Bruschetta and Crostinis by Kaleb

Over the weekend we had some friends over for a cook out. As you already know, I am a huge fan of snack food. So I decided to make a little something for people to munch on before I got the grill going. To our surprise, this recipe turned out wonderfully and is as delicious as it looks. It makes a great appetizer for any party!

Ingredients
Semi-stale baguette
4 Tomatoes
2-3 Sprigs of basil
Lemon Juice from half a lemon
3 tbsp. Olive Oil (for bruschetta) // (Also see our Olive Oil Dispenser DIY on how to design your own!)
4 tbsp. Olive Oil (for crostini)
2 tbsp. Basalmic Vineager
Salt/Pepper

Crostini Instructions
Step 1: Slice the baguette into quarter to half inch slices at an angle. Place slices into a gallon zip lock bag with 2 tbsp. of olive oil, a few basil leaves chopped, and some ground pepper. Shake until baguette slices are covered with mixture.

Step 2: Lay out the baguette slices on to a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 5-6 minutes. Bake just until the edges are golden brown.

Bruschetta Instructions

Step 1: Start by parboiling the tomatoes...if you are unfamiliar with 'parboiling,' here is what you need to do: bring a medium sauce pan of water to boil and then remove from heat source. Place your tomatoes in the water for one minute. Remove tomatoes from water and with a small knife prick the side of the tomato and peel off the skin.

Step 2: Cut off the outside walls of the tomato and dispose of the seeds and heart. Chop and place in a bowl with chopped basil, juice from half a lemon, basalmic vinegar and olive oil.

Step 3: Mix and serve on top of crostinis. Add salt and pepper to your liking. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week. Enjoy!

Photography by Kaleb Nimz