Creamy Caramelized Onion Crostini

Hot toasty bread topped with a warm creamy onion, garlic and bacon spread. Great for parties, appetizers, or even a main dish. You'll need two cookie sheets.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 9-10

Ingredients

• 10  slices  of neo-tuscan boule  bread, one inch thick slices (easy to find at BJ's)
• 3⁄4 cup  vegetable oil
• 8  tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) container cream cheese
• 8  garlic cloves
• 3  medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 1  teaspoon black pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1⁄4 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 5  slices bacon, diced
• 3  tablespoons imitation bacon bits (as a vegetarian option)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In a small frying pan, add 1/4 cup oil and the 8 cloves of garlic, with skin on. cook on low for 15 minutes.
3. In a different frying pan, add remainder of vegetable oil, heat on high until oil is hot.
4. add onions, bacon, black pepper, cayenne pepper, salt, poulty seasoning, and brown sugar. Reduce heat to low Caramelize onions and cook bacon for about 15 minutes or until onions are brown in color.
5. Once garlic is cool enough to touch, but still warm, squeeze from skins, finely chop.
6. In a bowl mix 4 tablespoons of softened butter and cream cheese together.
7. Add to the bowl, caramelized onions, bacon and garlic. (if you choose to use bacon bits, do not add until bread comes out of oven).
8. Cover both cookie sheets with foil, spread 2 tablespoons of butter on each. make sure entire sheet is covered with butter.
9. Place 5 slices of bread on each cookie sheet.
10. Spoon the warm cream cheese mixture on to each slice of bread.
11. Pop into oven for 15 minutes.
12. Remove from oven.
13. If doing vegetarian, evenly sprinkle the bacon bits now. press them into the bread with the back of a spoon.
14. If using for appetizer cut each slice of bread in half.
15. Enjoy!