulls together is legendary. But then, when are garlic and rosemary every not sublime?
At first, tangy goat cheese seemed like the go-to option for this crostini, but I ended up going with some reduced fat blue cheese we had on hand. And I am happy I did. I had a few pieces of cajun roast beef on the side so obviously, the blue cheese was great with that. I felt like it augmented the fruitiness of the strawberries. A light garnish of fresh rosemary for eye appeal and a drizzle of honey for added sweetness, and you have a winner of a lunch in about 3 minutes. Plus, the hubs asked for seconds. Man approved....yes!
Strawberry Blue Cheese Crostini
- 8 thin slices Rosemary Garlic bread, or other baguette
- 8 tbs reduced fat blue cheese
- 8 strawberries, sliced
- 2 tbs fresh rosemary
- honey for drizzling
Toast the bread under a high broiler, about 1 minute on each side. Remove from oven and transfer to a plate. Top each toast with a tablespoon of blue cheese and strawberries. Sprinkle with rosemary and drizzle with honey.
These would make a fun and tasty appetizer too! Look out traditional bruschetta, there's a younger and fresh version of you on the table!
ReplyDeleteFunny you should mention that.....we served these at a friend's last night as an app and they were perfect along side a guacamole bruschetta. Yum.....
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