The fanciest seasoning I ever use on my food is salt. I love salt. It makes everything better. I love salt on popcorn. I love salt on macaroni and cheese. No one ever puts enough salt on corn. Toss a little salt on green beans. Can’t hurt to put salt on chicken. Salt even makes gravy better. Did you know putting salt in chocolate milk makes it taste sweeter?
But this isn’t about salt.
This is about expanding your seasoning boundaries. And this is a little lesson I like to call amateur gourmet. If the only things you ever put on your food include salt, pepper, catsup, mustard and Ranch, then this is a great place for you to start expanding. Nothing makes plain food a smidge fancier than some grandma herbs and spices (you know, those ones in the pantry you've never touched). Like adding parsley flakes to your scrambled eggs, for example. Seasonings are a quick, easy way to dress up just about anything.
The recipe below is a variation of bruschetta, a bread-based Italian appetizer. If you didn't notice, the name is fancy enough to make you sound like a professional foodie. There are lots of different ways you can prepare bruschetta, which also means it's a safe food to experiment with, if you're feeling creative. This is the version that I came up with:
But this isn’t about salt.
This is about expanding your seasoning boundaries. And this is a little lesson I like to call amateur gourmet. If the only things you ever put on your food include salt, pepper, catsup, mustard and Ranch, then this is a great place for you to start expanding. Nothing makes plain food a smidge fancier than some grandma herbs and spices (you know, those ones in the pantry you've never touched). Like adding parsley flakes to your scrambled eggs, for example. Seasonings are a quick, easy way to dress up just about anything.
The recipe below is a variation of bruschetta, a bread-based Italian appetizer. If you didn't notice, the name is fancy enough to make you sound like a professional foodie. There are lots of different ways you can prepare bruschetta, which also means it's a safe food to experiment with, if you're feeling creative. This is the version that I came up with:
| Jinx Bruschetta Prep time: 12-15 minutes Serves: 20-25 bite-sized pieces French bread baguette Extra virgin olive oil Ricotta cheese spread OR feta cheese crumbles Diced tomatoes Basil leaves Salt & pepper Directions: Set your oven to broil. If this is your first time using that button, we have something in common. Either high or low will work, depending on how crispy you like your bread. I put mine on HI. |  Jinx Bruschetta, using ricotta cheese. #foodie |
Start by slicing the baguette into pieces about half an inch thick. I like to do some thicker and some thinner pieces, for a little variety. Then, pour a layer of olive oil into a small bowl until the bottom is covered. You are going to take each piece of bread and carefully dip one side, then the other, into the oil. You can also brush the oil onto each side of the bread, but being the amateur foodie that I am, I don't even have a cooking brush. Place the pieces on a pan (I used a broiler pan, but a normal cookie sheet will work), and put them in the oven for about 90 seconds. Make sure to watch the bread, and pull it out once it gets to the right crispiness.
Now for the cheese!
In the finished bruschetta pictured above, I used ricotta cheese. I spread it onto each piece of bread, then topped it off with some sliced tomatoes, a sprinkle of the basil leaves, and a dash of salt and pepper. Serve it while it's still warm, or the cheese will soak into the bread and soften some of that nice crisp.
Now for the cheese!
In the finished bruschetta pictured above, I used ricotta cheese. I spread it onto each piece of bread, then topped it off with some sliced tomatoes, a sprinkle of the basil leaves, and a dash of salt and pepper. Serve it while it's still warm, or the cheese will soak into the bread and soften some of that nice crisp.
I mentioned before that this is a good recipe for experimenting. If you want to do that, or if you're just not a fan of ricotta, you could try substituting feta cheese or goat cheese crumbles. The picture to the right is the same recipe, but I used feta and sliced (instead of diced) tomatoes. My boyfriend loved this version; he couldn't get enough! I also tried 2-inch grilled asparagus instead of tomato to top off a few pieces, and that was delicious as well.
So there you have it! A simple appetizer platter that only uses a few ingredients and takes under 15 minutes to prepare. Just a couple seasonings and olive oil and you've got yourself some gourmet finger food. And of course, please let me know of any other great variations to try out! After all, I'm still learning too!
So there you have it! A simple appetizer platter that only uses a few ingredients and takes under 15 minutes to prepare. Just a couple seasonings and olive oil and you've got yourself some gourmet finger food. And of course, please let me know of any other great variations to try out! After all, I'm still learning too!
