Apples, Blue Cheese, & Watercress on Crostini

Apples, Blue Cheese, & Watercress on Crostini
Servings: 30

BLUE CHEESE SPREAD:
1 cup mascarpone cheese softened
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh thyme minced and crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 cups blue cheese crumbled

CROSTINI:
30 slices baguette bread nut or raisin, toasted lightly
2 large apple thinly sliced
4 teaspoons honey
3 cups watercress  leaves only

1. CHEESE: Mix mascarpone, cream, lemon juice, thyme, salt, pepper, cayenne together in a medium bowl. Gently stir in blue cheese. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

2. CROSTINI: Allow cheese spread to warm to room temperature, then spread it onto the toasted bread slices. On half of the blue cheese spread, place thin apple slices, and on the other half lay a few pieces of watercress, pushing it on slightly so it will adhere. Drizzle the honey over the top and serve.

Serving Ideas : You  assemble this ahead, but it doesn’t take much time to assemble if you have everything ready in small dishes. A tray of these will keep at room temperature for about an hour. AND, leftovers the next morning are just fine.

NOTES : This sounds kind of ho-hum. But the combination of the mild blue cheese spread with the fresh, crispy apple slices, the watercress for crunch, and the drizzle of honey makes it sublime. I buy La Brea Bakery pecan and raisin bread, slice it thin, toast it for about 8-10 minutes at 350. This is best with some kind of fruited bread.