I am hosting a self defense party on Sunday and I cannot wait! There will be about a dozen of us ladies who, for many different reasons, want to learn how, and be comfortable with, physically defending ourselves if ever needed. Let's hope that it never is! But having the knowledge is valuable none the less. After the lesson we are going to enjoy each other's company over wine and snacks. I have never been to something like this before, and never hosted a party other than my birthday and my best friend's bridal shower, so this is new to me and really fun.
I've got a variety of snacks and appetizers on the menu for tomorrow but one thing that I'm excited about are these crostinis! I had to make a tester, of course. Luckily the compote can be stored for up to three days so making this ahead of time is not a problem at all.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 17-20 dried apricots
- 1 cup sweet white wine, such as Moscato
- 1/2 tsp. peeled and grated fresh ginger
- 3 tbsp. white wine vinegar
- 1/8 tsp. dried thyme
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- a baguette
- Boursin Garlic & Fine Herb Spread, or similar cheese spread
Chop your apricots into small pieces 1/4-1/2 inch in size. I also recommend roughly chopping the cranberries but that is entirely optional.
In a saucepan on med heat, bring wine, vinegar, apricots, cranberries, and 1/2 cup of water to a rapid simmer. Allow to simmer for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fruit is soft and liquid is mostly absorbed.
Stir in ginger and season with salt, pepper, and thyme. (I used approx. 1/8 tsp salt and 3 or 4 cranks of fresh ground pepper).
Transfer compote to a serving bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
In the meantime, preheat oven to 375°. Cut your baguette into 1/2 inch thick slices.
Once oven is heated, brush a small bit of oil on either side of your sliced baguette pieces and place on a baking sheet. Season with salt & pepper. Bake for approx. 8-10 minutes, flipping half-way through, until edges are lightly browned and crispy.
Spread a generous amount of cheese over baguette slices.
And top with a spoonful of compote. I sprinkled a little more pepper on top of mine b/c I love fresh ground pepper.
YUM!
This recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart Recipes and inspired by this recipe at Spoon Fork Bacon.
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