Cranberry and Brie Crostinis

Happy Post Thanksgiving! If you are like most Americans, your insides might still be suffering from post-Thanksgiving traumatic stress. Whether it be from the multiple kinds of pie you just had to try or your uncle's graphic rendition of his kidney stone passing. Either way, it wasn't terribly pretty.

As an alternative to bringing something to go along with the plethora of sides already on the Thanksgiving day menu, I made an appetizer. This may be the best way to ensure that you won't have left overs, since this is put out when people are tired of starving themselves for dinner. These crostinis don't just go well with Thanksgiving, they are perfect with any holiday meal or potluck. I suggest making the Cranberry-Apple Sauce ahead of time to ensure it has enough time to thicken.

What you need:
1 Loaf of French Bread
Small Round of Brie
Cranberry-Apple Sauce (recipe below)



Cranberry-Apple Sauce
(Recipe taken from Clean Eating.)

What you need:
12 oz cranberries, fresh or frozen and defrosted
1 apple, cored and chopped into 1/3-inch pieces
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 T fresh ginger, finely minced
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/8 tsp salt

What to do:
Add all ingredients to a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and, stirring often, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cranberries break down, apples soften and mixture thickens. The sauce will continue to thicken slightly as it chills.

Transfer to a storage container, cover and chill for 3 hours.

Crostini Assembly:

Turn the oven on to the "broiler" setting. Cut the french bread loaf into half-inch slices, discarding the ends, and laying the slices on a baking sheet. Top each slice with a piece of brie about a quarter of an inch thick and an inch long. Place in the oven for about 7 minutes or until the bread is toasted and the brie has begun to melt. Immediately remove from the oven and place the crostinis on a serving tray. Top each crostini with about a tablespoon of the Cranberry-Apple sauce. If you prefer, reheat the Cranberry-Apple Sauce prior to assembling the crostinis.