PREP AND COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES

Beet & Blue Cheese Spread with Garlic Crostini

Ingredients

  • 1 loaf French bread (about 14 inches long), cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • 5 cloves garlic, cut in half
  • 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons grated orange peel
  • 1 jar (16 ounces) Aunt Nellie’s Sliced Pickled Beets or Baby Whole Pickled Beets, drained
  • 3/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese or 1 container (6 ounces) crumbled blue cheese
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Makes 12 servings.

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray 11 x 7-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. Brush bread slices on both sides using 3 tablespoons olive oil. Place on two baking sheets. Bake 6 to 7 minutes or until toasted. Reserving 1 garlic clove, rub crostini with remaining garlic; sprinkle with cracked black pepper. Allow to cool.
  3. Place reserved garlic clove, orange peel and remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in food processor. Pulse several times until garlic is finely chopped. Add beets and pulse until beets are chopped. Spread in baking dish. Sprinkle with Gorgonzola, Parmesan cheese and walnuts. Bake 10 minutes or until bubbly. Serve warm with crostini.

 

Nutrition Information

Nutrition information per serving (1/12 of recipe): 290 calories; 10g protein; 27g carbohydrate; 16g fat; 480mg sodium; 10mg cholesterol; 2g fiber; 2mg iron; less than 1mg thiamin; 101IU vitamin A; 2mg vitamin C.