Whenever we have delicious bread that’s in danger of going stale, I make a version of my favorite appetizer: bruschetta. I was introduced to bruschetta as a picky child by the Maurellos at Pasticcio (check them out at Dekalb Market!) and fell in love.

I insisted on eating only their classic tomato bruschetta for years. But now that my palate and my cooking skills are a bit more developed, I like slapping almost anything on bread, grilling it, and calling it bruschetta (click here for my pear and manchego bruschetta).

So I tried out this recipe by Bobbly Flay (I’m still trying to forgive him for calling it “French Bread Pizza”). I replaced the cremini mushrooms with portobello mushrooms because I like the beefier flavor of the portobellos. I also swapped in fresh oregano for the thyme and parsley.

They were absolutely awesome. My mom said that they “looked kind of weird” (pretty sure I’ve heard her say that about newborn me) but that they also tasted great.