Did you know that Sun-Maid is the largest raisin and dried fruit producer worldwide, selling its products to consumers in more than 60 countries around the globe?  As a cooperative, Sun-Maid Growers of California is owned by nearly 1,000 family raisin grape growers all located within 100 miles of each other in the Great Central Valley of California, midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco.
 The Sun-Maid Girl:  Many people want to know if a real person was the original “Sun-Maid girl.” The answer is “yes,” and her name was Lorraine Collett Petersen. In May 1915, she was discovered drying her black hair curls in the sunny backyard of her parents’ home in Fresno, California. She was then asked to pose for a painting while holding a basket tray of fresh grapes. This striking image was first applied to packages of Sun-Maid raisins in 1916. 

High View Communications sent me a loaf of Sun Maid bread to try.  One day I toasted the bread and spread butter on it.  The next day I had the toasted bread with Nutella.  It was so good.  Finally I tried a recipe that they had sent me.  It is a Sun-Maid® Raisin Bread Crostini with Tomato-Basil Salsa.  I made the recipe and ate it all.  It was really yummy. It can be served as an appetizer or for lunch.  Click on this link to watch Chef Placko prepare the recipe.  In this recipe  I used Kraft Cream Cheese instead of goat cheese. 

Sun-Maid® Raisin Bread Crostini with Tomato-Basil Salsa

Prep time: 15 minutes

Bake time: 12 minutes

Makes 24 bite-size appetizers

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons (30 mL) olive oil

½ teaspoon (2 mL) finely minced garlic

6 slices Sun-Maid® Cinnamon Swirl Raisin Bread

­­­1 cup (250 mL) diced cherry tomatoes
1 tablespoon (15 mL) thinly sliced basil

¼ teaspoon (1 mL) balsamic vinegar

Pinch Kosher salt

2 ounces (57 g) soft goat cheese or cream cheese

Directions:

Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Combine olive oil and garlic in a microwave-safe dish; microwave on HIGH (100% power) for 20 seconds to infuse garlic flavor. Place raisin bread on a baking sheet.  Brush top of bread slices with garlic olive oil.  Bake 6 minutes; turn and bake additional 6 minutes or until toasted.  Remove toasts from baking sheet and cool on a wire rack.  Cut diagonally into quarters. Can be stored covered for up to 2 days. Combine tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar and salt in a small bowl. Spread toasts lightly with cheese; top with a small spoonful of tomato salsa.

Tip:

·         Use mixed color heirloom tomatoes for added color.


(Got permission from Sun-Maid to copy recipe on my blog)