A few years ago one of my best friends Catalina made this dip for a party and everyone loved it. She then had to make this dip for countless parties afterward. To this day it is still a party staple among all of our friends. She showed me how to make it all those years ago and everywhere I have taken this seven layer it gets gobbled up! This is a great dip where you can customize it to your tastes, like take off cilantro or tomatoes etc, but to me I think all the ingredients together (even if they are more then seven) are what make this dip so good! First step is to get all your ingredients prepared ahead of time so you can layer everything all at once. Chop your tomatoes, olives, green onions and cilantro, set aside. Layer on a 12X9 baking dish evenly with a baking spatula or large spoon.

Ingredients are listed from bottom up, so beans go on the bottom of a baking dish. refried beans, I prefer Rosarita large can guacomole, about 1 1/2 cups, I the pre-pack guacamole found in the deli section sour cream, 16 oz. a whole medium size container shredded Mexican cheese blend about 1 1/2 cup tomatoes 2 small or one large chopped chopped black olives about 2 tablespoons green onions sliced, about 4 cilantro about 1/2 cup chopped Feel free to use this recipe as a starter recipe, and add extras, like ground beef on the bottom layer or jalapenos on top! Serve with tortilla chips for dipping. One tip: wipe the sides of the dish as you layer so the layers can really be seen for presentation purposes! You cannot go wrong with this, it is so much better then store bought!!!

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I completely forgot to write about this little gem of a recipe that was the surprise star of my bruschetta challenge. I saw strawberry bruschetta on a blog and had to make it since I love strawberries and cinnamon toast! I found a great base recipe and did some of my own additions and tried it out and its delicious. This recipe is super easy and if you are wondering what mascarpone is, it’s that creamy white stuff in tiramisu easily found at the local grocery store. This recipe is refreshing and sweet and the perfect addition to my bruschetta bar. Strawberry Mascarpone Bruschetta adapted from sophistimom.com Ingredients: 1 french baguette sliced at an angle, makes about 20 slices 3 Tablespoons butter 8 oz mascarpone cheese basically all of what comes in the little container 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 4 Tablespoons white sugar divided 2 pint fresh strawberries cleaned, hulled and sliced at an angle

Mix the cinnamon with 3 tablespoons of sugar and set aside. Mix the mascarpone cheese with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Spread some butter on top of the baguette slices and top each slice with a hefty sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture. Tap the bread to get off the excess and place sugar side down on a skillet on med/high heat. The slices will be done when the tops are light brown and sugar has caramelized about 3 minutes. When the bread is done toasting, top with mascarpone mixture and sliced strawberries. I also finish the bruschetta with a small sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar mixture on top of the strawberries, and there ya go, a sweet addition to your bruschetta bar!

Summary: Company: The Bruery Type: bottle conditioned Saison: Belgian/French Farmhouse Ale Taste: Complex, rich, caramel, tarty goodness… Alcohol Content: 8.5% Food Pairing: Sausages Rating: 6 out of 6 (Awesome) Website: The Bruery: Saison Rue

Freakin awesome! That is all I have to say about this guy… It is freakin awesome. This guy is a Belgian/French farmhouse ale. It is super complex. The nose is luscious and you get a little tartness from the bret which reminds me of a Russian River Bret brewed beer, but you also get a strong caramel, biscuit rye scent that just fills your nose. This guy is really aromatic. In the mouth it is slightly greasy and coats the mouth, but in an awesome way. That tartness from the bret makes your mouth water which just makes this guy explode in your mouth. You get banana, biscuits, rye, citrus, caramel and oh so many more subtle flavors. It kind of reminds me of the Cuvee Angelique: Dubbel Speciale but if you added in some bret to give it some tartness. This guy is only brewed a few times a year so if you run into some of this stuff, make sure to pick some up.

Life has been so busy lately! Apologies for not posting in forever! Bruschetta week challenge turned into bruschetta month. One thing I did find out through these trials is there are a lot of variations on the same ingredients and hot artichoke is one of them. I tried out this recipe because the ingredients are all really close to what goes in a hot artichoke dip and hello artichoke dip is delicious! Anyway so I figured this had to be pretty tasty since the flavors are so familiar, and it was! Husband thought it was hella good and so the last addition to the bruschetta bar was found. Testing different variations of bruschetta recipes was really fun. Also searching recipes for crostini’s was a big help as well. I realized the possibilities in a bruschetta bar are endless and can be adapted to anyones tastes.

Hot Artichoke Bruschetta adapted from Allrecipes.com Ingredients 1 (6.5 ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion 5 Tablespoons light mayonnaise 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder 1 French baguette, cut into 1/3 inch thick slices black pepper Preheat the broiler. In a medium bowl, mix marinated artichoke hearts, cheese, red onion, garlic powder and mayonnaise. Top baguette slices with equal amounts of the artichoke heart mixture. Arrange slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Broil in the preheated oven 2 minutes, or until toppings are bubbly and lightly browned, top with ground black pepper if desired.

Summary: Company: The Bruery Type: bottle conditioned Belgian-style witbier Taste: Light, Lemony, Refreshing Alcohol Content: 5.7% Food Pairing: Sausage, Lamb, sandwiches, anything German! Rating: 4 out of 6 (very nice) Website: The Bruery: Orchard White

Orchard White is a light lemony and refreshing wit from The Bruery. In the nose it is wheaty, lemony with a hint of Belgian ale. In the mouth it is clean and refreshing. You get the strong lemon flavor with the rich Belgian wheat flavor as it goes down. I’m not the biggest witbier fan but I do think this is one of the best ones I have found… which is not saying too much because I have only had Great White and Bluemoon but knowing The Bruery, it is probably one of the best around… I found on it’s own it is ok, but paired with something like a turkey sausage sandwich on a crispy baguette with sauteed onions and mushrooms smothered with horseradish and it is awesome!

Summary: Company: The Bruery Type: Dark Spicy Sweet Chocolaty nutty Ale Taste: Chocolate, nuts, sweet, luscious, Belgian ale Alcohol Content: 12% Food Pairing: … it is a food all its own… Rating: 5 out of 6 (nice, but strong and sweeeeeeet) Website: The Bruery: Rugbrod

Ok, so I’ve been saving this guy because… well, I’m not sure why… this guy has been sitting in the fridge for a couple months now and The Bruery makes some of my favorite craft beers soooo… actually, maybe that is why I have been saving this guy… wait who am I kidding, it is rainy and cold as shit outside and I am craving a dark rich beer… sooooo… i tell you what, this guy smells glorious!… It smells super sweet, chocolaty and nutty. In the mouth it is kind of greasy… it coats the mouth with delicious lusciousness. On the way down the hatch your nose gets filled with a ton of the same nuttiness, chocolate taste you got in the nose… I guess it should because it is a dark Belgian style ale made with cocoa nibs and pecans… It is pretty good… it a strong and sweet…. The first few sips are pretty sweet and harsh and it takes a couple more for you to get used to it but after you do it is pretty good especially because this guy is 12%! It is like a barley wine made sweet sweet love with a dark Belgian ale… If you see this guy at your local beer shop, make sure to try this guy!

Brought to you by the San Francisco Brewers Guild, SF Beer Week is an awesome week full of dozens of different beer drinking activities all over the SF bay area. The best part about SF Beer Week is how wide spread it is through the bay. You don’t have to travel far to find activities in your area. Some highlights, Russian River Brewery is releasing Pliny the Younger on the first day of the festival. ThirstyBear Brewing Co. is doing a Casks & Quesos party which includes unlimited tastings of a dozen locally-brewed cask conditioned beers paired with artisan cheeses from California… can you say FUCK YES! and 4 Chefs, 2 Breweries, 1 Dinner: Magnolia and Dogfish Head which is where 3 chefs from Chez Panisse and Chris Kronner of Bar Tartine come together to create a menu of foods pairing each course with beers from Dogfish Head and Magnolia Brewery… and the list goes on, so if you live in the Bay Area come and check it out! SF Beer Week

Summary: Company: Nectar Ales Type: Imperial Stour Taste: Sweet, chocolaty, fruity, hints of vanilla Alcohol Content: 11% Food Pairing: Steak, Pizza, Buffalo Wings, etc… Rating: 6 out of 6 Website: Nectar Ales

This beer is magnificent. Lately all of the imperial stouts I have tried have been deep dark thick monsters, but this guy is dark as night yet is fruity, sweet and luscious. In the nose it is sweet and delicious… like taking a deep breath of chocolate coffee ice cream. In the mouth this guy is super smooth and velvety. When you swallow you get the sweetness with hints of flowers or fruits and then an awesome vanilla aftertaste. I can honestly say that this is one of my favorite Imperial Stouts I have had. I was gaga over the Abyss, but I think I like the deep dark delicateness of Black Xantus. Well worth the 15 bucks a bottle!

In my search for different bruschetta recipes, I realized a heartier recipe was in order. Not everyone wants to be full on veggies and bread, we need some meat! Yay for chicken! This recipe is really delicious, it’s a filling and super flavorful appetizer that is sure to please everyone! The sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese go great with the Italian dressing that is also used as the chicken marinade! You could even convert this recipe into a salad or a sandwich! Chicken and Sun-Dried Tomato Bruschetta Adapted from allrecipes.com Ingredients: 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1 1/4 cups Italian salad dressing, divided (I used Newman’s Own) 4 cups fresh spinach, chopped 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese, I used the meditteranean flavor 8 sun-dried tomatoes chopped, about 3 Tablespoons 1 baguette French or sourdough sliced 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions: Place the chicken and 1 cup salad dressing in a bowl or bag and marinate at least 3 hours in the refrigerator. Preheat the grill for high heat. Lightly oil the grill grate. Discard dressing used for marinating, and grill chicken 7 minutes per side, or until juices run clear. Cool and chop. In a large bowl, mix the cooked chicken, spinach, feta cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and remaining dressing. I used pre chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil, drained. Brush the focaccia bread with olive oil, and cook 1 minute per side on the prepared grill, or until lightly toasted. Or toast bread in the broiler for 3-5 minutes. Place portions of the chicken mixture on the toasted focaccia to serve.

I love tomatoes and basil together. They are such great flavors and when you toss in some olive oil, vinegar and garlic, it is absolutely delicious! I realized how easy this recipe is to make and how easy it is to polish off the bowl with slices of toasty baguette. This recipe is going to be in heavy rotation at my house now, it is so easy tasty and cheap to make.

Tomato and Basil Bruschetta adapted from Simply Recipes INGREDIENTS 6 or 7 ripe plum tomatoes (I used the little campari tomatoes, about 12, they were the ripest I could find!) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 6-8 fresh basil leaves, chopped Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 1 baguette French bread or sourdough 1/4 cup olive oil parmesan cheese for topping Directions: Make sure there is a top rack in place in your oven. Turn on your ovens broiler to preheat. While the oven is heating up, chop up the tomatoes finely. I also squeeze the tomatoes over the sink and remove most of the seeds, you don’t have to be meticulous. Then put the chopped tomatoes, garlic, 1 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, vinegar in a bowl and mix. Then add the chopped basil, salt and pepper to taste. I put the bowl in the fridge or leave out on the counter for the flavors to marry. Slice the baguette on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick slices. Coat one side of each slice with olive oil using a pastry brush. I also use spray olive oil for this step, its faster and you use less olive oil and still coats evenly. Then place on a cooking sheet, olive oil side down. You will want to toast them in the top rack in your oven, so you may need to do these in batches depending on the size of your oven. Once the oven is ready place a tray of bread slices in the oven on the top rack. Toast for 3-5 minutes, until the bread just begins to turn golden brown and flip to get both sides lightly browned. This recipe makes about 24 small slices For serving immediately, I recommend topping the bruschetta mixture with light sprinkle of parmesan cheese. The second way of serving is placing the bowl of tomato mix with a slotted spoon out on the table next to your toasted baguette slices, so your bread won’t get all soggy.