Bruschetta

Merry Christmas!  Here's a tasty and festive-looking appetizer for your Christmas weekend.  I searched through several recipes for how to make the topping and then just went with it.  Yummy!

• 1 (12 to 16-inch) baguette
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano, plus more for topping
• 2 cups diced tomatoes
• 1/3 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Cut the baguette in medium slices, place on a sheet tray and bake in the oven until lightly brown. Sprinkle a bit of cheese on each slice.  Return to oven to melt cheese.

In a medium bowl, add the tomatoes, minced garlic, basil, vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and let sit for at least 5 minutes at room temperature.

Remove baguette slices from oven and top with the tomato mixture. Sprinkle a little more cheese on top and enjoy!