Can we talk about how great this summer has been?

Because summer 2014 is totally crushing it.

First, the weather has been absolute perfection.  Long days at the beach, salty swims in the ocean, and a sail somewhere in between?  Simply incredible.  My skin is tan, my hair is wavy, and life just feels good.  And the al fresco dining!  I simply cannot get enough.  I’ve already indulged in several sunset suppers filled with lobster rolls and rosé, and my gluttonous self has no plans of reigning it in.

Nor do I plan to stop eating this insanely easy crostini, because this baby right here is mega faboosh.

First and foremost is the art of garlic whipped feta, which isn’t so much an art as it is throwing three ingredients in your food processor and pressing pulse.  But regardless of how simple the execution might be, the results are seriously mayj.  Airy and super garlicky, this whipped feta works just as well here as it does with pasta (did that), on a sandwich (it happened), or straight by the tablespoon (obviously).

And the blistered cherry tomatoes?  Simply dreamy!  At first I was just going to slice cherry tomatoes on top — also a legit option — but something about charring these ruby nuggets just sounded too good to pass up.  Luckily the blistered tomatoes take barely any effort, all you need to do is thread them on a skewer, broil for 10 mins, and voilà!  Juicy tomato perfection with texture and flavor to kill.

I finished these off with some shredded basil and canned sliced olives, and that was it!  No muss, no fuss, just crisp, fresh deliciousness ready in a mere 15 minutes.

And doesn’t it just look so damn summer-y, too?

Bright cheery colors, pretty presentation, easy for large groups, and perfect for rosé – I’ll toast to that. 🙂

Easy Greek Crostini with Garlic Whipped Feta & Blistered Cherry Tomatoes

Yield: 8 - 10 servings

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 15 mins

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

• 10 oz French Baguette
• 8 oz Cherry or Grape Tomatoes (the smaller the better)
• 1 cup Feta Cheese
• 1/4 cup Reduced-Fat Cream Cheese
• 2 tbsps Minced Garlic
• 1/2 cup Sliced Black Olives
• 1/2 cup Fresh Basil, diced
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• PAM Cooking Spray to grease

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to Broil. Amply grease small baking dish (used for tomatoes).
2. Slice baguette into 1/2″ slices, then broil for 1-2 minutes on either side until just beginning to brown – The baking sheet that you toast the bread on doesn’t need to be greased! Set aside once toasted.
3. Thread cherry tomatoes along mini-skewers or toothpicks, then arrange in generously greased baking dish. Broil for 8-10 minutes until tomatoes are popped and blistered.
4. While tomatoes broil, in food processor combine the feta, cream cheese, and garlic, pulsing until a whipped consistency has formed (~5 minutes).
5. When ready, slather whipped feta over toasted bread, then top with tomatoes, olives, and basil.  Lightly season with salt & pepper, then immediately plate and serve.

>> one serving = 2 crostini

summmaaaa.