Goat Cheese and Cucumber Bruschetta

I love goat cheese.
I love bread.
I love fresh herbs.
I love vinagrettes.
I love cucumber.

It's as if this little appetizer was made for my palette. 

This is one of those appetizer things that you might get somewhere and think- genius! If only I could do that!- without ever realizing how amazingly simple it is to create. I remember when I saw the recipe and started imaging the flavors playing so well together, I just had to have it.

You could really make it look nice too, but I didn't have time (or desire, I don't know if 'pretty food' is in my repertoire) to pretty it up too much. Besides, the food speaks for itself- it says "it's not what's on the outside, but how I burst with flavor and scrumdiddlyumptiousness inside that counts" 

I'm so glad I made it that first time. I've made it a few times and each time I love it. With all the fresh flavors and tart goat cheese, it just works so darn well.

Want to know a secret? I used to be afraid of goat cheese. Yeah. Who wants to eat something with the word 'goat' in it? Turns out, I do. And so do a lot of other fabulous people. Don't be afraid, goat cheese is amazing. Baa. Or is it, bleeaat? 

Make this when you are having people over and you want a quick snack because, oops, the main course is going to take an hour longer than you planned. Or make this tonight, to make your Monday night dinner seem fancy and to welcome the week with open arms! You will rock this week! This week has nothing on you, you had an appetizer with dinner- an appetizer on a Monday!- who does this week think it is? This week will be amazing with a start like this!

Am I convincing you, or me there?

The cucumber can be used in a few ways, here we stuck it between the cheese and bread. Other times we used it in place of the bread-it was divine both ways and a big thick slice of cucumber is just what this recipe was begging for.


Goat Cheese and Cucumber Bruschetta  
(what's the deal with bruschetta? is it just 'stuff you put on bread so you don't feel bad about just having bread before eating a big meal'? or not? I must do research) 
adapted from Real Simple: Best Recipes, Easy, Delicious Meals 

Time: 10 minutes, seriously. 
Serves: 8 people well, 4 people 'till they're stuffed. 

ingredients

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
salt and pepper
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 tablespoons of any fresh herbs you have on hand (I used rosemary, chives and thyme- parsley, basil and dill would be great too)
8 thick slices of bread
8oz of soft goat cheese
1 English cucumber, sliced (about 1/4- 1/2 inch thick) 

In a small bowl whisk together pretty much everything except the bread and cheese. You can start with the oil, vinegar, lemon juice, honey and salt/pepper- then toss in the herbs and shallots after that's mixed nicely.

Here's where you get to be creative: you can drizzle the vinagrette on the bread, then spread the cheese and place a cumber on top, or drizzle after assembling the bread/cheese/cucumber- or however you please! That's the beauty of it. There's no wrong way, to eat this bruschetta.

Enjoy!
-m