Ladybug Caprese Crostini

• 1 baguette
• 8 oz mozzarella cheese log, sliced
• 30 fresh basil leaves, large
• 15 cherry tomatoes
• 8 medium black olives
• Extra virgin olive oil 
• Salt & pepper
• 1 lemon
• 1 tube writing gel icing, black

Directions

1. Bake crostini
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees
2. Slice baguette into 30 one-half-inch thick slices.
3. Arrange on baking sheet.
4. Brush with olive oil. Alternate: I use olive oil cooking spray, which coats evenly and is much faster.
5. Cook crostini about 10-20 minutes. If they don't brown on the other side, you may want to turn them over and cook a little longer.

2. Halve cherry tomatoes down the center vertically.
3. Cut a slit in the back to make the wings, from one end to about halfway, along the center.
4. Thoroughly dry the round side of each tomato slice, otherwise the gel dots may not stick.
5. Cut medium black olives in half to make the heads.
6. Cut the end off of each olive half, about 1/4 to 3/8 inch wide. Eat the leftover center.
7. Cut each mozzarella cheese slice in half, but not the two ends (leave them whole).

8. Assemble hors d'oeuvre:
1. Place the mozzarella slices and ends on the baked crostini.
2. Drizzle olive oil on the cheese slice.
3. Add salt (we like Himalayan rock salt) and course ground pepper.
4. Top with lemon zest.
5. Lay one basil leaf on each seasoned cheese slice.
6. Place the tomato half on the basil leaf.
7. Position the black olive piece next to the tomato, opposite the cut for wings.
9.  Use the black writing gel tube to add dots to the tomato.