BBRP Bruschetta!

There's an awesome scene in the movie Julie & Julia where Julie Powell's husband Eric is stuffing his face with bruschetta and proclaiming with his mouth full how absolutely fabulous the dish is. Indeed! I'd have to agree with him. I cannot get enough of it, when it's done right, that is. Olive oil is the key, and in all the renditions I've tried, I've found that grilling the bread in a grill pan with olive oil produces the most flavorful and crunchy version. My sister-in-law made a roasted red pepper version this Christmas at my in-laws that was out of this world, and her brother (my main squeeze, of course) and I improved on it this weekend just a tad by deciding everything's better with bacon! Try our Bacon Basil Red Pepper Bruschetta and let us know what you think... (I included a link for roasting your own peppers--saves money and tastes better too!)

2 large red bell peppers, roasted and diced
1 bunch basil, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tblsp Balsamic vinegar
1 crusty baguette, sliced into about a dozen 1/2-inch thick slices
olive oil
3 strips bacon, fried to a crisp and crumbled
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
 freshly ground black pepper

Roast peppers according to linked directions. In medium bowl, combine peppers, basil, garlic, and Balsamic; set aside. Pour enough olive oil in medium skillet or grill pan until it just covers the bottom of the pan. Fry baguette slices 5 minutes each side, until slightly browned and toasty (you may need to fry in batches, so add olive oil accordingly). Remove from pan and arrange on serving platter. Place 1-2 tablespoons of red pepper mixture on each baguette slice; sprinkle with bacon and grated Parmesan. Garnish with black pepper and serve immediately.