Arugula, Brie, and Cranberry Crostini

Last weekend, we had a house full of people. My parents and cousin drove from Michigan to D.C. on Thursday and then my uncle joined us on Friday. All weekend long, we laughed, shared stories, ate all sorts of different meals, enjoyed cocktails, walked the streets of D.C., took in the sights and sounds of the city, braced ourselves for a hurricane, and enjoyed quality time spent together.

Having my family visit D.C. is something that fills my heart and makes me feel so full of love and happiness. Looking back at the weekend, I can’t help but smile at all of the memories that were made during their visit. Saying “until next time” as everyone departed was definitely hard but I look forward to seeing them very soon as we celebrate the holiday season.

After we put our house back together after having visitors, my husband and I found ourselves spending time away from each other since he had to go to work and I found myself buried in work as I tried to play major catch up from being out of the office.

After a long week at work, I woke up on Friday excited at the thought of my husband not having to work Friday night. He doesn’t get many Friday nights off from work and I couldn’t wait to be like a “normal” couple on a Friday evening.

As I headed for the coffeemaker, I noticed an envelope on the counter.

Giddy as a schoolgirl, my heart was once again filled with so much love and happiness. After texting my husband that I marked the “yes” box, I went about my day as I counted down the hours before date night started.

When my husband arrived home from training, the surprises continued as he walked through the door holding a bouquet of my favorite flowers. I swear, I married the best man ever.

While I was putting the flowers in a vase, he revealed the third surprise of the day as he said, “Let’s get dressed up tonight. I made reservations at a nice restaurant.” You don’t have to tell me twice. I shut down my computer, put on my heels, and came down the stairs to see my husband looking as handsome as can be.

We spent the evening at a wine bar as we sipped on wine from Sonoma, tasted plateful after plateful of tapas-style food, and finished the evening with an “on the house” crepe overflowing with chocolate and topped with fresh berries.

Many of the foods we tried were crostini type dishes, complete with toasted bread, Mediterranean dips, and baked Brie. In celebration of my perfect date night with my husband, I’m sharing this Arugula, Brie, and Cranberry Crostini recipe with you. Please stop by Mom It Forward to get the recipe.

What is your favorite crostini topping?