Monday, November 22, 2010

My Favorite Holiday Hors d'oeuvres: Blue Cheese and Cranberry Crostini

I like to have an arsenal of easy recipes that I can throw together in a pinch.
This is a super easy hors d'oeuvres with great visual impact
and an explosion of seasonal favorites.
And it came to dinner wearing holiday colors!
Now for your chewing pleasure...

Blue Cheese and Cranberry Crostini
{adapted from Bon Appetit, November 2005}
I have simplified the recipe to include staples in my kitchen and to make it a quickie!

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 loaf French bread {original recipe calls for ciabatta}, cut into 1/4" slices. You can use a baguette as well for a smaller "bite."
  • 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil {original calls for Walnut Oil}
  • 8 Ounce Blue Cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup toasted pecans (original calls for walnuts}
  • 8 Cups baby Frisee, torn into bite size pieces {shhh...here's my secret...we always have organic mixed greens on hand - always - I just use the frisee from the salad...and if I do not have enough, I use arugula}.
  • 2 Tablespoons+ Balsamic vinegar
  • Fleur de sel or fine sea salt

DIRECTIONS
  1. If necessary toast pecans {you can buy them toasted, I tend to have raw ones on hand at all times}.
  2. Mix blue cheese, cranberries, and nuts.
  3. Slice bread into 1/4" slices and brush with olive oil.
  4. Lay out on a baking sheet and bake crostini at 400 for approximately 5 minutes.
  5. Remove from oven and top with about 1 Tablespoon of cheese mixture.
  6. Return to oven for another 5 minutes to soften cheese
  7. Meanwhile, toss frisee with 2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 Tablespoon vinegar, and salt (to your taste).
  8. Remove crostini from oven and top with one bite of frisee.

NOTE: I often have additional oil/vinegar mixture out for sprinkling on crositni {my son like a little extra}
I LOVE frisee! Look how whimsical it is!

Signature 
This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre

13 comments:

  1. that looks so pretty and even something that I could manage! I love cranberries with any type of cheese ever so that's always nice to have, especially if it's simple. The think I love about appetizers is that they always taste as good as they look!

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  2. Anonymous7:18 AM

    This looks delish... perfect lunch for getting together with the girls or hosting family this week. Have a great start to your week!

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  3. Yum! I never would have thought of cranberries and blue cheese together, but it sounds fantastic! And looks pretty darn good, too... :)

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  4. ooh, what an elegant and delicious appetizer!

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  5. Yum Holly! What an elegant, beautiful, and delicious app! I agree, a holiday Happy Hour is definitely in order so we can enjoy some of these treats, and try out some of the new recipes too! Thank you so much for taking part in my blog hop!

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  6. Holly,

    That crostini looks fabulous! Nice job!

    I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

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  7. yum... looks great. love the cranberries idea

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  8. Anonymous7:01 PM

    Just a quick note to let you know that a link to this post will be placed on CraftCrave today [23 Nov 01:00am GMT]. Thanks, Maria

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  9. That looks so refreshing!

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  10. Blue cheese and cranberry work so nicely together! What a great idea!

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  11. The cranberry crostini looks great, and I hae a leftover bag from making relish yesterday.... thanks for posting!

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  12. Ooh. This looks delicious!

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  13. Hi Holly-

    Yumm - OOHHH! I love cranberries and french bread and olive oil too. This looks deliciously divine and the perfect appetizer or to take to a party. If I can get my act together and make another trip to the supermarket this week, I am going to make it for an after T-Day party I am invited to.
    My best- Diane

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Thanks for stopping by and joining the conversation! I sure hope you come back for more!