sure, a fancy dinner with lots of culinary technique is exciting and decadent.

you know the kind of dinner i mean. the kind where you don't know what half the things on the menu are, it seems SUPER overpriced and the waiter is so attentive that you feel slightly off your game. 

yes, my description is a bit negative but don't let it fool you. i'm always down for a fancy meal as long as the food delivers. 

but fancy is not really my thing. 

when it comes to the way i cook and eat, the simpler the better. 

now that spring has sprung and the weather is changing for the better, this classic, fresh bruschetta has become a weekly staple.

with just a handful of ingredients that can be thrown together in ten minutes or less, it's perfect for a light dinner for one or the perfect appetizer for a gathering.

vine tomato bruschetta.
serving size: 4 appetizer size
prep time: 5 min
cook time: 7 min
total cook time: 10 min

4 vine tomatoes, diced. 3 garlic cloves minced plus 1 whole clove. 2 tbs chopped fresh basil. 1 tbs olive oil. 1 tsp fresh lemon juice. 1/2 tsp kosher salt. 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper. 1 baguette, sliced. 

preheat the oven to 375 f. 

in a bowl, toss together the tomatoes, minced garlic, basil, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. when the mixture is just combined, cover and set aside. 

spread the bread out on a lightly oiled baking sheet. bake until toasted but not too crunchy. about 7 or 8 minutes. 

when the bread is toasty, allow to cool till you can handle. brush each piece of bread with the whole garlic clove. 

top the bread with tomatoes and serve. 

xoxo
a

vine tomato bruschetta.
serving size: 4 appetizer size
prep time: 5 min
cook time: 7 min
total cook time: 10 min

4 vine tomatoes, diced. 3 garlic cloves minced plus 1 whole clove. 2 tbs chopped fresh basil. 1 tbs olive oil. 1 tsp fresh lemon juice. 1/2 tsp kosher salt. 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper. 1 baguette, sliced. 

preheat the oven to 375 f. 

in a bowl, toss together the tomatoes, minced garlic, basil, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. when the mixture is just combined, cover and set aside. 

spread the bread out on a lightly oiled baking sheet. bake until toasted but not too crunchy. about 7 or 8 minutes. 

when the bread is toasty, allow to cool till you can handle. brush each piece of bread with the whole garlic clove. 

top the bread with tomatoes and serve. 

i know. i know.

why am i the a*hole who waited till the day before the super bowl to post the recipe to the perfect super bowl dish? 

well. i'm freaking busy. and hustling around trying to make things happen for myself is just that, a hustle. 

what i'm banking on is that you are also busy and are still worrying about what to make.

boom. your problem is solved. 

i have quite a bit to cook for tomorrow so let's get to it shall we? 

lucky me, the game doesn't start till three.

roasted garlic & bacon dip.
serves 8
prep : 20 min
active cook time : 20 min
total cook time : 1.5 hrs
ingredients : 2 heads of garlic. 3 green onions, roughly chopped. 1 brown onion, sliced. 6 pieces of thicker cut bacon. 1.5 c greek yogurt. 3/4 c mayonnaise. 2 tbs olive oil. 1 tbs worcestershire sauce. salt and pepper to taste. veggies, baguette, crackers or chips. bread bowl optional but recommended.

start by preheating your oven to 400 f. If you opted for a bread bowl, use a serrated knife if you have one to carve a lid out of your bread bowl. with your hands or a spoon, hollow out the bread. bonus points if your bread is football shaped. 

slice the tops off the heads of the garlic and lightly drizzle with 1 tbs oil. season with a pinch of salt and pepper. wrap them up in aluminum foil and roast in the oven for 1 hr. when the garlic is done roasting, open the foil and allow the garlic to cool till you can handle it easily. about 10 minutes. you can then easily squeeze out the garlic cloves to use. discard the skins. 

while the garlic roasts, start to caramelize your onions in a pan by drizzling them with the remaining oil, a few pinches of salt and a pinch of pepper and sautéing them over medium heat. stir every three to five minutes until soft and browned. about 20 minutes.

while the garlic roasts and onions caramelize, cook your bacon to a solid crisp. i personally like to cook them on a rack in the oven (make sure you have something under to catch the grease) at 400 f for twenty to twenty-three minutes. if you have a pan or microwave method for crispy bacon you prefer, you do you.

in a food processor or large bowl, combine the bacon, onion, garlic, most of the green onions,worcestershire, yogurt, mayonnaise and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. just till roughly combined.

fill your bread bowl, top with remaining green onions and serve with your favorite dippers.

xoxo
a

roasted garlic & bacon dip.
serves 8
prep : 20 min
active cook time : 20 min
total cook time : 1.5 hrs

ingredients : 2 heads of garlic. 3 green onions, roughly chopped. 1 brown onion, sliced. 6 pieces of thick cut bacon. 1.5 c greek yogurt. 3/4 c mayonnaise. 2 tbs olive oil. 1 tbs worcestershire sauce. salt and pepper to taste. veggies, baguette, crackers or chips for dipping. bread bowl optional but recommended.
start by preheating your oven to 400 f. if you opted for a bread bowl, use a serrated knife if you have one to carve a lid out of your bread bowl. with your hands or a spoon, hollow out the bread. bonus points if your bread is football shaped.
slice the tops off the heads of the garlic and lightly drizzle with 1 tbs oil. season with a pinch of salt and pepper. wrap them up in aluminum foil and roast in the oven for 1 hr. when the garlic is done roasting, open the foil and allow the garlic to cool till you can handle it easily. about 10 minutes. you can then easily squeeze out the garlic cloves to use. discard the skins.
while the garlic roasts, start to caramelize your onions in a pan by drizzling them with the remaining oil, a few pinches of salt and a pinch of pepper and sautéing them over medium heat. stir every three to five minutes until soft and browned. about 20 minutes.
while the garlic roasts and onions caramelize, cook your bacon to a solid crisp. i personally like to cook them on a rack in the oven (make sure you have something under to catch the grease) at 400 f for twenty to twenty-three minutes. if you have a pan or microwave method for crispy bacon you prefer, you do you.
in a food processor or large bowl, combine the bacon, onion, garlic, most of the green onions,worcestershire, yogurt, mayonnaise and a couple pinches of salt and pepper. just till roughly combined.
fill your bread bowl, top with the remaining green onions and serve with your favorite dippers.