BLT Canapes : Happy New Year

BLT Canapes for Appetizer Night - 313/365

"What do you want for New Year's Eve dinner," I asked Mr. Wild Dingo. "BLT's," he replied. So I made these bad boys: BLT Canapes with basil and garlic mayonnaise. They are a bit tedious to make but super simple and oh so delicious! We tend to do appetizer-type dinners on any New Years Eve's where we stay home so I added some veggies with dip and shrimp cocktail. Yes, of course the dogs got a few canapes and a few shrimps. We party hard, Internet. 

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves that will mince
• 1/2 cup fresh basil that will chop roughly
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 4 tsp lemon juice
•  1-2 garlic cloves minced (I use 1 clove, 2 was a bit overkill)
•  11 slices GF white bread
• 11 slices bacon
• 8 oz cherry tomatoes

1. Put full leaves of basil, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic and 1/4 tsp salt into mixer. DO NOT do this in a bowl. The mixer will get it the pretty green color. Mixing it in a bowl will not. Power until smooth, 1 minute, scrape down sides of bowl. It's easier to double the recipe for the mixer to mix it thoroughly. Can be made up to 4 days in advance, refrigerated. I double the recipe and use the rest later in the week.
2. Set oven rack 6 inches from broiler and heat oven to broil. Using 2 inch round (or square) cutter, cut out bread into 2 inch rounds or squares, avoid crust. Spray both sides of bread with oil and arrange on rimmed baking sheet. Broil until golden brown on both sides. WATCH it. It goes very fast, maybe about 1.5 minutes each side. Let toasts cool. can be held room temp for 6 hours.
3.  Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven (bake) to 400 degrees. Arrange bacon in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crispy brown, 10-12 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. transfer bacon to paper towel and let cool completely. break each bacon slice evenly into 3 short pieces. (Bacon can be held at room temperature for up to 1 hour).
4. Cut tomatoes into 1/3 inch thick slices. Season tomato slices with salt, pepper. Spread basil mayonnaise over 1 side of each toast, then top with 1 piece of bacon and 1 slice tomato. Sprinkle with chopped basil.
5. Canapes can be held at room temperature for up to 1 hour before serving.

Yields 33 canapes

Here is the last shot in this Lyme warrior's booty for the rest of 2015.

"I need to warm it up a bit since it's been in the fridge before you give me the shot," I told Mr. Wild Dingo.

"How are you going to warm it up," he asked.

"I was gonna put it in the microwave," I replied.

Mr. Wild Dingo paused to fathom whether that was sarcasm or Lyme-brain speaking. "It's too small, so be sure to put it in a cup of water when you do," he said.

Happy New Year Readers!