SANDWICH WEEK - FRIED TOMATO HOAGIE

This is an intensely flavorful sandwich made popular at Chickie's Italian Deli in Philly. It is a vegetarian version of the classic hoagie. Choose really good juicy beefsteak tomatoes for this one! I like to choose a spicy provolone cheese. The original recipe calls for roasted hot peppers, which I omit...but if you like the spice go for it!

Ingredients:

1 cup flour

2 eggs lightly beaten

1 cup bread crumbs

salt and pepper to taste

4 tbl unsalted butter

12 (1/2" thick) slices of tomato

2 (12" long) crusty Italian rolls

2 cups shredded or thinly sliced provolone

1 (17 oz) jar roasted red peppers drained

shredded lettuce

2 tsp oregano

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Create a breading station with flour in a bowl, eggs in another and breadcrumbs in another. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbl of butter in a saute pan. Bread each slice of tomato, first in flour, dip in eggs and coat with breadcrumbs and add to pan in batches. Cook turning once until coating is golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack over paper towels to drain. Keep adding butter to the pan as you sute the tomatoes.

Split the hoagie and place a layer of tomato, then provolone. Add roasted red peppers, lettuce, a little oregano, salt and pepper. Spread top half of hoagie with mayonnaise.

HAVE A HOAGIE!

ENJOY!

TOMATO MASCARPONE SAUCE

So my husband and I go to this great little Italian place by our house and always order their eggplant parmesan appetizer. It is just a single layer of breaded eggplant with this insanely delicious sauce. I knew there was an ingredient I couldn't identify and I finally got the chef to tell me it was mascarpone cheese and using plenty of tomatoes without the extra liquid in the can. So I have experimented with measurements and here it is....just delicious!

Ingredients:

1 (28 oz) can diced San Marzano tomatoes with juice
2 pints cherry tomates
2 tbl olive oil
2 tbl unsalted butter
2 tsp sherry vinegar
1-1/2 cup white wine
5 garlic cloves chopped
3 shallots chopped
1 tbl fresh basil chopped
1-1/2 tbl mascarpone cheese
2 tbl grated parmesan cheese
salt
pepper
red pepper flake (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet with some olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until they start to blister. Heat olive oil and butter in a saute pan. Add garlic and shallot and cook until tender. Add canned and cherry tomatoes, vinegar, wine, salt, pepper and red pepper. Let simmer on the stove for at least an hour. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour sauce into a food processor and pulse until pretty smooth.
Return the sauce to the pan and add basil, mascarpone and parmesan cheese. Let simmer for about 20 minutes and ready to go! Serve over a nice breaded, fried eggplant or simply over pasta.

FOR THE LOVE OF CHEESE!
ENJOY!

SAUSAGE, ZUCCHINI AND TOMATO GRATIN

Healthy and Scrumptious! We know how good zucchini and tomato are for us and with the additions of a little spicy Italian sausage, some marinara and cheese...it's delicious!!! You could add or substitute eggplant or other vegetables as you like.

Ingredients:

1 large zucchini thinly sliced
4 good tomatoes Roma preferred, diced
1 (15 oz) jar marinated artichokes drained and chopped
1 lb Italian sausage (spicy, sweet or mild)
1 cup grated Fontina cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 recipe marinara sauce (see blog) or bottled sauce
1-1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
4 tbl unsalted butter


On a baking sheet spread out tomatoes and zucchini. Salt and pepper them. In a saute pan melt butter. Add breadcrumbs and toast until golden brown. Set aside. Remove sausage from casing and cook until done and break into small pieces. Drain on paper towel. In a 8 X 8 baking dish, spread a layer of marinara sauce. Add a layer of zucchini, then breadcrumbs, sausage, tomato, artichoke, marinara sauce, sprinkle of Fontina and parmesan cheeses. Repeat until ingredients are gone. Top with a layer of marinara and cheeses. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes until vegetables are cooked, cheese melted and sauce bubbling. I serve this with just some crusty bread.

GET YOUR VEGGIES!
ENJOY!

QUICK CHICKEN WEEK - CHICKEN WITH CHERRY TOMATOES AND CAPERS

Who doesn't love chicken in tomatoes.....YUM! I add some garlic, shallots and capers to add a little sweet/tangy addition to the tomatoes. Again, this recipe is best with chicken cutlets which are thin sliced boneless breasts. If you cannot find cutlets, buy boneless breasts and slice them in half lengthwise and pound to about 1/2 inch thick. Olives would be a nice addition but carry a few calories!!!

Ingredients:

4 chicken cutlets
3 tbl olive oil
5 garlic cloves minced
2 shallots minced
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
1/4 cup capers drained and rinsed
1/3 cup low sodium chicken broth
salt
pepper
fresh basil chopped for garnish

In a saute pan heat 2 tbl olive oil in a pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides and add to the pan. Cook on each side about 3 minutes and transfer to a plate to keep warm. To the same saute pan, add remaining oil. Cook garlic and shallots to the pan. Saute for about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, chicken broth and capers. Cook about 5 minutes and serve over chicken and garnish with basil leaves.
Serve with steamed vegetables or a nice dinner salad. The chicken portion has about 300 calories per serving!!!

It's about Quick Chicken!
ENJOY!

RESOLUTION WEEK - MEXICAN RICE, BEANS AND TOMATO

In the Chicago Tribune today in the "Good Eating" section, there was an article about "ways to eat better in 2011".

Some suggestions are; try to eat one vegetarian meal one day each week. Try proteins that are from plants rather than animals like lentils, beans or tofu. Use more whole grains like whole grain brown rice, quinoa or whole wheat pasta. Of course adding more fruits and vegetables, especially raw. Finally, eliminate hydrogenated fats and margarine and use olive or canola oil..READ LABELS!!!!

Here is a recipe that incorporates many of these ideas.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked whole grain brown rice

1 (15 oz) can petite diced tomatoes

6 medium chopped cloves of garlic

1 medium jalapeno, cored and finely chopped. If you like spicy, leave ribs in with seeds

1 (15 oz) can black beans drained and rinsed

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano

1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley (or cilantro if you like)

2 tbl olive oil

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp chili powder

salt

Cook rice according to package instructions. While the rice cooks, drain the tomatoes, reserving the juice into a measuring cup. Add water if necessary to reach 1 cup total liquid.

In a saute pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and jalapeno until garlic browns, about 1 minute. Add the beans, cumin, chili powder and 2 tsp salt. Stir to incorporate for about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato juice and bring to a boil. Cook at a low boil until the beans absorb most of the liquid, about 5-7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, parsley and rice. Stir until rice is warm and serve immediately. You can add other vegetables if you like to make it even healthier!

Hearty Meal!

ENJOY!

ROASTED TOMATO SALSA

Salsa is great on so many foods...from anything Mexican to steak to egg frittatas! You can freeze this for 3-4 months or it lasts in the refrigerator for about a week. Salsa is very low in calories and can easily spice up your otherwise blander meals.

Ingredients:

1 lb ripe tomatoes

1 clove garlic

1/2 of a chipotle from a can in adobo sauce (more if you like)

1 tbl olive oil

2 tbl cilantro or italian parsley

1-1/2 tsp fresh lime juice

salt

Preheat broiler

Place tomatoes and garlic on a baking sheet and broil until they are charred on the outside about 5 minutes, turning once. After the tomatoes cool, peel the skin off and discard. In a blender puree tomatoes and their juice along with the garlic, chile and 1/2 tsp salt. It can be a little chunky. Heat olive oil in a pan and add puree. Simmer, stirring frequently until reduced to about a cup about 8-10 minutes. Let cool and add lime juice and cilantro or parsley and season with salt.

Super Easy!

ENJOY!

POTATOES BAKED WITH TOMATOES

This is a great side dish with a nice steak, chicken breast and even fish!!!!! Nice and cheesy..and it's a great new way to bake potatoes. It needs to bake for about an hour or more depending on how soft you like your potatoes, so plan your main dish around the timing for these. If you can't find good tomatoes used good canned ones.

Ingredients:

2 large sweet onion, preferably Vidalia sliced thin
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, or Russet sliced thin
1 lb tomatoes sliced with their juices
8 oz mozzarella cheese sliced very thin
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chicken stock
2 tbl fresh basil chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
salt
pepper


Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Spread some of the olive oil in the bottom of a baking pan. Arrange a layer of the onion on the bottom followed by layers of potatoes and tomatoes, overlapping the pieces as you go. Pour a little oil on top and season with salt and pepper. Repeat until you have used all the pieces and include one layer of the mozzarella cheese. Add chicken stock and tomato juices. Sprinkle the basil and oregano on top and add parmesan cheese. Finish with a little more olive oil. Bake for about 1 hour until the potatoes are tender.

If the top starts to brown too much, cover with foil for the remaining cooking time.

ENJOY!

HALIBUT WITH TOMATO, OLIVE AND CAPERS

I love fish, but it can be a tricky thing. At first I overcooked everything. Then I tried to cook it in the serving sauce. I have found in very few circumstances should you bake fish in a sauce. Swordfish works very well baked in sauces, but for the most part you really should cook the fish and sauce separately.

Ingredients:

1 lb Halibut fillet

1 tbl olive oil

salt and pepper

Sauce:

2 tbl olive oil

2 cloves garlic minced

15 oz can peeled tomatoes

1/4 cup kalamata olives, halved

1 tbl fresh chopped basil

1 tbl capers, drained and rinsed

dash of red pepper flakes

fresh lemon slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Coat the fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes turning once. (Internal temp should be around 135 degrees).

Sauce:

In a large saute pan heat oil and add garlic for a minute. Then add tomatoes with juice, olives, capers and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook about 10 minutes stirring frequently.

Spoon the sauce over the fish and garnish with basil and lemon slice. Very easy and great flavor!

I serve this with some basmati rice and a good chardonnay! I know what you are thinking!

ENJOY!

TOMATO, OLIVE, FETA AND MINT SALAD

Tomatoes...GET THEM WHILE YOU CAN...seriously. Pretty soon we will have only the bland ones available. This goes with green beans too..which I will blog tomorrow. It is still somewhat summer-like outside, so nice refreshing side dishes are great!!!

Ingredients:

4 large ripe tomatoes sliced

1/2 large cucumber peeled, seeded and diced

1/2 lb cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (preferably yellow or orange)

1/2 cup kalamata olives halved

6 oz feta cheese crumbled

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp lemon zest

4 tsp lemon juice

Salt

Pepper

Combine the crumbled feta and mint in a small bowl and set aside. Season tomato slices with salt and arrange them on a serving platter, slightly overlapping. Toss the cucumbers over the tomatoes. Add the cherry or grape tomatoes on top and then the olives.

Whisk the olive oil, lemon zest and lemon juice together. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle this mixture over the salad. Scatter the feta, mint mixture over the dressing and garnish with a mint sprig or two.

So refreshing!

ENJOY!

OH TERESA'S SPICY YUMNESS

Off to Boston for a family "thing", so I am borrowing a wonderful recipe from my good friend Teresa...hope she doesn't mind. She made it last night and it sounds wonderful. She probably had most of the ingredients IN HER PANTRY!!!!....the vegetables may have taken her to the market.

In no exact measurements chop together:

Fresh tomatoes, one large serano pepper, and some kalamata olives. Add corn cut from a freshly cooked cob and simmer all together with olive oil, minced garlic, balsamic vinegar (go easy on this ingredient), fresh ground pepper, and fresh basil. Simmer about 15 minutes.

Then use a potato masher to mash the ingredients to your likeness and continue to simmer for about 15-20 minutes. She serves it over her favorite whole wheat pasta - you choose.

I might even add some feta cheese crumbles, this cheese goes so well with the olives and pepper.

THANKS TERESA!
ENJOY!

TOMATO, MANGO AND AVOCADO SALAD

Such a simple salad with a very simple dressing but takes you away from the typical "lettuce" salad. Now that tomatoes couldn't taste better...USE THEM IN EVERYTHING...haha!!! The tomato season seems so short I really do love to incorporate fresh ones into just about anything I make and salads are a perfect fit.

Ingredients:

10 medium tomatoes sliced to 1/4 inch
3 large ripe mangoes peeled and sliced to 1/4 inch
2 large ripe avocados peeled and sliced to 1/4 inch
3 large shallots sliced thin
2 cups fresh basil thinly sliced
1/4 cup + 1 tbl red wine vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt

In a small bowl combine red wine vinegar with the olive oil and season with salt. Add the sliced shallots and 1 cup of the basil and toss well.

Arrange the tomatoes on a platter with the mangoes and avocados. Drizzle with the dressing and garnish with the extra basil.

This makes about 10 servings so adjust your ingredients accordingly.

It is so refreshing served at a summer bbq and takes about 15 minutes to make!
ENJOY!

TOMATO, PROSCUITTO AND GRUYERE SANDWICHES

A fabulous twist on the grilled cheese sandwich, this upscale treat made famous by Swiss-born chef Daniel Humm, combines everything about a traditional grilled cheese but brings it up a notch with a little white wine, a dash of kirsch, gruyere cheese and prosciutto.

Kirsh is a cherry flavored liqueur. If you can't find it or don't want to make the investment you can leave it out or try a dash or maraschino cherry juice. This cherry flavor helps the melted Gruyere taste more like a Swiss fondue.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Ingredients:

Four 1-inch thick slices of white bread
2 tbl olive oil
1 clove of garlic peeled
1 tsp dry white wine
1/2 tsp kirsch (optional)
2 oz sliced prosciutto
1 beefsteak tomato peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 lb Gruyere cheese sliced thin
salt
fresh ground pepper
paprika


Brush the bread on both sides with the olive oil and place on baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 10-15 minutes turning once, until golden brown and crisp, but soft on the inside.
Rub each slice of toast with the garlic clove on one side. In a bowl combine white wine and kirsch and sprinkle over garlic side of toast. Top each with a slice of prosciutto and a slice of tomato and light sprinkle of salt. Then top these open face sandwiches with the sliced Gruyere...lots of it...!!!!!

Preheat the broiler and broil close to the heating element. Watch closely so the cheese gets bubbly but does not burn. Top with a shake of pepper and paprika.

These are great for a snack or cut into smaller pieces as an appetizer. They are great for lunch with a nice fresh side salad. And as always a nice glass of Chardonnay or a Pinot Gris makes the meal perfect!

ENJOY!

TOMATO AND CHEESE FRITTATA

Yes, this is actually my picture!!!!! Yesterday, we couldn't decide what we wanted for breakfast....eggs over, scrambled, poached....no not poached....and I thought about a nice tomato and cheese frittata..never had tried to make one....it was delicious.

You can choose your filings much like an omelette - sausage, bacon, pancetta ...vegetables....CHEESE! I had some great fontina cheese, cherry tomatoes and I added a red pepper. This recipe serves about 5.

Ingredients:

9-10 eggs

2 tbl heavy cream

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tbl olive oil

1 tbl unsalted butter

4 ounces shredded fontina cheese

1/4 cup diced tomatoes

1/4 cup diced red pepper

Preheat broiler

In a medium ovenproof saute pan heat olive oil and butter. Add vegetables. If using a meat product, saute that first until cook. Remove from the pan and add vegetables with an additional tbl of butter. Cook the vegetables until soft.

Whisk eggs, cream, salt and pepper in a bowl. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables (and meat should be returned to pan). Mix and top with the shredded cheese. Cover and cook over low-medium heat until the frittata is almost set. Uncover and place pan under the broiler until cheese is melted, the eggs are set and it is golden brown. Let rest for about 2-3 minutes.

Cut into wedges and serve with a nice artisan toast and a small bowl of mixed fruit. Fabulous and very easy. Happy Sunday.

ENJOY!

STUFFED TOMATOES

If you love tomatoes like I do, you will make this dish often. When shopping for the tomatoes buy large tomatoes that are ripe but still firm. These tomatoes can be served as the entree for a lighter meal or as a side with broiled chicken or a steak off the grill.

Ingredients:

1 cup of basmati brown rice or a short grain white rice
6 tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped black olives
1/4 cup chopped roasted red pepper
1 shallot chopped
1 garlic clove chopped
5 tbl olive oil
3 tbl fresh chopped basil
2 tbl fresh chopped italian parsley
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and fresh ground pepper

Cook the rice per package directions and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Cut a slice off the top of each tomato and save the tops. Scoop out all the seeds and pulp from the tomatoes and save about a 1/2 cup in a bowl. Toss the rice with the tomato seeds and pulp. Add shallot, garlic, olives, peppers, basil, parsley, parmesan cheese, 3 tbl olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Mix it well.

Pour remaining 2 tbl olive oil in the bottom of a 8 x 8 inch baking pan. Place the tomatoes into the pan. Spoon the rice mixture into the tomatoes. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Replace the tops onto the tomatoes. Bake until the tomatoes are cooked and rice is hot about 20 minutes.

I know my sister Nancy will make these NOW!!!!!...no one LOVES tomatoes like she does.....
ENJOY!

COCKTAIL TIME...I AM THIRSTY

Just realized all these recipes have made me thirsty thirsty....I have tried every bloody mary mix on the market and none of them has been a winner for me so I created this bloody mary mix from scratch and it is great....getting thirstier looking at this photo..

Ingredients:

32 oz plain tomato juice

Juice of 2 lemons

Juice of 2 limes

1-1/1 tsp salt

1-1/2 tsp cracked pepper

1 TBL green olive juice

1 tsp horseradish (optional)

1 tsp celery seed

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

2-3 shakes of Tabasco (more if you like it spicy)

Mix together.

Pour vodka in a BIG glass over ice, add bloody mary mix and garnish with a celery stalk, green olives, slice of cucumber..possibilities are endless..even a nice cocktail shrimp

Gotta go my ice is melting!!!!!!