Lazy Girl's Bruschetta

I thought I'd post the recipe for my easy bruschetta that I mentioned in the last post.

One of the reasons I love this bruschetta is because from August to October, I get to make it with fresh veggies from my own garden (or the farmers market!)  I grow at least two varieties of tomatoes, peppers, and onions every year, and I love combining them to make bruschetta, fresh salsa or just a simple veggie omelette.  I always have a nice bowl of the "Trifecta" on hand in the fridge!

Most of my recipies are "lazy girl" recipes.  I do love to cook and am not lazy (I promise) but I'm so busy that I only make the less time-consuming recipes regularly.  The in-depth recipes I save for special occasions.  The only part of this process that take a bit of time is the chopping.  Chop extra and save for later - you'll be happy you had this lovely mix on hand!

I also wanted to mention that one of my favourite foodie bloggers Girlichef has a wonderful Hearth and Soul blog hop going on each week that you can take part in!  Please pop by and check out the wonderful recipes posted by other bloggers who are sharing all kinds of food that means something to them.

Lazy Girl's Bruschetta:

Veggie Mix:  Simply chop up tomatoes, peppers and onion of your choice. I like to include some minced garlic, but some people find this too strong so you can skip the garlic if you like.

Toss veggies in a bowl and add the seasoning of your choice. I like to use Basil or Oregano from my garden (or from the spice cabinet, now that the herbs are mostly done for the season.)

You will also need:

1 baguette
Butter or Margarine
Shredded Cheese of your choice (I like a sharp white!)

Slice the baguette into rounds and lay out on a cookie sheet. Leave for a few hours if possible - the bread is best when it's a bit dry.

When you are ready to assemble, simply butter the bread (you can omit this step, but I like the golden colour it gives the bread beneath the veggies.) If you did not add fresh garlic to your veggie mix, you can opt to add some garlic powder to the buttered bread (as if you were making garlic toast.)

Spoon veggie mix onto the bread, and top with a pinch of shredded cheese.

If you are in a rush, this can be made under the broiler, but I prefer to bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes to get a nice golden bruschetta. Just be sure to check your bruschetta now and then to make sure it doesn't get too well done!

This bruschetta never fails to remind me of late Summer days in the garden.  It's a simple thing to make, and a hit at our Girls Nights In when we do appies and drinks at my friend's ranch.  It's even a nice, simple alternative to a heavy dinner.  This little plate at the top of the post was my dinner this evening - yum!

And to think - as a child, I hated vegetables!