Boy, the Italian side of our extended family are going to love me this week.
- 1 1/2 lbs. zucchini
- 1/4 cup flour
- generous pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
- pinch of pepper
- 1/4 cup Avocado oil
- 2 medium tomatoes, sliced
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8 x 8 baking dish. With a brush, scrub the zucchini well and cut into 1/4 inch slices (crosswise).
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pinch of salt, 1/2 tsp. oregano and pinch of pepper. Toss the slices in the flour to coat well.
Slowly heat the oil in a large skillet. Saute the zucchini until golden brown (about 4 minutes) on both sides. Drain.
Cover the bottom of the baking dish with the zucchini and top with the tomato slices. Combine the remaining ingredients and spoon evenly over the tomatoes. Sprinkle the cheese over the top.
Bake for 30-35 minutes – cheese should be melted and the zucchini tender.
Another great side dish. This will serve 6.
Tomato Cheese Casserole
This is a great dish to serve on a hot summer day, with the barbecue going, appetizers served and of course, cold beer or wine waiting on the sidelines.
- 3 cups thinly sliced onions
- 4 medium size tomatoes, peeled and sliced (about 2 lbs)
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- pinch of pepper
- 1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
- 6 slices processed American cheese (yeah, I know), cut in half
- 1/2 cup Panko crumbs
- 3 tbsp. melted butter
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
. Butter a 1 1/2 quart casserole. In 1 inch of boiling water cook the onion, covered, for 10 minutes; drain.
Layer, in order, half of the tomatoes and onion. Sprinkle with half the salt, pepper and basil. Top with one half of the cheese. Repeat the layers.
Mix the Panko crumbs with the melted butter and sprinkle over the top of the dish.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the tomatoes are tender.
Serve with warm roasted garlic bread. Well, if you insist, along with the hamburgers, corn on the cob would be fantastic.
I love summers.
Cream of Tomato Soup
I know you can just go buy a can of soup and then add either water or milk and it’s ready. Try this one and you won’t want to go and just buy it again. It only takes 30-35 minutes to prepare and so worth it.
- 4 cups chicken stocks
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 small onion, chopped fine
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped fine
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 1 sprig thyme, leaves only
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup whipping cream
In a large pot, melt the butter and add the onion, garlic, thyme, pepper flakes and bay leaf. Sweat these off without browning any of it.
Add the tomatoes and stock. Bring this to a full boil then reduce the heat and continue cooking for 40 minutes or so. Remove the bay leaf and now, CAREFULLY, puree the contents. When smooth, add the whipping cream. and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Now, for the ‘take 5’ moment, take:
- 1/4 cup whipping cream
- 1 tbsp. grated lime zest
Whip the cream to stiff peaks, add a dollop on top of each soup serving, and sprinkle some zest over it.
All that is needed is a couple of crackers, glass of chilled white wine and voila!!!! Yummy.
*If you grew too many tomatoes either last year or earlier in the year and froze them. Use them, they make such a difference in pure, fresh flavour.
Roasted Corn and Butter Bean Succotash
A few weeks back, I mentioned the dinner-cooking classes we attended at Hester Creek Estate Winery https://hestercreek.com/. The Chef, Roger, is an outstanding Chef and gave me permission to pass this recipe along to you.
This will serve 8-10 people, I think. He served 11 and it was enough. Mind you, if offered, I think 22 hands would have risen to get more on their plate. THIS is outstanding.
- 2 t sp. olive oil
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1 cup white wine
- 2 cans good quality cherry tomatoes or 3 cups fresh heirloom tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup fresh roasted corn from the cob or frozen, if out of season
- 2 cans Greek butter beans
- 2 cups fresh heirloom tomatoes
- fresh basil
- salt and pepper to taste
Lightly saute onions and garlic in olive oil for 3 – 4 minutes or until slightly translucent and add a cup of wine. Reduce by half and add cans of tomatoes and fresh tomatoes, simmering for half an hour.
Add the corn and simmer for another half hour.
Add the butter beans and basil and simmer for another 10 minutes. Season to taste.
This takes a little while to finished product, but, let me assure you…..you will be wowed. We were….
Tomatoes With A Kick
This is a great start to a special night, such as a Birthday, Graduation, Christmas or New Years. It is very easy and really different!
- 1 basket of grape tomatoes
- 1 bottle of citrus vodka (several brands on the market)
- Sea salt
- Fancy toothpicks
- Oversized martini glass
Wash the tomatoes and prick with a metal skewer a couple of times. Place them in a sealable bag and pour only enough vodka over them to completely cover. Marinate overnight in the fridge.
Just before your guests arrive, place the tomatoes in the oversized martini glass (or pretty glasses).
Put fancy toothpicks in a side dish and also have a separate dish with the sea salt in it. Great conversation piece and far too simple to tell anyone how you did it.
People should just pick up a fancy pick, put it in a tomato and dip in the salt. The tomatoes are small so there isn’t the chance to ‘double dip’. You are so clever…
The minute your guests see this you will hear loud WOWs. Set the glass on a mirror and add a couple of tea lights in holders around the base. Very dramatic!
I saw this in a magazine in a Dr.’s office and wrote it down. It is so pretty…your guests will talk about this for months.
Sun-dried Tomato and Chevre Cheese Pate
This is another nice way to say “welcome and we are delighted you are here”.
This will serve quite a few guests, but if serving only 4, this is ample.
- 3 oz. sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained
- 8 oz. soft goat cheese (Chevre)
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- Fresh chopped basil
- Fresh Ciabatta bread, cut into 16 pieces
Place three-quarters of the tomatoes and goat cheese in a blender and blend until ALMOST smooth. Add the balance of the tomatoes and blend only to break up the tomatoes, allowing for texture.
Transfer to a bowl and add the pecans and mix well. Turn out into a pate dish.
To serve, sprinkle fresh basil on top of the pate and surround with toasted bread on a small platter.
Again, pretty cocktail plates with cloth napkins and spreader knives will help each guest.
Rodini Heaven
Don makes a sandwich to die for. We buy the bread from Cobbs Bakery. He cuts it in half. He spreads dijon mustard on one side and lays out thinly sliced roast beef. Spreads a very thin amount of horseradish on the beef. Then he adds thinly sliced ham. We are not even halfway there! Now he adds thinly sliced sun dried tomato turkey breast. The fourth meat is Italian mild Genoa. This is about the only thing that is thin…..certainly not my waistline.
On this goes slices of Havarti cheese to cover the entire surface. Strips of roasted red pepper is laid over the cheese and avocado slices on top of the peppers. Thin slices of tomato covers this. Lastly, he spreads mayonnaise on the top half of the rodini loaf. Replace the top half and wrap in tin foil.
Wrap this CAREFULLY in tin foil and heat in a 350 degree oven until the cheese starts to melt. Remove from the oven and slice it up like a pie. This is absolutely the best sandwich you can make.
He gets requests for this all the time. Not just in our home. For luncheons at Church, friends having company, etc. Yup! He’s a real keeper.
Tomato, Mozarella Cheese Plate
This is so easy but is wonderful to eat. Try it with a glass of white, crisp wine and you will see what I mean.
- Tomato slices
- Mozzarella cheese slices
- Chiffinade fresh basil
- Extra virgin olive oil
On small plates, arrange the tomato slices and cheese, alternating in a circle on the plate.
Carefully arrange fresh basil on top and sprinkle with extra virgin olive oil. As this is the start of the dinner, I would probably use maybe three slices of each per plate.
Note: Again, this is so simple but the presentation makes it look like more than it is. A feast for the eyes makes the stomach want it.
Try it and let me know.