I hope you had a fun-filled weekend. I’m imagining that you started off with a long brunch, followed by a bicycle ride, then happy hour, and dinner, and maybe more cocktails. That’s how your Saturday went, right? No laundry, or homework?
I worked all weekend, like I did last weekend, and the weekend before. My cookbook manuscript is due at the end of the month, and I’m so pleased with how it’s shaping up. Not to mention, I can’t wait to get my life back!
It has been heartening to receive cookbooks from friends in the mail. Those cookbooks give me hope that there is life on the other side. Dana of Minimalist Baker sent me a copy of her new cookbook, Everyday Cooking, which will be officially released tomorrow! The book offers 101 vegan (and mostly gluten-free) recipes, and every page shines with Dana’s vibrant photography and creative recipes.
Dana and her husband, John, used to live in Kansas City, and I miss our brunches and dinners at their place. They came to town last summer, so we met for a long lunch and I asked a million questions about their book. They originally planned to self-publish the book, which is a seriously massive undertaking. In addition to writing and photographing the book, they hired a designer and editor, and planned for printing, distribution and marketing.
After pre-orders started rolling in and readers from around the world clamored for copies, they ultimately accepted a publishing deal that will help get their book to readers everywhere. It’s so neat to hold a copy of their cookbook in my hands and know that it is entirely their creation! Bravo, friends!
Dana’s Greek bruschetta recipe called my name, and I just had to share it with you all. It’s a fun Greek variation on classic bruschetta. It features garlic-rubbed toasts topped with juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Greek flavors make an appearance in Kalamata olives (which are optional, for the olive haters out there) and some dried oregano. It’s a delicious, simple appetizer that would be perfect with wine! I hope you’ll make these for your next happy hour at home.
Dana’s Greek Bruschetta
- Author:
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Greek
This easy bruschetta recipe features an optional Greek twist, with oregano and sliced olives. It’s a simple appetizer, or snack, ready in about 15 minutes! Recipe yields enough appetizer servings for about 6 people.
Ingredients
Bread
- 1 whole grain baguette, cut into ½” thick slices
- 1 large garlic clove
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Tomato topping
- 1 pint (2 cups) cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- ¼ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and chopped (optional)
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Take the garlic clove and rub it on both sides of each slice of bread, for extra flavor. Brush both sides of each slice with olive oil, then arrange the slices in a single layer on a large, rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake the sliced bread until just slightly golden brown, about 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside.
- In the meantime, in a medium serving bowl, combine all of the bruschetta ingredients. Toss to coat, then adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt, oregano, or vinegar, as desired.
- Serve the toasted bread with the tomato topping on the side. This appetizer is best when fresh, but you can store the tomato topping for up to 2 days, covered, in the refrigerator.
Notes
Recipe minimally adapted, with permission, from Everyday Cooking by Dana Shultz.
Make it gluten free: I think you could serve the tomato topping with sturdy gluten-free crackers.
Change it up: Skip the olives and the oregano for more traditional tomato bruschetta flavor.
▸ Nutrition Information
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Kari
Bruschetta is probably my favorite wine night appetizer. Yum!
DANA
hugs hugs, kiss kiss
Evelyn
Oh this looks delicious! I love her blog, she always posts such amazing recipes and vibrant photos accompanying it! Somehow I always get errors when I try to comment on her posts, so now I’m spreading the love through your website. Glad to hear you’re pleased about how it’s shaping up, I can totally imagine there are also moments of complete self-doubt and wanting to bury yourself in bed and never come out again. It seems odd to me though that your deadline is in a few days, and the cookbook isn’t being published a year later. Is there a lot back and forth editing waiting for you in the next months? Or what other things are causing the ‘delay’ between this deadline and the actual publishing? As you probably notice, I work in a totally different field and have no experience publishing whatsoever :)
Kate
Thank you for the encouragement, Evelyn! The main takeaway from my cookbook experience so far is that books take a lonnnngggggg time to make. Once I submit my manuscript at the end of the month, we’ll have a few back-and-forth rounds of edits, more photos and re-shoots, and the designer will put it all together. Once it’s ready, they send it to the printer (probably in another country), and print books and sent them off to distribution centers. It all takes a while, and I am constantly reminding myself to be patient—I’m so accustomed to the instant gratification of figuring out a recipe and hitting publish!
Medha
This bruschetta looks fabulous! I love the greek flavors :) Pinning!
Fernando @ Eating With Your Hands
Congrats on the manuscript shaping up to get handed in soon! Does it feel like handing in an assignment lol
Kate
Thank you, Fernando! Yes, it feels like turning in the biggest assignment of my life. Eek!
Lisa
Oh wow! My two fave food blogs and it turns out you guys are friends! Who knew! Congrats to all of you on your cook books!
Kate
We are! I wish they still lived in KC. :)
Roxana
What a beautiful recipe! Can’t wait to get a look at her cookbook too!
India
You can do it, Kate!! Keep up the hard work. Soon you’re going to be writing about YOUR beautiful cookbook. Get it, girl! Glad receiving this one encouraged you.
Kate
Thank you so much, India! xo!
Tori//Gringalicious
This looks amazing! My mom used to make bruschetta when I was growing up and it was one of my faves so I’m dying to try this!!!
Kate
Thanks, Tori! (Well, thank you for Dana, since it’s really her recipe!) I hope you love this bruschetta.
Maisie
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to order your book!
Kate
Thank you, Maisie! :)
Brian @ A Thought For Food
Minus the bicycle ride (physical activity? what is that?!?!) you totally nailed our weekend! I did some work too… but tried to balance things out a little.
Love everything about this bruschetta! But olives are one of my favorite ingredients. Thanks for sharing it here!
Magda | My Little Expat Kitchen
This is what we call dakos in Greece, although dakos is made with barley rusks. It looks fantastic!
Magda | My Little Expat Kitchen
Oh, and feta! Dakos is always made with feta. ;)
Kate
Very cool!