Asparagus Bruschetta

Toasted French bread slices topped with red and green ingredients make for a great Christmas hors d'oeuvre.

Serve this at a holiday party and give your guests a something a little different to munch on before the main course is served. This delicious recipe will be a hit among your guests, so just make sure you make enough, because it will be gone in a flash!

Ingredients:

3 cups water

1/2 pound fresh asparagus

2 cups grape tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup minced fresh basil

3 green onion, chopped

3 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 teaspoon grated lime peel

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

12 slices French baguette, toasted

1/2 cup crumbled cheese

Directions:

In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the asparagus; cover and boil for 2-4 minutes.

Drain and immediately place asparagus in ice water to cool it. Drain and pat dry.

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, basil, onions, lime juice, oil, garlic, lime peel, salt and pepper.

Lie your asparagus length wise onto your sliced baguette. Using a slotted spoon, spoon your mixture onto the asparagus and bread.

Top the bread with a sprinkle of cheese and toast so it will melt.