IT’S SOOO HOT!!!!!  I can’t take it.  There is no way anyone can be expected to cook anything when it is this hot out.  If you walk outside to grill, you will burst into flames.  If you turn your oven on when it is over 100 degrees outside… well, I just can’t even think about that.  And, if you think I’m going to eat a salad for every meal you are sorely mistaken; I am not a rabbit.

“There’s been a mistake. You’ve accidentally given me the food that my food eats.”
-Ron Swanson

You know what I can eat at every meal? Bread.  I love bread and I just happened to have baked a loaf the other day (before it was over 100° outside). As soon as I baked that bread I couldn’t wait to make my favorite seasonal lunch, Summer Tomato Sandwich.  

Fresh, light and delicious.  And the only heat is that of the toaster; that I can handle.

I have made some other things recently too.  I jarred some homemade marinara sauce.  I made some pesto and  popped it in the fridge.  Those are both scrumptious on good bread. Isn’t it funny how things can spiral sometimes?

I was thinking about “creating” a new summer toast with the pesto I made.  Burrata sounded  like it would be great with the pesto.  If you don’t know what burrata is, it is like fresh mozzarella cheese but the inside is creamier.  It is amazing.  So, since I was by Trader Joe’s, I popped in to pick up some burrata.  I also saw some baby heirloom tomatoes, so I grabbed those.  Another spiral…  Across from the tomatoes were nectarines.  I love nectarines.  So I grabbed some.  Made it to the cheese section.  Oh, how good would a toast be with ricotta and nectarines?  Turns out, it’s fantastic!

And so on and so forth until between my Trader Joe’s excursion and what I already had laying around the house I was left with this bounty (plus some extras not pictured).

The possible toast combinations are endless. And there truly is something for every meal of the day, including dessert! (sidebar – cut them up into smaller pieces and serve them as appetizers for your next party)

Now, don’t worry if you have not baked a loaf of bread, made homemade pesto and jarred marinara sauce in the last week.  All those things are available at your friendly, neighborhood (air-conditioned) grocery store.  Go buy some, bring it home and create your  own spectacular toasts.  Here are a few of my combos though to help get you started.

Summer Toasts

1. Pesto, Burrata & Tomato

Use any kind of tomatoes you want. My pesto is pretty in your face, so I didn’t need any salt or extra seasoning. You can drizzle a little extra olive oil on the top if you want.

2. Ricotta & Nectarine

You can simply put ricotta and slices of nectarine on your toast and it will be delicious. Any stone fruit will do. I really like to add a few cherries and a light sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar.  I bet a little drizzle of honey would be perfection.  This is great for breakfast or dessert.

3.  Goat Cheese & Marinara

I know it sounds a little too simple but it is so good. My marinara has a lot of basil in it. If yours doesn’t, a sprinkling of fresh basil on top would be spectacular.

4. Avocado

This isn’t new but that doesn’t make it any less delicious. Mash, slice or dice your avocado and put it on the toast. Season with a little salt and pepper, squeeze on some fresh lemon or lime juice and drizzle with some olive oil. It never gets old.

5. Goat Cheese, Cucumber & Tomato

Basically a cucumber and tomato salad on toast. Let the cheese soften, spread on the toast and top with diced cucumber and tomato. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with red wine vinegar and olive oil. I don’t like red onions or fresh mint but they would go nicely on there if you like them.

6.  Burrata, Proscuitto & Dried Figs

This is what I get for dinner almost every time we go to Katie’s Pizza & Pasta in STL.  All their food is amazing but for some reason this almost always sounds the best to me.

7.  Mascarpone & Fig Jam

Again, perfect for breakfast or dessert.  You can substitute cream cheese or goat cheese for the mascarpone depending on how much tang you want or what you have in your fridge.  You can also sub for any other kind of jam too.

I mean, the list can go on and on:

Brie and Apples
Blue Cheese and Pears
Mashed Avocado, Bacon & Tomato

You get the idea. Spread stuff on a piece of toast and eat it. It is delicious, satisfying and won’t heat up the kitchen. And THAT is the most important thing right now.

Do you have some more great ideas for summer toasts?  I would love to hear;  list them in the comments section so we can discuss!

Stay cool my friends!