The Vista - Almond-Bacon Crostini

Food is a big part of Meg Miller's life, especially since her circle of friends has grown in the latest novel, Den of Uncles. It's scheduled to go to the editor in September, 2021. There's a mystery, but no murder.

Some cozy readers might insist on a murder, but I enjoy a subtle unexplained incident that doesn't kill anyone. It's supposed to make you stronger, right? Meg does have a mystery to solve. There was a skeleton discovered in her yard in Blue Feather Mystery. It's an important link and will take her and Tom all the way back to when they met in Dickens of a Crime. What goes around, comes around.

Meg has initiated new businesses with her recent inheritance and one of them is a partnership with Dorie, her daughter, to renovate old houses. In the process, Meg renovates her own little cottage and gets a new kitchen and fabulous bathrooms. She's busy in her kitchen trying out new recipes. Her neighbor, Millie, has a garden and keeps Meg stocked with fresh vegetables and berries. It's an active kitchen when Meg's at home, but Tom often insists they go out to eat when he's in town. One of their favorite places is The Vista, an eclectic renovated service station, modeled after one of my favorite eateries.

The Vista serves a variety of delicious complimentary appetizers. They do this, because I say they can, and I get to tell them what to serve and create their bathrooms, views, and seating areas. That's the best part of writing fiction. What's really wild about that is I can actually taste these and so can you. Here's the recipe. Enjoy:

Almond-Bacon Cheese Crostini

Ingredients:

1 French bread baguette (1 pound), cut into 36 slices

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

2/3 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

6 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

1 green onion, chopped

Dash salt

Additional toasted almonds, optional

Directions:

Place bread slices on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400° until lightly browned, 8-9 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the cheese, mayonnaise, almonds, bacon, onion and salt. Spread over bread. Bake until cheese is melted, 7-8 minutes. Sprinkle with additional almonds if desired. Serve warm.