Kyla, Laura, and I had a blast at Kyla’s parents’ house in Fort Worth this weekend. We invited ourselves over for a slumber party and were treated like the back home ballers that we envision ourselves to be. Kyla’s parents, Denise and Kyle, are so much fun to be around, and Denise is an insanely talented cook to boot (she used to manage her own catering company). She made a delicious dinner of chicken scallopini, a simple green salad, and individual berry crumbles a la mode. Before dinner, we made Denise’s bruschetta recipe, which we had all unanimously requested because it is so seriously delicious (especially when paired with a lovely glass of wine and your jammies). Though bruschetta is typically reserved for the summertime when tomatoes are in season, I find it delectable all year round. There’s something comforting about enjoying a warm slice of tomato-topped bread with salty parmesan cheese and just a hint of sweetness. While I admittedly haven’t tried many bruschetta recipes, I think I have a good reason: Denise’s recipe is so perfect that I don’t want to try anyone else’s.

Bruschetta

Recipe via Denise Kiser

• Olive oil, heavy splash
• 1 shallot, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 roma tomatoes, diced
• Balsamic vinegar, heavy splash
• Brown sugar, heavy pinch
• Salt & pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• Grated parmesan for topping
• Baguette

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly brush baguette slices with olive oil on both sides and bake until crisp.
2. Heat a heavy splash of olive oil in a skillet. Add the minced shallot and stir until coated in oil, then turn down the heat to medium.
3. Add the garlic and stir continuously, ensuring that the garlic doesn’t burn.
4. Add in the diced tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and salt & pepper. Stir everything together to ensure that the ingredients are mixed well.
5. Take the mixture off heat and stir in the fresh basil.
6. Top baguette slices with tomato mixture and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.