Tomato and Gruyere Mini's

These Savory Tomato, Basil and Gruyere Cheese Appetizers are always a hit! You can customize this appetizer to your likes or food availability - substitutions for each ingredients are in parenthesis. These are very simple to do and I have yet to find someone who doesn't love them! Yields 40 appetizers in a mini-muffin tray. 

ingredients:

1 box Ready Pie Crust, refrigerated

1 bunch of Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half
6- 8 oz of Gruyere cheese, shredded (½ Gruyere and ½ Emmenthaler OR Swiss Cheese)
½ Cup of bacon bits (you can fresh cook bacon until crisp or purchase Hormel or Oscar Myer bacon bits, or 'Tastefully Simple's Bacon Bacon')

5 T. fresh Basil and/or other herbs such as Parsley and Thyme (sliced and chopped)

salt & pepper to taste

(For additional flavor you can also add Tastefully Simples Spinach and Herb Mix - a sprinkle in each appetizer)

direction:

Preheat oven to 400˚ F Place Silicone Baking mini-muffin tray on a baking sheet

1. Cut tomatoes in half and season with salt and pepper to taste, set aside.

2. Place Pie Crust on Roul’pat and roll out using a Silicone Rolling Pin

3. Cut out small rounds with a Small Round Dough Cutter and place them in each mini-muffin cup, press down with shaper or fingers. 

4. Place a tomato half on pie crust

5. Add bacon, herbs, spices and top with Gruyere cheese

6. Bake in oven until cheese melts and crust is golden brown – about 10-15 min’s.

7. Let cool about 5 minutes before popping each appetizer up from the bottom.