The Curvy Carrot has shared a delicious recipe for Strawberry Bruschetta that looks as delicious as it is easy on the eyes!

Fresh ingredients like strawberries and basil, paired with rich goat cheese, balsamic vinegar and a crispy baguette! We had to try this one out!

 

Please click here to visit The Curvy Carrot and see the recipe that we followed!

 

Reviewer #1 - Amanda

Mission: Create a unique appetizer that is still family friendly.

 
 

Details:

• I didn’t have a French baguette so I opted for cutting a couple of Ciabatta Rolls instead.
• I also opted to leave the cracked pepper off in hopes that my family would actually try it. This was a smart move but when I make it again I will add the pepper. It would bring a nice bite to the dish.

Tips & Tricks Learned:

Dice the strawberries small – per the instructions. It makes it easier to eat them. Also, let the balsamic and olive oil sit on the bread, cheese and topping before consuming.

Pros:

Pretty and SO tasty! It is a lovely combination of sweet and savory. Perfect pairing with wine!

Cons:

There really are none. I personally loved this dish and plan to make it again for people who can appreciate it as much as me (my family was as excited as I was about the dish but mainly that was because we had a LOT of food in addition to the appetizers on our table to consume).

Conclusion:

This is a fun way to bring sweet and savory together in one dish. Perfect for a dinner party and ideal for a night of wine and snacks. I will definitely be making this one again!
 
 

Reviewer #2 - Sheri

Mission: At first glance on Pinterest these things look delectable. A sweet take on the traditional bruschetta. I clicked on a gorgeous pin that initially to me to a fantastic food blog called Annie’s Eats.

The recipe itself looked simple, but to be honest it didn’t sound as delectable as I originally thought. Black pepper, olive oil, and basil with strawberries!? Let’s just say my husband and parents were giving me strange looks as I was preparing it.

Details:

• First I sliced up a cup of strawberries and coated them with a tablespoon of sugar.
• While I let the strawberries stand in the sugar I sliced the baguette.
• Then it was assembly time. I spread the goat cheese on the baguette and then applied the strawberries and sprinkled them with some fresh ribbon-cut basil.
• Lastly, it was time to drizzle the olive oil and balsamic vinegar over them and finish it off with some fresh ground black pepper.

Tips & Tricks Learned:

Tips I am going to use the next time I make these:

a.)   Toast the baguettes a little. Spreading the goat cheese on soft bread was tough and I think a little bit of crunch might make them a little better.

b.)   Be cautious when “drizzling” the balsamic vinegar. I ended up dousing a few.

Pros:

They’re fast. They’re pretty. They taste surprisingly great.

Cons:

Trying to get someone to try them.

Conclusion:

As previously stated, these little appetizers looked fabulous but after reading the recipe I got a little bit nervous. My husband and parents were good sports and tried them…then we devoured the entire plate. They were fantastic.

The sugary strawberries were paired nicely with the balsamic vinegar, tangy goat cheese, and even the basil and ground black pepper. So yes, they are as good as they look and easy to assembly to boot.
 
 

Reviewer #3 – Sarah

Mission:  To try out this yummy sounding summer appetizer.

 

Details:

• Baguette
• Strawberries
• Goat cheese
• Basil
• Olive Oil
• Balsamic
• Salt and pepper

Tips & Tricks Learned:

Pre-mix your olive oil and balsamic and just use a spoon to drizzle it over the strawberries on your bread/goat cheese mix.

Pros:

Easy and delicious.

Great way to use in-season fruits and herbs – I picked the basil fresh from my garden!

Awesome combination of savory and sweet.

Cons:

In my opinion, more of a gals-type appetizer. I don’t foresee many of the guys in my friends circle even giving this one a try.

Conclusion:

This appetizer was AMAZING! I was hosting for my book club (consisting of 10 gals) and made this as the appetizer and there were rave reviews! It was an easy one to prep and a delicious one to eat! And, on top of that – it is just beautiful to look at…great colors!

I’m pretty sure everyone at the book club requested this recipe.  I will be adding this one to my recipe box
 
 

Reviewer #4 – Mandy

Mission:  Find a unique twist on my usual garlic/tomato/basil bruschetta that I love to serve. It’s my “go-to” app.

 

Details:

• I followed the recipe as written. It was super easy to follow and turned out fabulous!
• I made the bruschetta again at a later date and forgot to drizzle the bruschetta with balsamic. It was good, but not as full-flavored as the first go-around.

Tips & Tricks Learned:

Don’t skip or forget any of the ingredients as I explained above.

It helps to “fan” the strawberry slices on the bread. Helps with the messy eating.

Pros:

Pretty easy. As long as you have access to the ingredients, you’ll be fine.  I was in my hometown (a smaller town) and it took a little bit of digging to find goat cheese. It’s Wisconsin… land of cow cheese, I guess.

So, so yummy!! Everyone that I had try it (even the picky eaters) loved it.

It’s also a little unique. People would typically think of a bruschetta to include tomatoes, basil, etc. This is a unique spin on it that is really good!

Cons:

There aren’t many… maybe it can get a little messy? Probably not a passed-type of appetizer.

Also, so good that you can’t stop eating… goat cheese calories galore!!

Conclusion:

Yum. Yum. Yum. I think this is such a great, easy appetizer that is unique and delicious.
 
 

Reviewer #5 - Maren

Mission: Try out a new twist on my favorite hors d’oeuvre!

 

Details:

I followed The Curvy Carrot’s recipe to a T!  I didn’t forget anything or screw anything up!  So proud.

Tips & Tricks Learned:

My baguettes were pretty dinky; a little tough to fit the strawberries on.  However, they were the perfect size to shove in your mouth.  Next time I think I’ll get the standard two-biter size.

I mixed my balsamic vinegar and olive oil together first, then spooned over the strawberry topping.  I felt like a genius.

I found that the vinegar made the bruschetta slices a little soggy, so next time, I would either bake the slices to make them crispier, or use a balsamic reduction… leaning towards the reduction option because I LOVE balsamic vinegar!

Lastly, don’t go too thin on the goat cheese.  It really adds to the flavor!  My mom agreed.  In reference to a few that were a little light on the cheese she said, “Well, they’re not knocking my socks off, but that doesn’t mean that I won’t keep shoving them in my face.”  Haaha!

Pros:

Totally amazing!  Such a unique and yummy combination of flavors.

Easy to make + easy on the eyes!

This recipe is easy enough to make any night of the week, guests or not!

Cons:

None – seriously, these were great.

Conclusion:

They are so pretty and easy to prepare - I cannot wait to make this the next time we have guests!  My mom, husband and I couldn’t eat enough of these suckers!   We practically licked the plate.  I will recommend this tasty dish for years to come.
 
 

The lovely shot of Strawberry Bruschetta taken by The Curvy Carrot

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Kokocooks has shared her recipe for Strawberry Mojitos that are as beautiful as they are fresh!

The gals of The Crafty Collaborative are always up for trying out our bartending skills; so this perfect-for-summer drink was right up our alley!

 

Please click here to visit Kokocooks to see the recipe that we followed!

 

 

Reviewer #1 - Amanda

Mission:  To create a drink worth drinking (can you tell I am not big on rum? More of a wine lady here).

 

Details:

• I used Bacardi Rum and felt it was fine. Moderately priced. Really the fruit is the star here anyway.
• The strawberries used were actually sliced because we were having company over and I had already done so.
• Also, I didn’t use crushed ice but would definitely suggest it. I had to work for these drinks. Trying to crush whole cubes is not ideal so follow the tips from the orginal post.
• I had never made simple syrup before but found it to be very easy and worth the effort. It made the drink sweet without being grainy with sugar.

Tips & Tricks Learned:

Definitely used a tall glass. I chose a skinny mason jar (it was decorative and pretty – just the way I like things).  It was difficult to muddle the ingredients together in such a small glass.

Pros:

This time of year you should be able to get beautiful strawberries with lots of flavor and if you are a gardener fresh mint from a pot outside is a bonus.

Cons:

This drink is a little fussy for me but that is mainly because I prefer to open a bottle and pour – no effort made there!

Conclusion:

This beverage is not only pretty but a nice touch to a dinner party. Really adds visual appeal and the taste was fabulous! It would be perfect for a night of girl talk and appetizers.

 

 

Reviewer #2 - Maren

Mission: A refreshing and sweet treat for the hot days of summer?  Where do I sign up!

 

Details:

• I used Bacardi Rum, because I love it.
• I didn’t have a muddler, so I used a flat-end wooden spoon which worked like a charm!

Tips & Tricks Learned:

Making simple syrup is super easy – I made mine in the microwave!

Just dump your 1/2 & 1/2 in a microwave safe dish, nuke for a minute or so, and stir gently with a flat bottom whisk until dissolved and let cool!

Neither my mom [my official mojito tasting partner] nor I are fans of super sweet drinks, but after tasting mine, my mom replied with an enthusiastic, “Sure!  I’ll have one of those!”  I thought that it was pretty sweet but also pretty tasty!  I was also happy that I could still taste the rum!  I do think that when making these cocktails in the future, I would prefer cutting back on the simple syrup since it got really sweet towards the end of the drink.

Pros:

Although this drink required a few more ingredients than the average cocktail, it was easy to make since all you had to do is mash them together and pour in the booze!

Cons:

I wish I would have known just what size glass or amounts of soda that Kokocooks used, because I don’t like guessing when it’s my first time making something.

Conclusion:

Sweet and delish!  If you love fresh strawberries, mint and rum – this is the drink for you!  It’s surprisingly easy to make and hits the spot for refreshment.  It was over 100 degrees out when we made these cocktails and they delivered!

I think that the Strawberry Mojito would be a great addition to any summer get together, whether it’s a girls night or a block party!

 

The lovely Strawberry Mojito photo taken by Kokocooks

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