Festive Crostini Antipasti • Mama Latina Tips

Thank you to the National Frozen & Refrigerated Foods Association (NFRA) for making this post possible. All comments, opinions and my love for exploring new cultures, tastes, and flavor combinations are my own!

I look forward to the Fourth of July each year, so I'm thrilled it's so soon. A dear friend of mine lives in a special neighborhood where all the residents (and, thankfully, their friends, too) get together early in the morning for a patriotic speech, a parade, kids’ games, fire truck rides, and a wonderful brunch. My kids love it as much as I do.

Preparing for Fourth of July is the perfect time to wander down the frozen and refrigerated aisles at the market looking for inspiration. In fact, I got the idea for these easy-to-make, nutritious, and creatively festive recipes, featuring cool, delicious yogurt, while doing just that.

I think it’s the yogurt’s versatility that makes it so perfect for this kind of festival-style brunch. I can use it for sweet recipes as well as savory, and I can use it with all kinds of different toppings. Plus, I feel good about giving my family and friends something tasty and new, that happens to have a little extra protein and calcium.

So here are my festive yogurt crostini, designed especially for an upcoming Fourth of July celebration brunch. Enjoy!

Crostini Antipasti with Greek Yogurt

28-30 crostini

Estimated prep time: 30 minutes

From start to finish: 1 hour

Spiced yogurt (see recipes below)
2 (13.2 oz) Pillsbury Simply… Rustic French Bread dough
Assortment of toppings like: 3-4 dates, 8-10 walnuts, 5-6 cherry tomatoes, 1-2 avocados, 1-2 Persian cucumbers, 1 roasted red pepper, Bacon pieces, 1-2 green onions, 4 roasted garlic cloves, 3-4 thick slices of sharp cheddar cheese, salami, linguica, 1 small bunch of cilantro, 1 small bunch of basil, chives, 3-4 fresh tarragon leaves

Bake the french bread according to the instructions on the package and let cool. Slice into 1/4 inch slices. Toast in an oven until golden brown. Cool again.

Curried Yogurt

1/2 cup of Chobani Greek Yogurt – Plain
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 teaspoons yellow curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Heat oil in a pan, when oil is hot, add yellow curry powder and move until it releases its aroma, it will take just a few seconds. Turn off heat. Pour curried oil on top of yogurt and mix well with a spoon. Add ginger and salt, mix with spoon.

Chipotle Yogurt

1/2 cup Chobani Greek Yogurt – Plain
1/2 chipotle in adobo
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/4 teaspoons sugar

Mix all ingredients until well integrated.

Herbed Yogurt

1/2 cup Chobani Greek Yogurt – Plain
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon finely chopped chives
1-2 chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Mix all ingredients until well integrated.

Combinations

Now just spoon a bit of your favorite spiced yogurt onto a cool slice of toasted french bread and top with anything that seems yummy to you. Here are a few combinations I enjoy:

Curried yogurt crostini with dates and walnuts.
Curried yogurt crostini with roasted garlic, cilantro and cashews
Chipotle yogurt crostini with cherry tomatoes and basil
Chipotle yogurt crostini with avocado and cucumber
Chipotle yogurt crostini with roasted pepper and cilantro
Chipotle yogurt with salami and roasted garlic
Herbed yogurt crostini with Portuguese linguica
Herbed yogurt crostini with bacon and green onions
Herbed yogurt with sharp cheddar cheese and walnuts

Here's a quick video I made with ideas for sweet versions:

Enjoy!

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Silvia Martinez

Silvia started bilingual website Mama Latina Tips in 2009 to connect and share her stories, recipes and culture with readers. Silvia loves dancing, cooking, watching movies, reading, throwing Mexican parties and spending time with family and friends. Silvia is the winner of The Great American Recipe.

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