Brushetta + Ham and swiss crostini

   Spring is a great time to entertain. The weather becomes tolerable and people begin to spend more time outside. The following recipe's are extremely simple and perfect for entertaining a group of friends or a party. I served both of these snacks with a tossed Cesar salad as dinner for my family. Hopefully you will try one or both of these, they really are quite tasty, and easy! :)

-Bruschetta with toasted baguette-

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. 

Ingredients 

* Baguette 

* Olive oil

* 3 tomatoes

* Onion

* 2 cloves of garlic

* Fresh basil

* Dried oregano

* Salt

* Pepper

Dice the tomatoes, then mince the garlic and onion.

The basil just needs a rough chop.

Add all tomato, onion, garlic, and basil to a medium sized bowl.

Add a quarter cup of olive oil, a tablespoon of oregano, a teaspoon of salt, and a teaspoon of pepper to the bowl. Mix all the ingredients together, cover and refrigerate. 

Slice the baguette slightly diagonally into quarter inch pieces. Once the baguette is cut place the pieces on a baking pan and drizzle them in olive oil. 

Bake for fourteen minutes, or until golden and crispy. Place the pieces on a serving plate, and take the bruschetta out of the refrigerator. You can leave the plate and the bowl separate, or you can add the bowl to a big serving platter or even a wooden cutting board. 

Enjoy! 

-Ham and swiss crostini- 

(Makes about 13)

Ingredients:

* Deli sliced ham

* Quarter block of Swiss cheese

* Baguette 

-Mayo Spread-

* 1 tablespoon Mayo

* Half a tablespoon Mustard (whatever kind you like)

* one teaspoon Black pepper

Slice the baguette into diagonal quarter inch pieces. 

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. 

Grate the swiss cheese, and whip up the mayo spread for the crostini.

Spread a thin layer of the spread over the sliced baguette.

Tear the deli ham into bite sized pieces and fold some on top of the baguette. 

Sprinkle some swiss cheese over the ham and place the crostini's on a baking pan.

Bake for ten minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and melted. 

You can plate these anyway you'd like.

Enjoy and comment if you'd like me to put up more recipe's!