Grilled Veggie Bruschetta

Now that spring is here, we can all get back to grilling. Being outdoors with family and friends around a grill is such a hallmark of warmer months. There's nothing like whipping up a beautiful meal outdoors. This recipe is from my first book, Picture Perfect Parties. Pair this grilled veggie bruschetta with a cocktail from Cocktail Italiano, and you'll be left with one fabulous way to kick-off an outdoor soiree.

Grilled Veggie BruschettaServes 8

You will need:- 1 red onion- 1 eggplant- 2 medium size zucchini- 2 medium size yellow squash- 6 Roma tomatoes- 2 red peppers- 2 lemons- 1 bunch asparagus- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil- salt and pepper- 2 cloves of garlic- 1 loaf of rustic bread sliced + 3 tablespoons olive oil to coat- 8 oz. of soft goat cheeseTo Prepare:Coat both sides of the bread with olive oilSlice eggplant into ¾ inch disksSlice zucchini down the center lengthwiseSlice yellow down the center lengthwiseLeave red peppers wholeSlice lemons in halfCut the tough ends off the asparagusPeel and slice onion, place onion in aluminum foil pour 2 tablespoons olive oil over the onion on top, seal the foil forming a little packageIn a separate bowl, place olive oil, and with a micro plane, grate the garlic cloves into the oil, add salt and pepper. Reserve ¼ cup of the mixture for later.Place all the vegetables in a large bowl and toss with cup of olive oil mixture.Grill bread slices until nicely toasted. Pull off the grill and set aside.Place all vegetables on the grill beginning with the onion. 10 minutes into the onion grilling, add eggplant, zucchini, squash, peppers, and lemons. Grill for about 15 minutes, and finally add asparagus spears. Grill all the vegetables for another 10 minutes.Pull everything off the grill but the onion. Run the red peppers under cold water until cool to the touch, peel, and pull seeds from inside the peppers under running water. Place on paper towels to drain and then slice the peppers into ribbons and place onto the platter. Remove the onion from the grill. Slice zucchini, squash, and eggplant into bite-size pieces.Place the all of the grilled veggies onto a platter.Drizzle remainder of the olive oil mixture and squeeze grilled lemon over the entire platter of grilled vegetables. Serve at room temperature with spreadable goat cheese and rustic bread slices.Photo Credit: Deborah Whitlaw