Bruschetta {cooking club}

Have I mentioned that I participate in not only one, but two cooking clubs? I feel like I'm always sharing things from them! ha! I  made this for one of them a couple of weeks ago. We had a picnic theme at a local farm. It was a gorgeous night with delicious food. This was my second time making bruschetta, and it turned out delish! This is a perfect treat for summer since tomatoes are just about in season! I also love the added touch of cooking the bread in some butter, I think it really added to the great taste of this bruschetta. Enjoy!

Bruschetta 
slightly adapted from Pioneer Woman


Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
5 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
7-8 tomatoes, diced (your favorite kind)
1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
16 whole Basil Leaves, cut into to small strips
Salt And Pepper To Taste
1 whole Baguette
8 Tablespoons Butter
1/4 cup fresh shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir, lightly frying for about a minute until fragrant. Pour into a mixing bowl and allow to cool slightly. Add tomatoes, balsamic, basil, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to the bowl. Toss to combine, then taste and add more basil if needed, and more salt if needed (don't oversalt). Cover and refrigerate for an hour or two, or serve immediately if you need to. 

Cut the baguette into diagonal slices. Melt half the butter in a large skillet and grill half the bread on both sides. Cook till golden brown on both sides. Repeat with the other half of the butter and the other half of the bread. 

To serve, stir the tomato mixture one more time and the spoon generously over the slices of bread. Top with more Parmesan cheese if you want!