"crostini" news and stories

Is it just us, or does this look like a canapé Snow White might serve at a party for an assortment of her big-eyed woodland friends and dwarfs? Those mushrooms are practically leaping off the screen, they look so freshly plucked. I bet Disney's tough guys would have scoffed at this chi-chi wasabi-ricotta concoction and gone for burgers and beer instead, though. Not Eating Out In New York (a culinary blog for anyone anywhere) attempted a pretty bold take on a classic appetizer, so let us know if you give it a shot in your kitchen and how it turns out.

Well, OK, maybe not you, but maybe you. Yeah, you!

Epicurious has a special Valentine's Day section (it's on two days away guys, better get crackin'), and part of it is this guide from Food Network host Jamie Oliver. He made a romantic dinner for his wife Jools, and tells you how you can do one too. For the dinner he suggests Crostini with Prosciutto, Figs and Mint, Anchovies in Tomato Sauce with Pasta, and Tiramisu. For a drink he suggest a Jum and Bender, which sounds like a vaudeville team but is actually made with passion fruit, champagne, and grenadine.

Oliver also gives tips on shopping and how to set the mood for the night. It's easy peasy.

At a Super Bowl Party filled with Velveeta-laden spreads and greasy potato chips, crostini can be a welcome alternative. This recipe is one of my favorites: it pairs creamy goat cheese, tart red peppers and a toasty baguette for a refreshing break from the norm.

As luscious as fruit tarts can be, there will always be those who insist that a dessert is not complete unless chocolate is involved in it. These particular Little Chocolate Tarts are the creation of Jules, of the food blog Stone Soup. While you will have to bake up the mini tart shells yourself, the filling is surprisingly simple. It is basically the same rich, creamy chocolate ganache that you find in truffles and is made of high quality dark chocolate and cream, melted together and poured into the shells to firm up. Each one, no matter how small you make the tart cases, is going to be an intense chocolate experience and should more than satisfy the chocolate lover.

These tarts were the dessert that followed a dinner of Jamie Oliver recipes, all taken from Jamie's Italy, and included Italian buffalo mozzarella, roasted chili & basil crostini, artichoke & parmesan crostini (easy and great choices for holiday party appetizers) and a risotto of mussels & fennel.

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Sandwiches are fantastic late summer fare - though of course they can be made year round - because they make use of lots of vegetables and just don't seem as heavy as, for example, a turkey dinner. Panini, Bruschetta, Crostini: Sandwiches, Italian Style is a book full of Italian-influenced, carb-centric snacks, lunches and desserts. Every recipe makes the most of fresh veggies and high-quality breads, along with meats, cheeses, eggs and seafood. There is an emphasis on fresh, artisan and organic or sustainable products, which will probably produce the best results, though you can opt for more conventional products to make the dishes. The 70 or so recipes are divided by the amount and size of the bread used: panini for larger sandwiches, bruschetta for the mid-size snacks and crostini for small bites. Sandwiches include Panino con Carciofi e Tonno (Tuna, artichokes and olive pesto) and Goat Cheese and Roasted Pepper Panini, while other selections cover everything from Baked Fresh Fruit Bruschetta, which could be eaten at breakfast, to Chocolate and Ice Cream sandwiches at dessert.

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