Bruschetta

We were meant to make this awesome bruschetta.  Last week we arrived at the Farmer's Market early enough to get a ginormous bunch of fresh sweet basil (for $2!) and some nice-looking heirloom tomatoes.  Then we found fresh mozzarella on manager's special and a take-and-bake multi-grain baguette on the over-bake shelf at our local Kroger.  It was like the food gods were shining on us from above.

This meal came together so simply and quickly that we were eating it less than a half hour after we got started.  We decided to make fresh pesto with the basil.  Heather is the resident pesto-maker in the house but I got her to tell me how she made it.  She also took some of the pictures below.

Heather's Fresh Basil Pesto


1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup of walnut pieces
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp minced garlic
olive oil

* Combine all ingredients in blender except oil.  Start blender and pour in oil through top.  Stop pouring oil when the ingredients start to look like pesto instead of like ingredients.  They'll sort of let go of the side of the blender.  You'll use about 1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil.

While Heather was making pesto, I was chopping these beautiful heirloom tomatoes that I bought from a nice lady at the Farmer's Market - The High Heeled Hippie...

...cutting and toasting the baguette (5 minutes under the broiler)....

... and slicing the mozzarella.

Then it was time for assembly.  Pesto on the bottom...

...then heirloom tomatoes and mozzarella on top.

A quick 5 minutes under the broiler and supper was ready.

We ate all of them.  So delicious!!