Beef Crostini with Blue Cheese Spread

Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, there are parties galore! These Beef Crostini with Blue Cheese Spread are a cinch to prepare and will get rave reviews from your guests!

Beef Crostini with Blue Cheese Spread

These elegant little nibbles are far from daunting to prepare. I made sure to have grilled beef on the menu the night before, and set one beef fillet aside for these appetizers.

The spread itself is only two ingredients, blue cheese and cream cheese. SO flavorful with little effort.

And the toasts are just sliced baguettes and olive oil. Easy, peasy!! Also in the mix were julienned sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil and roasted red bell pepper slices to the mix for a third texture and flavor!

An Elegant Cocktail Party

So whether you’re throwing a holiday party or just bringing a dish to help out the host/hostess, these easy beef crostini are ideal.  A few simple ingredients make for a terrific appetizer.

Your beef has been grilled and is parked in the fridge. The toasts, spread and peppers or sun-dried tomatoes, and beef can be prepped ahead of time, too. Just smear on the blue cheese spread and add the toppers before arranging on your serving platter. Some herbs are always a pretty garnish.

There’s no need to sweat. Map out a menu you can  put together with little effort!

Tips for an Easy Cocktail Party Menu

• Add a cheese board to the buffet. Pick 3 different cheeses (no need for blue with these crostini on the menu) like a sharp cheddar, soft Brie, and how about a chunk of Gruyere. All readily available. Or ask your cheese monger for some suggestions.
• If you love blue cheese, these festive Blue Cheese Balls are another marvelous appetizer.
• Make sure to purchase a fun variety crackers, dried and fresh fruit, nuts and even some fig jam or honey to go with the cheeses.
• Buy some good quality dips and fill some bowls with sweet potato chips, wedges of naan or pita, and vegetables to accompany them. There’s nothing wrong with supplementing with a couple store bought items.
• If you want a signature drink or full bar, go for it. Otherwise, wine, beer and sodas along with an ice bucket and some sparkling water with lime slices will do.
• Remember, the goal is to gather with your friends and/or family. It’s the people that make the party and the food is secondary. Just be welcoming and accommodating and you’ll have a lovely gathering!

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. Our menu this month features terrific cocktail, appetizer and dessert recipes fit for an elegant cocktail party! All perfect for your entertaining needs during the holidays! Hosting this month is Liz (that’s me!) from That Skinny Chick Can Bake.

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats, a theme is chosen each month, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out.

An Elegant Cocktail Party

Cocktails

• Tea and Marmalade Brunch Martini from Healthy-Delicious
• Candy Cane Martini from The RedHead Baker

Appetizers

• Beef Crostini with Blue Cheese Spread from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Pimento Cheese Stuffed Grits Arancini from Pastry Chef Online
• Spicy Cheddar Herb Palmiers from Mother Would Know

Desserts

• Chocolate Cake with Peppermint Buttercream Frosting from Creative Culinary
• Cranberry Panna Cotta from Spice Roots

Yield: 8

Beef Crostini with Blue Cheese Spread

Print

These Beef Crostini with Blue Cheese Spread are a cinch to prepare and will get rave reviews from your guests!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 2 minutes

Total Time 22 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2-1/3 of a baguette, sliced on the diagonal (16 slices)
• Olive oil, to brush on bread slices
• 3 ounces blue cheese, at room temperature
• 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 8 ounces beef tenderloin fillet, seasoned, grilled, chilled, then sliced thinly (I recommend Certified Angus Beef ® brand)
• 2-3 tablespoons roasted red bell pepper, sliced very thinly (I used jarred peppers)
• 2-3 tablespoons sun-dried tomatoes in oil, sliced very thinly
• Aged balsamic vinegar, to drizzle before serving
• Herbs, I used thyme and oregano, to garnish, optional

Instructions

Place baguette slices on a sheet pan and brush tops with olive oil. Turn on broiler, and watching carefully, place the pan in the oven until the tops of the slices are toasted. Remove and set aside.

In a medium bowl, mix together the blue cheese and cream cheese. Refrigerate.

Slice the beef into 16 very thin slices. Refrigerate.

An hour or two before serving, smear the toasts with the blue cheese mixture, then top about half with some of the roasted peppers and the other half with the sun-dried tomatoes. Place a slice of beef over each toast.

Drizzle with a few drops of a good quality balsamic vinegar. Garnish with a tiny herb sprig if desired. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Notes

Amounts of ingredients will vary depending on the size of your baguette and slices.  Cream cheese comes in 8 ounce packages and you will probably have some leftover blue cheese, so feel free to mix up some more of the spread if you need it.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

2 toasts
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 330 Total Fat: 20g Saturated Fat: 10g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 9g Cholesterol: 54mg Sodium: 433mg Carbohydrates: 22g Net Carbohydrates: 0g Fiber: 1g Sugar: 3g Sugar Alcohols: 0g Protein: 15g