Crostini Topped with Garlic & Herb Cheese, Roasted Tomato Bruschetta & a Drizzle of Balsamic Glaze

I love to make Crostini (Italian for little toasts) for appetizers. You can top them with all kinds of things but this is one of my favorite combinations. It's a slew of textures & flavors- crispy bread layered with creamy cheese, sweet roasted tomatoes & tangy balsamic glaze. It's perfection in a bite! Fancy enough for entertaining but easy enough for every day.  I especially like to make this when I'm serving soup for dinner.  It pairs nicely with my Broccoli & Cheddar Chowder! 

Ingredients:
1/2 pint of Cherry or Grape Tomatoes
1/2 Yellow Onion, sliced
2 cloves of Garlic, smashed
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
Bread (like a baguette of french loaf) sliced 1/4- 1/2" thick
Garlic & Herb Cheese Spread
Balsamic Vinegar Glaze

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.  In a small casserole or baking dish, drizzle a little olive oil then place the tomatoes, sliced onion & garlic cloves.

 Drizzle a little more olive oil over everything & toss to coat.  Season with a little salt & pepper. 

 Roast uncovered in a 325 degree oven for an hour, until everything is soft. 

 Crush the tomatoes with the back of a spoon & stir to incorporate everything.  Set aside to cool. 

 Turn the oven up to 400 degrees.  You can use just about any crusty loaf of bread you'd like here.  Baguettes are good, as is french & sour dough.  I actually used a homemade boule.  You just want to make sure that it's a smaller loaf so your pieces aren't too big.  Slice the bread into 1/4- 1/2 inch slices.

 Lay the pieces on a sheet pan, drizzle with a little olive oil & season with salt & pepper.  Toast the bread in the oven at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes, flipping once. 

 This is the Garlic & Herb Cheese that I used but you can use any brand that you like.  Alouette makes a good one too. 

 This is the Balsamic Glaze that I used, it's from our local Harris Teeter grocery store.  But again, you can use any brand you like.

 When the bread is toasted, spread a little cheese on each piece.  Then spoon on some of the tomato bruschetta & drizzle a little of the balsamic glaze over the whole platter. 

 Enjoy!!

This recipe is for 4, you can easily double it for a larger group.