Apple & Goat Cheese Crostini with Honeyed Walnuts and Crisp Bacon

Foodbuzz and Nature's Pride Bread are holding a recipe contest. You have to create a recipe using Nature's Pride that highlights the great taste and natural qualities of the bread, then post and blog about the recipe. They will select six people to become "Bread Ambassadors" at the Foodbuzz Blogger Festival on November 6-8 in San Francisco. The bread ambassadors will create their recipes at the Tasting Pavilion for festival attendees to taste, discuss and enjoy.

I thought I would give this competition a shot, because,
a) I love Nature's Pride Bread.
b) I love Foodbuzz.
c) I love a good recipe contest.
d) I've never been and would love to visit San Francisco.

The Foodbuzz Blogger Festival sounds like a lot of fun, and I'd be honored to get the opportunity to attend and cook my recipe.

So this is what I came up with: An Apple & Goat Cheese Crostini with Honeyed Walnuts and Crisp Bacon. I selected Nature's Pride Stone Ground Whole Wheat With Honey Bread as the base for my crostini. The bread is spread with butter and toasted, then topped with goat cheese. Sauteed apples, sage and garlic top the goat cheese, followed by toasted walnuts glazed with honey, and crispy-smoky bacon.

These are really, really good! I think all of the flavors work well together with the honey-wheat bread. I love the sweet-apple and walnuts combined with tangy goat cheese and salty bacon. Mmmm.



Give these a try sometime if you need an appetizer for an event. Wish me luck! I don't know when they decide or anything.

I've wanted to visit San Francisco ever since my days of watching Full House. Don't try and deny that you didn't watch Full House. Everyone did. EVERYONE.
Don't be ashamed. Quiz me in the comment section about something that happened in a Full House episode and I guarantee I can answer it.
Maybe.


Uncle Jesse was HOT.

Apple & Goat Cheese Crostini with Honeyed Walnuts and Crisp Bacon
Printable Recipe

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon honey
3/4 teaspoon finely ground sea salt, divided use
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
1 1/2 cups finely chopped apple (Braeburn, Gala, Jonagold)
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
8 slices Nature's Pride Stone Ground Whole Wheat With Honey Bread
6 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup finely chopped cooked applewood smoked bacon

Add walnuts to a large nonstick skillet, over medium heat, and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden; stir in honey and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook an additional 1 minute or until well coated with honey. Pour the walnuts onto a plate and set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in skillet; add apple and sage and cook 5-6 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender and golden. Stir in additional 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and garlic, and cook an additional minute; remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat oven broiler. Spray a large sheet pan with cooking spray.
Cut the bread slices in half diagonally and place on pan. Melt the additional 2 tablespoons butter and brush evenly over bread. Broil 1 minute or until golden brown; flip and broil an additional minute or until golden. Remove pan from oven; evenly spread goat cheese over bread slices. Break up walnuts a bit and stir into apple mixture; evenly divide apple-walnut mixture onto bread slices. Top with bacon and serve.

Makes 6 appetizer servings