Strawberries & Cream Basil Bruschetta

Need a quick and easy appetizer for your Summer barbecue?

These bruschetta bites come together in a snap!

Whew!

How ya'll been?  It's been bananas around these parts, but I was bound and determined to get my weekly food post out to you!  I mean, can the world really go round without a new recipe each week?

I think not.

It was my birthday yesterday {cheers to 38!} and we also just got back from vacation.  A week of pure bliss.  Lake time with family is one of my favorite times of the year.  This is how my day goes {often in this order}...wake-up, take an early morning walk around the lake, grab coffee at my favorite local joint, come back to the cabin and start making breakfast for our crew of 14, clean up and get our suits on for heading to the lake or pool, sit on the dock for hours reading and soaking in the sun and people watching, come back to the cabin to shower, either go out for dinner or cook at the cabin, hit shops and ice cream after dinner, come home and go to bed.

Repeat.

It really is the just THE BEST TIME for a gal who is super lad back and loves to chill almost everyday.

But life got real once we headed back.  We hit up an urgent care on the road for an ear infection {because, kids} and came home to 7 loads of laundry.  I'm a once-a-day-load kinda girl, so I loathe nothing more than having to do that much in a day.

This week continues the trend of getting back to life, not to mention getting the kids ready for school soon!  We have one entering 4th, 3rd and Kindergarten.  I still have school supplies to buy, but hey at least they are registered!

We've been eating simple because I've refused to go to the grocery store until Friday...but I did make time today in between dentist appointments and whiny kids to create this Strawberries & Cream Basil Brushetta.

I had gone out to the garden with the girls yesterday and noticed my basil plant was flourishing, so naturally traditional bruschetta came to mind {tomatoes, basil, garlic, oil, balsamic, etc.}, but I decided to go a different route.

What's great about this easy dish is it can fly either way - an appetizer or dessert!  I mean, whip these up and your family will think they are at a fancy dinner party.  Minus the black tie affair.

Think your kids won't eat this?  Think again.  Mine each devoured one each {after photos} and loved them!

And these are so darn pretty.

I'm laid back, but I still like pretty things.

What's also great is you can make a few or a whole sheet pan full of them!  The whipped cream cheese mixture stays in the fridge FOREVER.  Cut up a few slices of baguette or slice up the whole darn thing.

It doesn't matter to me.

Oh, and I should be sure to mention - yes, you can use any fruit.  People always ask me these weird things.  I'm not your mother or teacher.  I will not give you an F if you don't use strawberries.  Go ahead, be a rebel!  Swap them with blueberries.

All fruit works.  No need to take sides, I just personally love the strawberry basil combo.

Snap a photo when you make these and tag me {@sweetsavoryeats}, I'd love to see it.  I'll be sure to share the love on my social media pages too.

Strawberries & Cream Basil Bruschetta

Yield: 12-18

Author: Ally

prep time: 5 Mcook time: 6 Mtotal time: 11 M

This fresh, summery appetizer can be eaten before a meal or as dessert! Thick, crusty bread is topped with a sweet cream cheese, sliced strawberries and freshly picked basil.

ingredients:

• 1 baguette, sliced on an angle into 1 ince slices
• 8 oz. whipped plain cream cheese
• 2 T honey
• 8-10 sliced strawberries
• freshly chopped basil
• olive oil spray

instructions:

How to cook Strawberries & Cream Basil Bruschetta

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice the baguette on an angle into 1 inch slices, lay on a rimmed cookie sheet and spray both sides of the bread with an olive oil spray.
3. Toast the bread for 2-3 minutes a side.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
4. While the bread is toasting, mix together the whipped cream cheese and honey and set aside.  Slice the strawberries and chop the basil.
5. To get long confetti stings of basil, stack up the basil leaves, roll them up and slice thinly.
6. To prepare the bruschetta baguette, spread the toasted bread with a generous dollup of the cream cheese, sliced strawberries and a sprinkling of basil strings.
7. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

NOTES:

These are a great party appetizer! Or even served with family and friends before or after a meal. Any fruit can be used as a topper, but we love the sliced strawberries.

Calories
164.49

Fat (grams)
8.33

Sat. Fat (grams)
4.12

Carbs (grams)
18.97

Fiber (grams)
0.87

Net carbs
18.10

Sugar (grams)
5.49

Protein (grams)
4.17

Sodium (milligrams)
222.18

Cholesterol (grams)
19.09

Created using The Recipes Generator