Quick and Easy Bruschetta

I have always loved Italian food, but making something without pasta has been a challenge for me. I had heard of bruschetta from cooking shows on TV, but it always seemed so complicated, and did not look like it would have much flavor. Wow....was I wrong! I was craving some kind of saucey garlicy tomatoey goodness while I was waiting for dinner to cook last week, and I decided to try to replicate what I had seen on TV years ago. I did not have much time, and I went with the ingredients that I had on hand. It turned out absolutely amazing!

QUICK & EASY BRUSCHETTA

1 can diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted)
3 Tbl diced red onion
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 c sliced fresh basil leaves
1 Tbl olive oil
Pinch of salt and cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, and serve on crusty bread or crackers. I would highly recommend adding  a drizzle of balsamic vinegar for a huge flavor boost! Done!

This recipe was so easy to make and tasted so amazing, that between the two of us, we ate the entire thing! If you plan to share, I would probably double the recipe, because it is so good. Having fresh basil really made all of the difference (see Sprouting Basil: A Great Way to Start a Garden). I really had no idea what I was missing by using dried herbs. I have found that cooking with dried herbs results in almost identical results, but when making something fresh like this, having the "full flavored" ingredients really makes your dish stand out.