Tomato Bruschetta

I tried a few recipes before concocting this recipe. It's sooooo yummy...mmmmmmm...warm and toasty and fresh tomatoey. I craved them for breakfast the next morning! Use a thin baguette for smaller appetizers, a larger baguette to serve as a side for any Italian dish. It's best to let marinate 24 hours, but not an absolute necessity. They are what they appear; a party on a slice of bread! Serves 4-8.

Tomato Bruschetta (brews-ketta)

3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
2 Tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp basalmic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 loaf Italian or French baguette, cut into 1" slices

mozzarella cheese, shredded or sliced*
Parmesan cheese

1. Add tomatoes, onion, olive oil, basil, parsley, garlic, basalmic vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; toss to coat. Cover and let marinate 24 hours in refrigerator.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Set aside.
3. Lay slices of bread on baking sheet. Baste with olive oil or spread with thin layer of butter. Bake in oven 5 minutes. Turn bread over and add a slice or pinch of (shredded) cheese. Bake 5 minutes to let cheese get melty.
4. Spoon equal amounts of tomato mixture on top of bread slices. Sprinkle with a generous amount of Parmesan cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes more, or until bottom sides of bread turn darker brown. Serve warm or at room temperature, but serve soon after baking or they'll get soggy.

* I used Mexican blend cheese and it was still fabulous. Shredded cheese is messier, but melts easier. Sliced cheese should be cut to fit the bread and is less messy.