TOMATOES.....IT'S THE SEASON! Easy Bruschetta recipes....

La Tomatina is an annual festival in Spain, where people throw 150,000 tomatoes at each other!!  Why waste a good tomato?

Bruschetta (pronounced "broo-SKET-tah")

Bruschetta is an easy afternoon snack for a little "pick me up" or for a Happy Hour appetizer.

It's simple to make and I enjoy adding different flavors to it.  One way I have made it is with a tomato, a mini orange sweet pepper, red onion, basil and a dash of balsamic and S&P:

I love to add some cheese to act as a glue to hold it all together....

...so I added a few tablespoons of Bruschetta Jack this time:

I sliced then lightly toasted a brown bread roll:

I had just enough to cover 7 slices and then I broiled them for a few minutes:

The cheese helps to keep the tomatoes from rolling off the toast and adds an additional flavor!

It's a great accompaniment to Chardonnay!

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Another tasty way to try this is to roast some tomatoes and garlic, drizzled with olive oil for 15-20 min @ 400°

Slice a baguette at an angle and top with warm tomatoes and basil ribbons:

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Chop a few small tomatoes and drain juices.    Add a minced garlic clove, a dash of EVOO, chopped basil & parsley leaves, a dash of Italian seasoning and salt and pepper.  Spread on crostini and top with grated cheddar cheese.  Broil until cheese melts.

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Any way you make it - fresh tomatoes are delish, ready available all year round and are a good source of  vitamins A and C, potassium, and fiber,  contributing to overall well-being. 

Did you know that there are around 10,000 varieties of tomatoes worldwide?