Easy Bruschetta

I absolutely love bruschetta, but it's been years since I've made it!  So I thought I'd whip some up to go along with the baked ziti I made the other day.  I used my baguette recipe on this site but any good Italian or French bread will do.  I've noticed a lot of recipes calling for the bread to be toasted first.  But my husband and I actually prefer it softer, otherwise the tomatoes tend to slide off as you bite into it.  So this is how we made these the other day-it was fantastic, even the kids loved it!  It's also a great way to use up all those garden tomatoes!

1 loaf thick Italian bread
olive oil
fresh diced tomatoes
fresh basil, minced or dried basil
garlic powder, to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon)
pinch of salt
balsamic vinegar
fresh grated parmesan, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Cut Italian bread into thick slices.  Lay on a large baking sheet and brush tops with olive oil; set aside.  In a small saucepan, saute tomatoes over medium heat until they lose some of their moisture.  Add basil, garlic powder, pinch of salt, and a splash of balsamic vinegar.  Stir well and remove from heat.  Top the baguette slices with tomato mixture.  Place in oven and bake for 10 minutes or just until they start browning.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh parmesan.  Enjoy!