Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil Pesto Crostini

Three weeks of Meatless Monday's down! 

Breakfast: Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Squares
While these were tasty, they did not hold up like in the picture.  After cutting them and basically spooning them onto the dish, we topped the oatmeal with some (more) peanut butter and jelly (softened in the microwave for a few seconds so we could drizzle both).  Overall, I was impressed with the simplicity of this dish and with the fact that there wasn't a lot of sugar- making them relatively healthy.

Lunch: left over Tomato soup 
This soup lived up to every expectation I had.  It had a well balanced tomato-y (is that even a word?) flavor that blended seamlessly with the salty Parmesan.  It warmed us up from head to toe and filled our tummys.  I am also pleased to report that the young man (he with hatred of veg) gobbled it all up.  The trick is to make sure you cook it long enough for everything to get soft and then puree it until it's smooth. 
It even re-heated well in the microwave (although I would lean toward re-heating it on the stove if I had the time).

Dinner: Minnestrone soup, green salad, and Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Pesto Crostini

Crostini means ''little toasts'' in Italian.  Typically they are served as appetizers, the most common being bruschetta.  You can top crostini with a large variety of meats, cheeses, or veggies.  This is an easy rustic version.  This made an excellent side to minestrone soup and salad.
PS- it's great the next day too (warmed up in the toaster oven OR cold)!

Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil Pesto Crostini
Ingredients...

1 Loaf crusty bread (I used an Artisnal Roasted Garlic loaf)
Mozzarella cheese (can sub monterey jack), shredded
Sliced tomato
1 teaspoon dry Basil or Italian seasoning
Prepared pizza sauce
Prepared Basil pesto
Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions...

Slice Crusty bread into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Lay out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Dollop a spoonful of pizza sauce and spread thin.  You don't want a lot of sauce, it'll just make the bread soggy.
Sprinkle dry seasonings. 
Top bread with shredded mozzarella cheese and a thin slice of tomato.
Top with a dollop of prepared Basil Pesto
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
Place in a preheated 425 degree oven for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly and starts to brown.  
Enjoy as an appetizer or along-side a big bowl of soup!

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