It seems like everyone has a favorite dish around the holidays, whether it be Grandma’s homemade cranberry sauce or Uncle Ned’s delicious cornbread stuffing. These recipes are usually old family favorites passed down through the years and imagining a Thanksgiving dinner without them may seem next to impossible. However, with returning all-stars like these, it’s not unusual for other dishes to get put on the back-burner—both literally and figuratively!

This holiday season, instead of serving up tired, unhealthy appetizers like pigs-in-a-blanket or chips and dip, why not try something fresh and new, like some delicious and easy-to-make crostinis? Crostinis consist of small bites of grilled or toasted bread, usually topped with a variety of different garnishes. Here is a simple recipe for Baked Crostinis with Goat Cheese, Spicy Tomato Sauce, and Rosemary. Serving these will be sure to wow your guests, whether they’re waiting for turkey dinner or whiling away the minutes of a half-time show.

Basic Baked Crostini
Prep time: 15 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 French baguette, sliced diagonally into 16 pieces, approximately 1/3” thick
2-3 tablespoons olive oil or olive oil spray
Salt and pepper, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly brush or spray both sides of each bread slice, then arrange on a baking sheet.

2. Season each piece with salt and pepper. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oven and let cool before topping with ingredients.

Goat Cheese with Spicy Tomato Sauce & Rosemary
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 8-ounce log goat cheese
1 cup marinara sauce
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
16 crostinis, for dipping

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place goat cheese log in a small gratin or baking dish.

In a small mixing bowl, combine marinara sauce with crushed red pepper flakes, then pour over the goat cheese. Top with black pepper.

2. Place dish in the oven and bake until sauce is bubbling and goat cheese is soft, about 20 minutes. Garnish with rosemary and serve immediately with crostinis for dipping.

For more crostini recipes, visit HomeMadeSimple.com/crostinis, and remember to buy local and, whenever possible, organic this holiday season!

Tags: cooking, creative, dining, eco-friendly, farmers market, Farmers Markets, food, grilling, health, Holidays, produce

This entry was posted on Monday, November 21st, 2011 at 5:01 pm and is filed under Events, Kitchen. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.