FRUIT BRUSCHETTA WITH SPUN HONEY

 This weeks Food Matters Project recipe is Bruschetta Rethought. Chef Laura was our host. You can check out the recipe on her blog here. Mark Bittman suggested getting creative with your toppings.

I decided to go to the Farmer's Market for inspiration. I was thinking of a savory topping until I spotted this.

 I had a sample of this special local honey and I knew I had to use this on my bruschetta. With all the fruit surrounding me, I gathered a variety to make a fruit salad.

I chopped the fruit and added some chopped mint.

I decided on a beautiful loaf of Pecan Raisin Bread for my base.

I toasted the bread, spread it with the spun honey and topped it with chopped mixed fruit.

These were amazing.

The spun honey is delicious. It comes in different flavors. Mine had organic vanilla bean in it but they also had a cinnamon and even a chocolate honey.

For some fantastic Bruschetta ideas stop over here and see what everyone else made.

Thanks Laura for a great pick.

STRAWBERRY BASIL SNACKS

I'm trying to find some creative ways to get more fruit in my diet. I grabbed some strawberries at Tri-County market this week. They were organic from Driscoll's in Watsonville, CA. It's only April but if the sweetness of these berries are just a hint of what's to come this year then we are in for a great berry eatin' summer.

I made this quick, savory, sweet, and creamy snack. I had it for lunch but I could see myself having one of these for breakfast too.

First you marinate the strawberries in some balsamic vinegar (use a good one) and add a pinch of salt and sugar.

Let the strawberries sit while you toast an English muffin. Smear some cream cheese on the toasted muffin, top with the strawberries and then sprinkle some chopped basil on top. Serve, and eat before the marinade makes the muffins soggy (which shouldn't be a problem unless you are trying to take a picture of it).

                                                      STRAWBERRY BASIL SNACK

2 English muffins, toasted
8-10 sliced or chopped strawberries
2 TBSP. fresh basil, chopped
2 TBSP. balsamic vinegar
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
4 oz. cream cheese

Chop off the stems of the strawberries and cut them into slices or chop them. Mix them with the balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt and sugar.

Toast or broil your English muffins. Spread some cream cheese on each muffing half, top with some strawberries and sprinkle some basil on top.

That's it!

Recipe from http://www.macheesmo.com/