Cooking in the CLG: Crostini and Bruschetta

Another favorite snack amongst the kids this summer was our rendition of crostini and bruschetta. It's a quick and easy snack that can double as a fancy hors d'oeuvre (pronounced "awr-durv," meaning "appetizer" in French).

Crostini means "little crusts" in Italian (below)

Our fresh ingredients for the bruschetta:

• Fresh tomatoes, sliced and diced
• Onion, diced
• Garlic, crushed and minced
• Basil, chiffonade or chopped

Extra essentials:

• Olive oil
• Baguette (or preferred bread), thinly sliced*
• Salt and pepper to taste

*Gluten-free alternatives: non-wheat crackers or bread

Preheat your oven/toaster oven to 350 degrees F.

Wash and cut fresh items as instructed. Combine fresh ingredients in a bowl and gently toss with olive oil (just enough to lightly coat the tomatoes). Put aside.

Thinly slice the baguette or preferred bread (bread that's going stale works great, too!). With a basting brush or clean finger, lightly coat both sides of each slice with olive oil. Place bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet; toast for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Garnish with a spoon full of bruschetta. Bon appétit!

Media (text and image) created and published by Rebekah Carter 2010.