Toasted Bread Cups

I procrastinated yesterday about making an appetizer for a "Mom's back to school" cocktail party.  I always like to bring a bite size munchie if possible, but soon realized that I didn't have any puff pastry which usually acts as the perfect liner to stuffed mini muffin cups.  I was forced to be a bit creative, and the results were delicious!

I started with a regular loaf of bread and mini muffin tin. The bread was wheat, but not the real whole grain healthy kind. That probably wouldn't work as well! ;)

I used a juice glass and cut two holes in each slice of bread. I left the scraps of bread out overnight to dry out and pulsed them in the food processor to make bread crumbs.

Now I rolled each circle flat up and down and side to side. You should have 24 flat little pancakes.

I melted 2T of butter and mixed in 1/4t of garlic powder. I brushed each circle with butter on one side...

and pressed the circle butter side down into the mini muffin tin. I filled the cups with about 1/2 t of pesto, sprinkled with a little mozarella, and topped with 1/2 of a cherry tomato. You can fill with anything similar. We have some great filling options in The Stocked Kitchen Cookbook under puff pastry bites.

I baked them at 350 degrees F for about 12 - 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly, and the bottoms of the cups are toasted. (Sorry, I forgot to take a pic of the end result! They were yummy!)

Delicious, fun, and easy! ENJOY!