Honey Goat Cheese Toasts with Walnuts & Thyme

Hi friends– I know this recipe name is way too long.  But I wanted to include every flavorful bit of these little toasts– the tangy goat cheese, sweet honey, little bite of thyme.  It made a delectable lunch last Saturday with a mug of tea and a book for company.  And I thought you might like it too.

HONEY GOAT CHEESE TOASTS WITH WALNUTS & THYME

2 slices sturdy bread, sliced thick*
3 oz. goat cheese
1/4 cup chopped walnut
freshly ground pepper
honey
fresh thyme leaves

Spread the goat cheese on the slices of bread and toast it for 3 or 4 minutes until the walnuts are toasty and the cheese is warm.  Then lightly pepper the toasts, drizzle on a generous coat of honey and sprinkle to thyme leave over it all.  Enjoy!!

*I love La Brea Bakery sour dough loaf for this.  The picture shows just one of those slices, cut in half.

Baked Almond Toast

Hello friends– I wish I could have you sitting across the kitchen table here, so I could offer you a slice of this yummy bread pastry.  It’s the best things I’ve managed to make this summer! I love the lazy summer mornings– dawdling over breakfast with a book in hand, instead of rushing off to school, nibbling on something sweet and warm.  I think you’d love this breakfast treat– rich, creamy, nutty.  And with  big mug of tea, it’s perfect.

BAKED ALMOND TOAST
2 cups sliced almonds
1/2 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup butter
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg
2 tab. milk or half & half
1/2 cup of your favorite jam
8 slices any day old bread
powdered sugar (optional)

Take just 1 cup of the almonds and 1/4 cup sugar– Grind them in a food processor or blender until they are coarse crumbs.  With an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar.  Then blend in the salt, egg and half & half.  With a spoon, stir in the ground almonds and sugar mixture.

Line a baking sheet with parchment.  Set out the slices of bread on the pan.  Spread about 1 tab. of jam on each slice.  Top with 2 tab. of the almond mixture.  Sprinkle a tablespoon or two over each slice of bread.  Bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes of until it looks nicely golden.  Dust it all with powdered sugar through a sieve and enjoy it hot from the oven!

P.S.  I used cherry jam, but any flavor you love will do just fine, of course.
P.P.S.  Also I just made a quarter recipe– This stuff is so yummy, but even I couldn’t eat more than two pieces!!

Three Toast Toppers

THREE TOAST TOPPERS
Hi friends–  Here’s some savory little snacks that are just right for a summer lunch sitting with a good book or to have with a pitcher of Sangria and a table full of friends in the backyard on a summer evening.  I was surprised how quickly and easily they went together.

1 avocado
garlic salt
red pepper flakes
cherry tomatoes
fresh basil, cut in ribbons
olive oil
a tub of ricotta
orange peel, grated from 1 orange
honey
1 baguette, sliced and toasted

AVOCADO TOASTS
Pile chunks of avocado on the toast and sprinkle with garlic salt and red pepper flakes.  That’s it.  Easy!

TOMATO TOASTS
Cut the cherry tomatoes in half.  Arrange them on the toasts and sprinkle the cut basil over the top.  Splash on some olive oil and they’re ready.  (Unless you’d like to add a little garlic salt)

RICOTTA TOASTS
Spoon the ricotta onto the toasts.  Spread a little of the orange peel on top and drizzle honey over it all.  Delish.