goat cheese toasts

I have been giving a lot of thought to signature dishes. That short list of recipes you know off the top of your head, that your friends know you for and that you love to eat. In case you have not noticed already, I am all over the place when it comes to recipe selection and I rarely, rarely make the same thing twice.  Ryan sometimes gently asks if I can remake something he enjoyed weeks ago and his stubborn girlfriend (nearly) always refuses his request.  With so many enticing recipes out there, how does one have enough time to try them all at home?

However, I just finished reading something that made me rethink my scatterbrained cooking choices.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have a few recipes I felt confident about tucked away in my back pocket?  Entertaining for friends is one of my favorite weeknight activities, and let’s be honest, most nights I just do not have the time to whip up complicated new recipe that involves brining, seventeen ingredients and a sink full of dirty dishes.  When I took out a notepad to try and make my list only a few things came to mind — and although I have drifted away from her show in the last couple of years — three of them were Giada de Laurentiis.

At some point I will get around to finishing that list and sharing my other two favorite’s of Giada’s, but because now is the time I think you need something that tastes like springtime on your plate I made some of her goat cheese toasts to share with you.  I have made this recipe time and time again because you can usually find a hunk of bread, goat cheese, cream cheese and a couple of herbs in my kitchen.  This recipe comes together in 10 minutes flat — plenty of time when you have had a harried day or someone stops by.  Slices of toasted baguette with a slather of goat cheese make the perfect nibble with a glass of wine and if there is any cheese left over it tastes pretty terrific mixed together with scrambled eggs.  Herbs and lemon are two ingredients I think most savory dishes should not be without, so it makes perfect sense that the first of my signature dishes I could decide on includes both.  Winner every time.

Do you have a signature dish? I’d love to hear about it.

goat cheese toasts
adapted from Giada de Laurentiis
yields 10-12 servings

1 baguette bread, sliced
3T olive oil
8oz soft fresh goat cheese
4oz cream cheese
2t finely chopped Italian parsley
2t finely chopped thyme leaves
2t finely grated lemon peel
salt and pepper
2T thinly sliced chives

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Brush each slice of baguette on both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown for 10-12 minutes.

Blend the goat cheese and cream cheese in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the parsley, thyme, and lemon peel. Pulse until blended (if you blend for too long the cheese will turn green). Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spread the cheese mixture over the crostini. Sprinkle with the chives and more pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: The crostini and cheese mixture can each be prepared up to two days ahead and stored separately in airtight containers.