Springy Herb Rolled Goat Cheese Bruschetta

I call this recipe Herbed Goat Cheese Bruschetta and it is both very simple to make and utterly delicious. Below are ingredients for 2 lunch/dinner servings or as a party appetizer making approx 12-16 rounds.

What you need:
Olive Oil
1 baguette - sour dough or french, whole wheat, whichever you prefer
3 cloves of garlic
3 roma tomatoes, or a full box/bowl full of cherry tomatoes
Fresh Basil, rinsed and sliced julienne style - 1-3 leaves per round
OR dry basil - 1/2 to 1 tsp, to taste
Fresh Spinach - optional - rinsed and sliced julienne style
Salt & Pepper - to taste
Herb Rolled Goat Cheese Log - or Plain - I get mine at Trader Joe's because it's cheap and delicious
Balsamic Vinegar - optional, and I've never actually added it

Rinse your fresh greens (basil and spinach), then gently pat drier and set aside. Rinse the tomatoes, cut off the green leafy tops and half them. If you're crazy like me you now de-seed your roma or plum tomatoes (skip this step for cherry tomatoes) by halving the tomato and scooping the insides out with a spoon. Now dice your tomatoes.

Saute the crushed/minced garlic cloves in olive oil for a minute, then add in the diced tomatoes. Add a little more oil if needed for a light even coating. Stir in a small pinch of salt & a few twists of pepper, then heat through for just like A minute on low-medium heat to soften the tomatoes and meld the flavors a bit. Remove from heat and add dried basil to mixture if you lack the fresh stuff. Add additional Salt & Pepper to taste.

If you cook the tomatoes for too long they may become soggy and liquidy. It still tastes great but the texture is less ideal and you may need to drain off the extra liquid they'll sweat off. The tomatoes cook up quickly so try to avoid overcooking!! You also don't have to cook them at all, saving time. I like how the warm tomatoes melts the goat cheese though...

While that cools a bit slice your baguette and get it toasted. You can cut it in rounds as pictured or slice the baguette in 3-4 inch sections split down the center like a deli sandwich. While bread is toasting, get your rinsed greens back out and stack & roll the leaves together to slice them in julienne style strips.

Assemble your bruschetta - on the toasted slices heap a generous spoonful of the tomatoes on, then add your sliced fresh basil and spinach on top (or just mix the greens and tomatoes together and spoon it on. Whatever.) Now pull your herb goat cheese log from the fridge and twist your fork in the cheese to create crumbles. Sprinkle said crumbles on top and enjoy. This creates a lovely warm-cold contrast with the cold cheese getting melty and smeary as it warms from the tomatoes and toast.