Bruschetta

This is why I'm tempted to pull out my garden journal in February, months before planting is even possible.



This is what makes me sick to my stomach while we're far away from home for days and see that a heat wave passed through our area with no sign of rain.  The thought of returning home to all our plants choking to death on the ground, beyond saving, it's horrible.


This is the first thing I want to make when conditions are ripe.  {baguette waiting on standby in the freezer}

All gardeners can relate to this.  Whether it's creamy cucumber salad, steamed green beans, corn on the cob, BLTs, garden pesto, butter beets, homemade salsa, or something you grow and pine for all year because nothing tastes as perfectly delicious as plucking it out of your garden and preparing it for your family, that first taste of this is out of this world.

We can't live without our refrigerator pickles, pesto and frozen berries that we store all year and literally ration them month-to-month, but this is my favorite recipe of garden fruition.

It tastes exactly like summer.  Make a huge platter, go outside in unimaginable heat with an icy, cold beer and moan and oooh and rave and aaah.  And then lick your fingers.  It will get you through next January.

Bruschetta
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
1/2 medium red onion, chopped fine
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp balsalmic vinegar
1/4 tsp each salt and pepper
1 1/2-2 cups garden fresh tomatoes, seeded, chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped

Chop and combine vegetables, olive oil, vinegar and S&P.  Let rest 10 minutes for flavors to combine.  Top crusty bread slices with bruschetta.

1 loaf french bread, sliced ('Take and Bake' artisan french baguettes) 

Brush slices with extra virgin olive oil, then salt and pepper lightly.  Broil about 1 minute, or until golden brown.  Watch carefully to prevent burning.

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