Your Book Club Will Love This Easy but Decadent Crostini Recipe
As Shondaland devotees, we think Shonda Rhimes can do no wrong. We happily pledge allegiance to TGIT TV, aka the amazing combo of Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy and How to Get Away With Murder. So of course, we had to dive into Shonda’s Year of Yes, her refreshingly honest memoir that touches on everything from her career goals and motherhood to her personal struggles with her weight. If you’ve ever been tempted to try a crazy crash diet or felt guilty after an especially decadent slice of cake… or five, Shonda hears you and welcomes you to her food lover’s club. In honor of B+C Book Club’sDecember book pick, we’re sharing the tastiest crostini that would make Shonda proud. Whether you’re serving these appetizers at your book club or you’re saving them for a late-night snack break, there’s no way you can go wrong with these delicious combos.
Ingredients:
Serves 3-4 (makes 12 crostini)
— 1 small baguette, sliced into 3/4-inch thick slices
— 3 Tablespoons olive oil
— pinch of salt and pepper
— 1/2 cup cream cheese
— 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
— zest of one lemon
— 3 slices smoked salmon
— 3 1/2 ounces goat cheese (the semi-soft variety, not the very creamy variety)
— 3 small, ripe figs
— 2 Tablespoons honey
— 5 1/2 ounces brie
— 3 Tablespoons cranberry sauce
— Small bunch fresh chives
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush all the baguette slices on both sides with the olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and place on a baking tray. Toast in the oven for 10-13 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and take four slices of the bread off the tray and place on a plate or serving board.
2. Mix the cream cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl and spoon it onto the four crostini on the board. Top with the smoked salmon.
3. Cut the brie, goat cheese and figs into slices and chop the chives. Top four of the crostini slices (on the tray) with brie, and four with goat cheese. Place back into the oven for 2-3 minutes to slightly melt the cheeses, then remove from the oven.
4. Place the cheese-covered crostini onto the serving board and top the brie crostini with the cranberry sauce. Sprinkle on fresh thyme leaves.
5. Top the goat cheese crostini with slices of fig. Drizzle over the honey and sprinkle on fresh thyme leaves.
6. Sprinkle the salmon crostini with chopped chives and serve immediately.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush all the baguette slices on both sides with the olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and place on a baking tray. Toast in the oven for 10-13 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and take four slices of the bread off the tray and place on a plate or serving board.
Mix the cream cheese, lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl and spoon it onto the four crostini on the board. Top with the smoked salmon.
Cut the brie, goat cheese and figs into slices and chop the chives.
Top four of the crostini slices (on the tray) with brie, and four with goat cheese. Place back into the oven for 2-3 minutes to slightly melt the cheeses, then remove from the oven. Top the brie crostini with the cranberry sauce. Sprinkle on fresh thyme leaves. Top the goat cheese crostini with slices of fig. Drizzle over the honey and sprinkle on fresh thyme leaves.
Sprinkle the salmon crostini with chopped chives and serve immediately.
Ready to join the B + C Book Club? Snag your copy and tweet or Instagram your book using the hashtag #BritCoBookClub. Let us know in the comments what you think!
